In a statement, the organization noted that, a decade after the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, universal access to this resource remains elusive, with around 106 million people drinking directly from untreated rivers, lakes, or other surface sources.

“At the current rate, the promise of safe drinking water and sanitation for all children is increasingly distant.

We need to act faster and bolder to reach those who need it most,” UN Children’s Fund expert Cecilia Scharp warned during the presentation of a report with the World Health Organization.

Both organizations indicated that residents of less developed countries are twice as likely to lack these services, and rural populations, small-scale households, and ethnic and indigenous minorities are among the most affected.

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