Number of People in Need of Water
CURRENT TOTAL
Live Counter Notable Facts
(Data shown in the table is for 2025. Counter shows current estimate)
Without Safe Water
Water Stressed
Absolute Scarcity
Understanding Number of People in Need of Water
This counter represents the number of people globally who lack access to safely managed drinking water services - water that is accessible on premises, available when needed, and free from contamination. As of 2025, 2.2 billion people still face this fundamental human rights violation.
Beyond those completely lacking safe water, billions more face water stress and scarcity. Currently, 3.6 billion people - nearly half the global population - experience severe water scarcity for at least one month per year, a number expected to rise to 4.8-5.7 billion by 2050.
The water crisis affects every continent but is most severe in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Rural communities, urban slums, and displaced populations face the greatest challenges, with women and girls bearing disproportionate burdens of water collection, often walking hours daily for contaminated water.
Global Water Access Crisis Overview
- Of the 2.2 billion without safely managed water, 1.5 billion have basic services but lack quality or reliability, 292 million have limited access requiring over 30 minutes to collect water, 296 million use unimproved sources like unprotected wells, and 115 million still drink directly from rivers and lakes.
- Water scarcity is accelerating due to population growth, urbanization, and climate change. By 2030, global freshwater demand will exceed supply by 40%, affecting 4 billion people. Regions facing the most severe stress include the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and parts of China and the United States.
- The human impact extends beyond thirst - lack of water access keeps children, especially girls, out of school for water collection duties. Women in water-scarce regions spend a collective 200 million hours daily collecting water, perpetuating cycles of poverty and gender inequality.
- Recent research suggests official statistics may underestimate the crisis. A 2024 study indicates over 4 billion people may lack access to safely managed water when accounting for quality and reliability issues not captured in standard monitoring, particularly affecting low and middle-income countries.
Water Access Terminology
- Safely Managed Water: Drinking water from improved sources that is on premises, available when needed, and free from contamination
- Water Scarcity: Lack of sufficient available water resources to meet demands within a region
- Water Stress: When water demand exceeds available amount during certain periods
- Improved Water Source: Protected from outside contamination, particularly fecal matter
Water Access Levels (2025)
- Safely managed: 73% (6 billion people)
- Basic service: 18% (1.5 billion)
- Limited service: 3.5% (292 million)
- Unimproved: 3.6% (296 million)
- Surface water: 1.4% (115 million)
Most Affected Regions
- Sub-Saharan Africa: 400 million without access
- Central/Southern Asia: 350 million
- Eastern/Southeastern Asia: 200 million
- Northern Africa/Western Asia: 150 million
- Latin America: 75 million
Future Projections
- 2025: 1.8 billion in absolute water scarcity
- 2030: 4 billion facing water stress
- 2050: 5.7 billion with monthly scarcity
- 2050: 52% of global population at risk
- Need to quadruple progress rate for SDG 6
Data Sources and References
Methodology and Data Collection
Water access data is based on the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme, which tracks drinking water services through household surveys and water quality testing in over 190 countries, with adjustments for underreporting in recent studies.
The counter shows the static figure of 2.2 billion people lacking safely managed drinking water services as of 2025, though the actual number may be higher when accounting for water quality and reliability issues not fully captured in standard monitoring.