A new UN report reveals a stark global issue. Over 2.1 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water: UN report states the headline. The report launched during World Water Week 2025 shows deep inequalities in water access.
The data comes from a joint study by WHO and UNICEF. Over 2.1 billion people still lack access to safe drinking water: UN report confirms that 1 in 4 people worldwide lack safely managed drinking water. This includes 106 million people relying on untreated surface sources like rivers or ponds.
The report highlights that 3.4 billion people lack safely managed sanitation. It also shows that 1.7 billion people have no basic hygiene services at home.
Vulnerable groups suffer most. Those in low-income countries, fragile regions, rural areas, children, and minority communities face the biggest gaps.
Since 2015, rural areas saw some improvement. Safe water access grew from 50 % to 60 %, and hygiene coverage from 52 % to 71 %. But urban areas have stalled.
Women and girls often carry the burden of water collection. In parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, they spend more than 30 minutes daily fetching water.
The UN calls water a human right. WHO urged faster action, especially for the most marginalized. UNICEF warned that lack of water and hygiene puts children’s health and education at risk.
With only five years left to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the report warns that universal access remains out of reach. Progress must speed up dramatically.
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