To ensure access to safe water sources and sanitation for all.

• 2.6 billion people have gained access to improved drinking water sources since 1990, but 663 million people are still without
• At least 1.8 billion people globally use a source of drinking water that is fecally contaminated
• Between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of the global population using an improved drinking water source has increased from 76 per cent to 91 per cent
• But water scarcity affects more than 40 per cent of the global population and is projected to rise. Over 1.7 billion people are currently living in river basins where water use exceeds recharge
• 2.4 billion people lack access to basic sanitation services, such as toilets or latrines
• More than 80 per cent of wastewater resulting from human activities is discharged into rivers or sea without any pollution removal
• Each day,nearly 1,000 children die due to preventable water and sanitation-related diarrhoeal diseases
• Hydropower is the most important and widely-used renewable source of energy and as of 2011, represented 16 per cent of total electricity production worldwide
• Approximately 70 per cent of all water abstracted from rivers, lakes and aquifers is used for irrigation
• Floods and other water-related disasters account for 70 per cent of all deaths related to natural disasters

Access to water, sanitation and hygiene is a human right, yet billions are still faced with daily challenges accessing even the most basic of services. Around 1.8 billion people globally use a source of drinking water that is fecally contaminated. Some 2.4 billion people lack access to basic sanitation services, such as toilets or latrines. Water scarcity affects more than 40 per cent of the global population and is projected to rise. More than 80 per cent of wastewater resulting from human activities is discharged into rivers or sea without any treatment, leading to pollution.

Water and sanitation related diseases remain among the major causes of death in children under five; more than 800 children die every day from diarrhoeal diseases linked to poor hygiene. Proper water and sanitation is a key foundation for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including good health and gender equality. By managing our water sustainably, we are also able to better manage our production of food and energy and contribute to decent work and economic growth. Moreover, we can preserve our water ecosystems, their biodiversity, and take action on climate change.

A study by the World Bank Group, UNICEF and the World Health Organization estimates that extending basic water and sanitation services to the unserved would cost US$28.4 billion per year from 2015 to 2030, or 0.10 per cent of the global product of the 140 countries included in its study.

The costs are huge both for people and for the economy. Worldwide, more than 2 million people die every year from diarrhoeal diseases. Poor hygiene and unsafe water are responsible for nearly 90 per cent of these deaths and mostly affect children. The economic impact of not investing in water and sanitation costs 4.3 per cent of sub-Saharan African GDP. The World Bank estimates that 6.4 per cent of India's GDP is lost due to adverse economic impacts and costs of inadequate sanitation. Without better infrastructure and management, millions of people will continue to die every year and there will be further losses in biodiversity and ecosystem resilience, undermining prosperity and efforts towards a more sustainable future.

Civil society organizations should work to keep governments accountable, invest in water research and development, and promote the inclusion of women, youth and indigenous communities in water resources governance. Generating awareness of these roles and turning them into action will lead to win-win results and increased sustainability and integrity for both human and ecological systems. You can also get involved in the World Water Day and World Toilet Day campaigns that aim to provide information and inspiration to take action on hygiene issues.

International voluntary work plays a key role in delivering and implementing the Sustainable Development Goals as volunteering supports social, economic and environmental change. It is an important driver of civic engagement in the 21st century. If you want to do more than just join the conversation, Volunteer World provides the chance to become active and help reach the SDG Goal #06 Clean Water And Sanitation. Click on the map to search for volunteer opportunities that help to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal: