By Peter Omopo
The United Nations has raised alarm over the global water crisis, revealing that more than two billion people worldwide still lack access to safely managed drinking water.
In a joint report released on Tuesday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned that progress towards universal access is moving far too slowly, putting billions at heightened risk of disease.
The study showed that in 2024, one in four people globally did not have safe drinking water, with over 100 million still relying on unsafe surface water from rivers, ponds, and canals.
“Water, sanitation, and hygiene are not privileges: they are basic human rights,” said WHO’s Director of Environment, Climate Change and Health, Ruediger Krech. “We must accelerate action, especially for the most marginalised communities.”
The report assessed five levels of drinking water services, with “safely managed” defined as water accessible at home, available when needed, and free from faecal and chemical contamination. Lower levels range from basic and limited access to unimproved sources and surface water.
While there has been some progress since 2015—with 961 million more people gaining access to safely managed drinking water—2.1 billion people still lack such services. Of these, 106 million depend on surface water, though that figure has declined by 61 million over the past decade.
The number of countries that eliminated surface water use for drinking rose from 142 in 2015 to 154 in 2024. However, 28 countries, mostly in Africa, still have over a quarter of their populations without basic water services.
The report also highlighted gaps in sanitation and hygiene. Since 2015, 1.2 billion people have gained access to safely managed sanitation, and open defecation has fallen by nearly half to 354 million people. Hygiene access has improved too, with 1.6 billion gaining facilities for handwashing with soap and water at home.
But UNICEF’s Director of WASH, Cecilia Scharp, warned that the crisis disproportionately affects children and women. “When children lack access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, their health, education, and futures are put at risk,” she said. “These inequalities are especially stark for girls, who often bear the burden of water collection and face barriers during menstruation.”
The UN cautioned that without urgent action, the 2030 global target of universal access to water, sanitation, and hygiene will remain out of reach.
