It’s a tough truth to swallow: more than 2 billion people around the world still can’t count on safe drinking water. That’s roughly one out of every four individuals on our planet. The United Nations is sounding the alarm, warning that a key goal – making sure everyone has access to clean water by 2030 – looks increasingly out of reach.
A report put together by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF paints a stark picture. Not having proper water, sanitation, and hygiene services (WASH) isn’t just an inconvenience. It actively hurts people’s lives. It also ramps up the danger of serious diseases spreading, especially in the world’s poorest and most vulnerable neighborhoods. The report makes it clear that we are moving way too slowly to hit that 2030 target.
Looking at the numbers from 2023, specifically 2.1 billion people still lack safely managed drinking water. Even more shocking, over 100 million people have no choice but to drink from surface water sources. Think rivers, swamps, and canals. The UN defines “safely managed” as the best kind of water. It means water that’s easy to get at home, always there when you need it, and free from bad germs or chemicals. Below that top tier, there are other levels: basic, limited, unimproved, and finally, surface water.
Rüdiger Krech, who leads the environment department at WHO, didn’t mince words. He stressed that access to water, sanitation, and hygiene isn’t a luxury. It’s a basic human right. He called for urgent action from everyone, everywhere, to fix this problem.
There has been some good news, thankfully. Since 2015, about 961 million more people have gained access to safe drinking water. This pushed the percentage of people with clean water from 68% up to 74%. But even with these gains, the pace simply isn’t fast enough. The report notes that 28 countries still have more than a quarter of their people without even basic clean water services. Most of these countries are in Africa.
On a positive note, more countries are moving away from using surface water for drinking. The number grew from 142 in 2015 to 154 in 2024. This shows that change is possible.
Even with global efforts making life a bit better for some, billions still live without enough safe drinking water. This problem directly affects their health, how well their economies run, and the overall stability of their societies. This report serves as a powerful reminder. Providing clean water isn’t just about managing natural resources. It’s deeply tied to human rights and fairness for everyone on Earth.
Source: channelnewsasia
