Why safe water and sanitation remain out of reach despite a decade of global action

A new WHO–UNICEF global assessment finds that while most countries now have water and sanitation plans, weak institutions, chronic funding gaps and staff shortages are preventing real progress. Without urgent investment in systems, people and finance, the goal of safe water and sanitation for all by 2030 is likely to slip out of reach.

Ten years into the Sustainable Development Goals and with 2030 fast approaching, the world’s water and sanitation systems are under strain. A major new assessment by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, produced under the UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS), offers a blunt message: most countries know what needs to be done on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), but their systems are too weak to deliver it.

The State of systems for drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene: Global update 2025 draws on data from 105 countries and territories and 21 development partners, covering more than 60% of the global population. Instead of focusing only on access figures, it looks under the hood, at policies, institutions, financing, regulation and people and finds deep structural cracks.

Strong plans, weak delivery

On paper, progress looks encouraging. Nearly all countries report having national policies or plans for drinking-water and sanitation, and most have adopted “safely managed” service standards. Governments have named lead agencies and set national targets, signalling that WASH is politically recognized as essential.

But the report shows that delivery systems are fragmented. Two-thirds of countries say multiple ministries have overlapping responsibilities, creating confusion and inefficiency. Key players, such as finance or planning ministries, are often missing from WASH coordination. Most tellingly, fewer than one in seven countries say they have enough money and staff to actually implement their plans. The result is a growing gap between ambition and reality.

Data exists, but blind spots remain

Monitoring has improved, but only up to a point. Most governments track water coverage, quality and infrastructure, often using national information systems that compile data from utilities and local authorities. Countries are increasingly using this data in planning and sector reviews.

Yet critical blind spots remain. Fewer than one-third of countries track affordability, equity, governance or workforce capacity. This means governments often know how many people have a service, but not whether it is affordable, reliable or reaching the poorest. Without this information, fixing broken systems becomes guesswork.

Money and people: the missing foundations

Finance is the report’s most serious warning sign. In countries that could measure it, available funding meets barely half of what is needed to reach national WASH targets. Government budgets have stagnated in real terms since 2021, and many countries fail to spend even what they allocate due to procurement delays and weak implementation capacity.

At the same time, cost recovery is deteriorating. Tariffs often fail to cover basic operation and maintenance, water losses from leaking pipes remain high, and political resistance to reform is common. Meanwhile, total spending varies wildly: high-income countries spend nearly twenty times more per person on WASH than low-income countries.

Human resources are equally strained. Fewer than one-third of countries report having enough skilled workers, especially for sanitation. Jobs are hard to fill, rural postings are unpopular, training systems fall short, and sanitation work remains stigmatized. Women are still underrepresented, particularly in leadership roles.

Aid, climate pressure and the road to 2030

International aid continues to play a crucial role, but it is shrinking. Official development assistance for water and sanitation has declined since its 2018–2019 peak, even as needs grow. Donors are increasingly focusing on sub-Saharan Africa, climate-resilient services and strengthening national systems, while trying to stretch limited funds by mobilizing domestic and private finance.

Climate change now cuts across every WASH challenge. Most countries acknowledge climate risks in their policies, and climate risk assessments have surged since 2023. But common indicators, technical capacity and reliable climate finance remain limited.

The global water and sanitation crisis is no longer about a lack of ideas or commitments. It is about weak systems struggling to carry the load. Without rapid investment in institutions, skilled people and sustainable financing, the promise of safe water and sanitation for all risks becoming one of the defining failures of the SDG era.