Sustainable Development Goal 6

 Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation

Sustainable Development Goal 6

SDG 6 is to: "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all". The eight targets are measured by 11 indicators.

The six "outcome-oriented targets" include: Safe and affordable drinking water; end open defecation and provide access to sanitation and hygiene, improve water quality, wastewater treatment and safe reuse, increase water-use efficiency and ensure freshwater supplies, implement IWRM, protect and restore water-related ecosystems. The two "means of achieving" targets are to expand water and sanitation support to developing countries, and to support local engagement in water and sanitation management.

In 2017, 2.2 billion people lacked safely managed drinking water and 4.2 billion people lacked safely managed sanitation. Three billion people worldwide lack basic hand-washing facilities at home. Two in five healthcare facilities world-wide have no soap and water, or alcohol-based hand rub (2016). The COVID-19 pandemic has made this goal increasingly important. However this pandemic could affect the ability of water utilities to meet this goal by increasing losses on revenues that would otherwise be used to make investments.

SDG 6 is closely linked with other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For example, progress in SDG 6 will improve health (SDG 3) and improve school attendance, both of which contribute to alleviating poverty. In April 2020, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said: “Today, Sustainable Development Goal 6 is badly off track" and it “is hindering progress on the 2030 Agenda, the realization of human rights and the achievement of peace and security around the world".