Water Quality: A Foundation for Health and Development Access to safe drinking water is essential for health and development, yet over 2 billion people, mostly in low- and middle-income countries, still lack it. Many remain exposed to contaminated water, which threatens health, livelihoods, and economic progress, underscoring the urgent need to ensure not only access, but also the safety of drinking water. May 2026, Story by Haruna Kashiwase & Tony Fujs, Visuals by Jan Willem Tulp

Water Quality: A Foundation for Health and Development Access to safe drinking water is essential for health and development, yet over 2 billion people, mostly in low- and middle-income countries, still lack it. Many remain exposed to contaminated water, which threatens health, livelihoods, and economic progress, underscoring the urgent need to ensure not only access, but also the safety of drinking water. May 2026, Story by Haruna Kashiwase & Tony Fujs, Visuals by Jan Willem Tulp https://data360.worldbank.org/en/atlas/water-access/?intcid=ecr_hp_trendingdata_en_ext