Quarter of world has no access to clean drinking water, says UN

Increase in demand for water was happening in developing countries and emerging economies where it was driven by industrial growth (Fareed Khan/AP)

Some 26% of the world’s population do not have access to safe drinking water and 46% lack access to basic sanitation, a new report launched on the eve of the first major UN conference on water in over 45 years has said.

The UN World Water Development Report 2023 painted a stark picture of the gap that needed to be filled to meet the organisation’s goals to ensure all people have access to clean water and sanitation by 2030.