People Without Access to Sewage Systems
CURRENT TOTAL
Live Counter Notable Facts
(Data shown in the table is for 2025. Counter shows current estimate)
Without Safe Sanitation
Open Defecation
Annual Deaths
Understanding People Without Access to Sewage Systems
This counter represents the staggering number of people worldwide lacking access to safely managed sanitation facilities. In 2025, 3.5 billion people - nearly half the global population - do not have toilets or latrines that safely contain and treat human waste, creating massive public health and environmental crises.
The sanitation crisis extends beyond just toilet access. Even where facilities exist, 42% of household wastewater globally is not safely treated before discharge, resulting in 113 billion cubic meters of untreated sewage entering the environment annually, contaminating water sources and spreading disease.
Progress has been made but remains far too slow. To achieve universal sanitation by 2030, the current rate of progress must quadruple. The situation is particularly dire in densely populated urban slums where space is limited, and in rural areas where infrastructure investment has been minimal.
Global Sanitation Crisis Overview
- Of the 3.5 billion without safely managed sanitation, 1.5 billion have 'basic' facilities that don't treat waste, 732 million share facilities with other households, and 367 million still practice open defecation. Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia face the greatest challenges.
- Urban sanitation presents growing challenges as rapid urbanization outpaces infrastructure development. In informal settlements, residents often rely on unsafe pit latrines, open drains, or 'flying toilets.' Sewage in these areas contaminates groundwater and spreads waterborne diseases.
- The economic impact is severe - poor sanitation costs the global economy $260 billion annually through healthcare expenses, lost productivity, and premature deaths. Countries lose 1-5% of GDP due to sanitation-related impacts, with the poorest nations suffering most.
- Climate change exacerbates sanitation challenges through flooding that overwhelms systems, droughts that prevent toilet flushing, and extreme weather that damages infrastructure. Rising sea levels threaten coastal sanitation systems with saltwater intrusion and system failure.
Sanitation Access Terminology
- Safely Managed Sanitation: Facilities where excreta is safely disposed of in situ or treated off-site
- Basic Sanitation: Improved facilities not shared with other households
- Open Defecation: Disposal of human feces in fields, forests, water bodies, or other open spaces
- Improved Sanitation: Facilities that hygienically separate human excreta from contact
Sanitation Access by Region (2025)
- Sub-Saharan Africa: 72% lack safe sanitation
- South Asia: 59% lack safe sanitation
- East Asia: 33% lack safe sanitation
- Latin America: 22% lack safe sanitation
- Developed regions: <5% lack safe sanitation
Health and Economic Impacts
- 1.4 million deaths annually from poor sanitation
- 50% of malnutrition linked to poor WASH
- Children lose 443 million school days to illness
- $260 billion annual global economic losses
- Women face safety risks from lack of toilets
Wastewater Treatment Gaps
- 42% of household wastewater untreated globally
- 80% of all wastewater discharged untreated
- 45% lack collection systems entirely
- 113 billion m³ untreated sewage annually
- Only 26% have sewage treatment in low-income nations
Data Sources and References
Methodology and Data Collection
Sanitation access data is compiled from the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme, which tracks progress on drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene through household surveys and national statistics in over 190 countries.
The counter reflects the static number of 3.5 billion people without safely managed sanitation as of 2025, based on the most recent global assessments, with regional variations in access levels and service quality.