2026-09-29 · people

One in four lack safely managed drinking water

Pipes, treatment, and reliability — not just a nearby tap.

One in four people worldwide — 27% of the world's 8.2 billion — lack safely managed drinking water: not just a nearby tap, but water that is treated, on premises, and available when needed. The other 73% meet that standard. This grid divides humanity into those two groups.

1 cell = 8.2 million people (0.1% of world population) · 1,000 cells

Context

Safely managed water, in the WHO/UNICEF JMP's framework, goes beyond an improved source: it should be on premises, available when needed, and free from contamination. A household can have a tap or protected well and still fall short if treatment, location, or reliability fails.

The figures come from the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme, which compiles national household surveys and censuses to track progress toward the Sustainable Development Goal for water; this edition reflects its 2026 data year.

National averages mask uneven access: the JMP also tracks inequalities by wealth quintile, sub-national region, gender, and affordability, since the people missing out are rarely spread evenly within a country.

WHO / UNICEF JMP drinking water.