Key Facts
• August 26, 2025: UN reports over 2 billion people lack safe drinking water access.
• 1 in 4 globally could not access “safely managed” drinking water in 2024.
• Over 100 million people rely on surface water from rivers, ponds, and canals.
• WHO and UNICEF highlight delays in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services.
• 2015–2024: 961 million gained access to “safely managed” water, rising usage to 74%.
• 2.1 billion people still lacked “safely managed” water in 2024, down 61 million in 10 years.
• Countries eliminating surface water use rose from 142 in 2015 to 154 in 2024.
• 28 nations, mostly in Africa, have over 25% of their population without basic water services.
• “Safely managed” water is defined as on-site, uncontaminated by feces or harmful chemicals.
• WHO emphasizes water and sanitation as fundamental human rights.
Summary
A United Nations report released on August 26, 2025, reveals that over 2 billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water, with one in four individuals unable to use “safely managed” water services. The report, jointly published by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, highlights significant delays in the global implementation of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services, leaving billions at risk of disease. While progress has been made, with 961 million people gaining access to “safely managed” water since 2015, 2.1 billion people still lack such access. Surface water reliance has decreased, and more countries have eliminated its use, but 28 nations, primarily in Africa, remain critically underserved. WHO underscores the urgency of accelerating efforts to ensure water and sanitation as basic human rights.
