About 2.1 billion people still lack safely managed drinking water, including 106 million who rely directly on rivers, lakes and other untreated water sources, according to the World Health Organization.
WHO updates drinking water quality guidelines; 2.1 billion people still lack safe access due to investment gaps, weak governance and emerging contaminants like PFAS. Implementation failures—insufficient personnel, delayed detection, poor cross-sector coordination—show critical infrastructure governance remains central despite technical solutions being available.
About 2.1 billion people still lack safely managed drinking water, including 106 million who rely directly on rivers, lakes and other untreated water sources, according to the World Health Organization.
A waste picker drinks water while working during a heat wave at a garbage dump on the outskirts of Jammu, India, Wednesday, June 19, 2024. (File photo: AP/Channi Anand)
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19 Jun 2026 05:24PM
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