With some 2.6 billion people having gained access since 1990, 91% of the global population now have improved drinking water – and the number is still growing.
Today, fewer than 1 000 children under 5 die each day from diarrhoea caused by inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene, compared to over 2 000 15 years ago.
On the other hand, the progress on sanitation has been hampered by inadequate investments in behaviour change campaigns, lack of affordable products for the poor, and social norms which accept or even encourage open defecation.
Although some 2.1 billion people have gained access to improved sanitation since 1990, the world has missed the MDG target by nearly 700 million people.