Regional drinking water coverage by source 2020

In 2020, 100 percent of the populations in Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand had access to at least basic drinking water services. In comparison, almost 30 percent of the population of Sub-Saharan Africa has access to just limited or unimproved drinking water services. Limited drinking water comes from an improved source, for which collection time exceeds 30 minutes for a round trip (including queuing). Unimproved, however, is drinking water from an unprotected dug well or unprotected spring.

Share of regional populations with access to various water sources worldwide in 2020

Characteristic	Safely managed	Basic	Limited	Unimproved	Surface water
-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-
-	-	-	-	-	-

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Release date

July 2021

More information

Region

Worldwide

Survey time period

2020

Supplementary notes

*Figures may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
SAFELY MANAGED - Drinking water from an improved source that is accessible on premises, available when needed and free from faecal and priority chemical contamination
BASIC - Drinking water from an improved source, provided collection time is not more than 30 minutes for a round trip, including queuing
LIMITED - Drinking water from an improved source, for which collection time exceeds 30 minutes for a round trip, including queuing
UNIMPROVED - Drinking water from an unprotected dug well or unprotected spring
SURFACE WATER Drinking water directly from a river, dam, lake, pond, stream, canal or irrigation canal

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