UN Highlights Global Water Inequality

The UN estimates that 2.2 billion people worldwide still lack access to safely manage drinking water services. In Mexico, millions face challenges from water scarcity, pollution, and inadequate infrastructure, deepening water stress and access gaps.

The study, Progress on Household Drinking-Water, Sanitation and Hygiene 2000-2024: Special Focus on Inequalities, published by the UN, revealed that one in four people worldwide lacked access to safely managed drinking water in 2024, while 106 million people still depend on untreated surface water from rivers, ponds, canals, and other unsafe sources.

The report highlights that people living in the least developed countries are twice as likely as those in other nations to lack access to both safe drinking water and basic sanitation. Moreover, the most vulnerable populations , including those living in rural areas, as well as children, women, ethnic minorities, and Indigenous peoples, are at the highest risk. “These inequalities are particularly pronounced for girls, who often bear the burden of collecting water and face additional barriers during menstruation,” the document notes.

In this regard, another report, titled Progress on Household Drinking-Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) 2000-2022: Special Focus on Gender, indicates that women and girls are responsible for collecting water in 70% of households without piped supply. In Mexico, girls are sometimes forced to leave school to help with tasks like fetching water and collecting firewood. However, these responsibilities,  which are increasingly affected by the adverse impacts of climate change, negatively affect health, pregnant women, and care-related activities, according to Mexico’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT).

The issue goes beyond drinking water. According to the study, 3.4 billion people still lack access to safely managed sanitation facilities, and about 10% of the global population still practices open defecation. This has direct consequences such as the spread of disease, preventable mortality, and increased marginalization, especially among adolescent girls.

With just five years left until the 2030 deadline for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015, the UN stresses that governments must accelerate their action plans to ensure everyone’s fundamental right to water, sanitation, and hygiene, as established in SDG 6. “Without a significant leap forward, humanity risks failing to deliver on this vital commitment,” the organization warned.

This year’s World Water Week, held in Stockholm, kicked off this week under the theme, Water for Climate Action. The event focuses on how water intersects with health, resilience, development, and the environment. The program emphasizes the urgency of cross-sectoral collaboration, innovative financing, and multi-stakeholder partnerships to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda.

Where Does Mexico Stand?

Mexico ranks among the 25 countries facing the highest levels of annual water stress. As of February 2025, 41.8% of the national territory was experiencing drought conditions, ranging from moderate to exceptional. The situation improved slightly with the onset of the rainy season in the second half of the year.

According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER), agriculture accounts for 76% of Mexico’s total water consumption, a challenge exacerbated by the inefficiency of irrigation methods. To address this, the federal government is implementing the National Irrigation Modernization Program, which aims to recover up to 2.8 billion m³ of water by modernizing hydro-agricultural infrastructure and deploying advanced irrigation technologies. The program involves a projected investment of MX$63.1 billion (US$3.72 billion) between 2025 and 2030.

Another significant source of water loss occurs within public supply systems, largely due to poor maintenance of distribution networks. As a result, 42% of Mexican households lack daily access to water. 

Beyond access, water pollution presents another major challenge, as 60% of Mexico’s water bodies are affected by some level of pollution. This issue is closely tied to sanitation infrastructure, as only one in three Mexicans has access to safely managed wastewater systems. In fact, 40% to 50% of treatment plants are currently inoperative, and only 51% of wastewater is treated nationwide.

As part of her 100 key commitments announced at the start of her term, President Claudia Sheinbaum has prioritized some water-related actions. These include developing a national water concession management plan, modernizing irrigation systems across 200,000ha in 13 priority districts, and launching strategic water recycling projects in 16 states.

On the private sector side, in November 2024, as part of the National Agreement for the Human Right to Water and Sustainability, Mexican businesses pledged to invest more than MX$21 billion (US$1.1 billion) to improve water efficiency, expand treatment and reuse systems, and return over 126 million m³ of water to local basins.

Other notable actions include the Escuelas de Agua initiative (Water School’s initiative), led by Coca-Cola Foundation in partnership with Rotoplas and Isla Urbana. The program installs rainwater harvesting systems capable of collecting 500,000 to 1 million Lannually per school. This allows schools to cover up to five months of water needs without relying on costly water truck deliveries, reducing financial burdens for families. To date, more than 700 schools across Mexico benefit from this sustainable solution.