If all goes according to plan, every person in the world will have access to clean water and sanitation by 2030. Only 30% of people living in sub-Saharan Africa have access to sanitation. Water is doing slightly better with 66% access in the region. They both have the fact that they are off track for universal access.
If current trends hold, nearly 78% of people will have access to clean water and nearly 34% of people will have access to sanitation in 2030. That short of the 100% goal. A new map from the NGO WaterAid shows just how countries have been progressing on water and sanitation since 1990. They then go on to predict what will happen if the trend from the past twenty years continues for each country.
No countries are on track to have complete sanitation coverage and a handful will hit 100% for water. The release of the data coincides with this week’s African Water Week conference in Senegal. One of the issues being discussed is setting the target for universal water and sanitation access by 2030 as a part of the goals that will replace the soon-expiring Millennium Development Goals. WaterAid is optimistic that universal access is possible.
“This map shows that a new water, sanitation and hygiene Sustainable Development Goal that puts Africa on track to everyone having access to these essential services by 2030 is realistic and achievable,” said Nelson Gomonda, WaterAid’s Pan-African Program Manager.
