Clean Water & Sanitation
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. 2.2 billion people still lack safely managed drinking water, while 3.4 billion are without safely managed sanitation.
2.2 billion people lack safely managed drinking water globally
The Numbers That Matter
Why It Matters
Access to clean water and sanitation is a fundamental human right, yet billions remain without these basic services. In 2024, 2.2 billion people lacked safely managed drinking water, 3.4 billion were without safely managed sanitation, and 1.7 billion lacked basic hygiene services at home.
Read the full picture
While progress has been made — safely managed drinking water coverage rose from 68% to 74% between 2015 and 2024 — none of SDG 6's targets are on track. Achieving universal coverage by 2030 requires a 6-fold increase in progress on drinking water, a 5-fold increase for sanitation, and an 8-fold increase for hygiene. Only 56% of domestic wastewater is safely treated, water stress remains critical in several regions, and freshwater ecosystems continue to decline. In schools, 646 million children still lack basic hygiene services.
Topics Covered
Take Action
Turn what you've learned into real impact. Join a challenge and track your progress.
7-Day Water Saver
Track and reduce your daily water consumption by 20%.
Fix a Leak Challenge
Find and fix every water leak in your home or community building.
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Each SDG is interconnected. Discover how other goals relate to Clean Water.
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