Are We Really Going to Achieve the UN's SDG-6 Goals on Time?

Imagine a world where you have to walk miles every day just to find clean water. Where you don’t have a proper toilet, and every time you get a drink or wash your hands, you’re risking your health. For many of us, this is unthinkable. We have clean water at the turn of a tap and proper sanitation that we don’t give a second thought to. But for billions of people around the world, this is not the reality. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG-6) aims to change that by ensuring that everyone, everywhere, has access to clean water and sanitation by 2030. With the deadline fast approaching, we’re left asking ourselves: are we going to make it?

The Reality on the Ground

The situation is, frankly, alarming. As of 2022, 2.2 billion people still didn’t have access to safely managed drinking water. That’s almost a third of the world’s population. It gets worse—3.5 billion people don’t have basic sanitation facilities like toilets or proper sewage systems. This is not just a matter of comfort; it’s about survival and dignity. Without these basic necessities, people are at risk of deadly diseases like cholera and dysentery. And it’s not just about health. For millions of children, it means missing school and losing out on education because they’re either sick or have to spend hours every day fetching water.

Then there’s the added pressure of climate change, which is making an already dire situation even worse. Between 2002 and 2021, more than 1.4 billion people were affected by droughts. By 2022, nearly half of the world’s population was facing severe water shortages for at least part of the year. In some regions, the demand for water far outstrips what’s available. This isn’t just an environmental issue—it’s a social and economic crisis waiting to happen.

Why Are We Falling Short?

SDG-6 has several specific targets, each tackling different aspects of the water and sanitation crisis. So, what’s going wrong, and why aren’t we making faster progress?

1. Access to Clean Water and Sanitation for All (Targets 6.1 and 6.2)

The aim here is straightforward: ensure everyone has access to clean water and sanitation by 2030. While there’s been some progress—between 2015 and 2022, the percentage of people with access to safely managed drinking water went up from 69% to 73%, and those with access to safely managed sanitation rose from 49% to 57%—it’s not nearly enough. To reach everyone by 2030, we would need to increase the current rate of progress by six times for drinking water and five times for sanitation. It’s a massive challenge that requires not just money, but also political will and innovative solutions.

2. Improving Water Quality (Target 6.3)

Water pollution and poor wastewater treatment are huge hurdles. In 2022, even in the countries that reported on their wastewater management, only 60% of wastewater flows were treated safely. The rest? It ends up contaminating our rivers, lakes, and oceans, making water sources unsafe. Building and maintaining the infrastructure needed for proper wastewater treatment is tough, especially in low-income countries where resources are already stretched thin.

3. Using Water Wisely (Target 6.4)

Water is a finite resource, and in many parts of the world, it’s being used faster than it can be replenished. From 2015 to 2021, global water-use efficiency improved by 19%, which is a positive step. But in some areas, especially those already struggling with shortages, water stress levels have actually gone up. This could undermine economic development and stability in those regions. We need to promote more sustainable water use practices, improve agricultural irrigation methods, and reduce water waste in cities and industries.

4. Managing Water Resources Responsibly (Target 6.5)

Managing water resources means making sure that water is used sustainably and fairly across different sectors—agriculture, industry, and households. Unfortunately, progress here has been slow. By 2023, only 57% of the target for integrated water resources management had been met, far from the goal of 91% by 2030. Even more worrying, only 43 out of 153 countries have agreements in place to manage their shared water resources, like rivers and lakes that cross national borders. Without international cooperation, it’s hard to ensure sustainable water management.

5. Protecting Water Ecosystems (Target 6.6)

Ecosystems like wetlands, rivers, and lakes are crucial for maintaining the water cycle, but they’re under increasing pressure from human activities and climate change. While there has been a net gain in permanent surface water globally since 2005, this masks significant losses in some regions due to droughts and rising water demands. Protecting these ecosystems isn’t just about conserving nature; it’s about securing water for the future.

6. Financial Support and Cooperation (Target 6.a)

Money is one of the biggest obstacles to achieving SDG-6. Many countries, particularly in the developing world, lack the financial resources to build and maintain the infrastructure they need. There was a 10% increase in international funding for water-related projects between 2021 and 2022, which is a step in the right direction, but it’s still not enough. Without significant financial support and technical assistance from wealthier countries and international organizations, these nations will continue to struggle.

How Can We Turn Things Around?

The challenges are immense, but they’re not insurmountable. Here’s what we need to do to get back on track:

1. Boost Investment in Infrastructure

We need to ramp up investment in water and sanitation infrastructure. This means building new systems where they’re lacking, upgrading old ones, and making sure they’re properly maintained. Public-private partnerships can help mobilize the necessary resources and spread the financial risk.

2. Embrace Innovation

Innovation is key to tackling many of these challenges. New technologies for water purification, wastewater treatment, and desalination can make a huge difference. We also need new models for financing and delivering water and sanitation services that are more efficient and sustainable. For instance, decentralized water treatment systems can provide clean water to remote communities without the need for costly centralized infrastructure.

3. Strengthen Governance and International Cooperation

Effective water management requires good governance. Countries need to strengthen their water policies, promote transparency and accountability, and involve all stakeholders in decision-making processes. For shared water resources, international cooperation is crucial. Countries sharing rivers and lakes must work together to develop joint management plans that benefit everyone.

4. Raise Awareness and Educate

People need to understand how critical water is and how to use it wisely. Public awareness campaigns can encourage people to use water more efficiently and adopt good hygiene practices. Education programs in schools and communities can play a big role in changing behaviors and attitudes toward water use.

5. Build Resilience to Climate Change

Climate change is already impacting water availability and quality, and it’s only going to get worse. Building resilience to these changes is essential. This means investing in infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather events, protecting and restoring ecosystems that provide natural flood control and water filtration, and implementing water-saving technologies and practices.

Time is Running Out

We don’t have much time left to get this right. If we don’t act now, millions of people will continue to suffer from preventable diseases, children will miss out on education, and communities will remain trapped in poverty. Water scarcity and poor water management could also lead to conflicts and instability, threatening global peace and security.

Achieving SDG-6 is about more than just hitting a global target. It’s about ensuring a better future for everyone. Clean water and sanitation are fundamental to human dignity, health, and development. We have the knowledge, technology, and resources to make this goal a reality, but we need to act now. The choices we make today will shape the future for billions of people around the world. Let’s make sure we don’t leave anyone behind in our quest for clean water and a healthier, more sustainable world.