Progress on Ambient Water Quality (SDG target 6.3)

Investments in measures to protect, restore and monitor water quality have positive effects on both terrestrial and marine ecosystem health more broadly, and lower the costs for drinking water treatment.

56 % of the world’s monitored water bodies has good ambient water quality (SDG indicator 6.3.2, 2023)

Data provider: UNEP through the Global Environment Monitoring System for Freshwater (GEMS/Water)
Available time series: 2017-2023
Number of countries (and areas) reporting in the last five years: 123
Proportion of world population covered by reporting in the last five years:80%
Proportion of world economy covered by reporting in the last five years: 88%
Proportion of world land area covered by reporting in the last five years: 81%
Learn more about the indicator here
Read the latest progress report here

SDG target 6.3 is: ‘By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.’

To track progress towards the target, SDG indicator 6.3.2 monitors the proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality, as per national and/or subnational water quality standards and based on measurements of five water quality parameters that inform on the most common pressures on water quality at the global level.

Global status of indicator 6.3.2 Level 1 Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality (2023)

Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality (%)

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SDG Progress Report

Global target: of people have access to safe water.
Current status: % has access to safe water.
Current rate of progress between -1 and : % of the world population gained access to safe drinking water.
Rate of progress required to reach target: % of population need to gain access to safe water per year.
On track to reach target:
With current rate of progress, target will be reached by year:

Status in different countries (or areas) of indicator 6.3.2 Level 1 Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality (2023)

Australia and New Zealand
Eastern and South-Eastern Asia

Central and Southern Asia
Latin America and the Caribbean

Europe and Northern America
Sub-Saharan Africa

Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand)
Northern Africa and Western Asia

Status in different SDG regions of indicator 6.3.2 Level 1 Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality (2023)

Status of different components of indicator 6.3.2 Level 1 Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality (2023)

Source data of indicator 6.3.2 Level 1 Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality

Country (or area), regional and world data for the latest year of reporting: 2017 - 2023

Country (or area), region, world	Year	6.3.2 Level 1 Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality
Country (or area), region, world	Year	Overall	Rivers	Open water bodies	Groundwater
Albania	2023	39.06	21.61	0	95
Andorra	2017-2023	68	68		75
Angola	2023	75.25	100		67
Antigua and Barbuda	2023	0		0
Argentina	2020-2023	62.2	62.2		21.88
Australia	2020-2023	83.76	91	92	83
Australia and New Zealand	2023	80.6	77.9	49.6	82.3
Austria	2023	82.26	81.97	90.33	96.43
Azerbaijan	2023	56.6	57.9	53.32
Bahamas	2023	64.71			64.71
Bahrain	2023	4.5			4.5
Belarus	2020-2023	69.22	58	95	62.8
Belgium	2023	26.25	6.52	0	54.55
Belize	2023	78.95	60		100
Benin	2023	89.39	88.89	100	89.34
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)	2023	55.56	55.56
Bosnia and Herzegovina	2023	30.58	28.35	100	94.74
Botswana	2023	83.81	96	100	82
Brazil	2023	68.23	68.28	70.57	37.5
Bulgaria	2023	32.68	31.82	100	31.75
Burkina Faso	2023	8.99	0	0	18.55
Burundi	2023	100	100	100	100
Cabo Verde	2023	89			89
Cameroon	2023	40	50		33.33
Canada	2023	87.95	87.95
Central and Southern Asia	2020-2023	33.1	33.1	38.7
Chile	2023	73.06	67.63		76.75
China	2023	88.52	90.2	73.8
Colombia	2023	52.58	52.58
Costa Rica	2023	63.92	63.92
Croatia	2023	90.91	89.8	100	92
Cyprus	2023	75	47.62	87.5	95.65
Czechia	2020-2023	15.53	97.5	100	15.53
Côte d'Ivoire	2023	76.92	66.67	85.71
Democratic Republic of the Congo	2023	66	66
Denmark	2020-2023	29.31	22.22	25	29.31
Dominican Republic	2023	88.24	86.67	100
Eastern and South-Eastern Asia	2023	81.6	73.5	80.8	95.2
El Salvador	2023	51	51
Estonia	2023	18.5	18.04	4.58	51.29
Eswatini	2023	70	70
Ethiopia	2023	72.73	85.71	50
Europe and Northern America	2023	51	46.4	50.9	77.6
Fiji	2017-2023	100	100	100	100
Finland	2023	59.71	29.29	91.48	25.33
France	2023	85.26	86.19	66.22	85.4
Gabon	2023	93.55	91.3	100	100
Gambia	2023	58			58
Georgia	2023	92			92
Germany	2017-2023	76.7	42.5	72.4	84.05
Ghana	2023	83	83
Greece	2023	20.37	40.88	66.67	7.41
Guinea	2023	80.89			80.89
Guyana	2023	67.76	67.76
Hungary	2023	12.98	3.53	7.83	65.41
Iceland	2023	50	50	100	0
India	2023	10	10
Indonesia	2023	5	5
Ireland	2023	58.2	50	69	92
Israel	2023	40		0	50
Italy	2023	50.66	51.89	36.88	50.08
Jamaica	2023	62.98	93.25		38.52
Japan	2020-2023	57.14	60	50	0
Jordan	2017-2020	100	66.67	100	100
Kazakhstan	2020-2023	48.86	48.86	38.71
Kenya	2023	37.05	33.71	50	42.85
Lao People's Democratic Republic	2023	80	80	80
Latin America and the Caribbean	2023	57.4	56.6	49.1	72.3
Latvia	2023	83.76	95.46	68.04	100
Lebanon	2023	29.09	30	20	30
Lesotho	2017-2023	64.71	64.71	100	0
Liberia	2023	50	33.33	100
Liechtenstein	2023	80.2	78		100
Lithuania	2023	22.36	18.58	28.17	44.44
Luxembourg	2023	0	0
Madagascar	2023	90.67	94.12	94.59	81.58
Malawi	2023	75.25	67	100
Mali	2023	70	77.78	0
Malta	2023	6.67			6.67
Marshall Islands	2017-2023	87		100	87
Mexico	2023	56.89	56.89	56.89
Montenegro	2023	95.35	96.23	100	90.91
Morocco	2023	79.15	76.14	85.94	76.27
Namibia	2017-2023	63	63	60	100
Netherlands	2023	12.67	16.38	11.69	4.17
New Zealand	2023	57.93	61.36	49.63	58.93
Niger	2020	80	80
Nigeria	2023	50.78	40	65.06
North Macedonia	2017-2023	72.22	72.22	100	0
Northern Africa and Western Asia	2023	67.3	75.5	77	52.2
Norway	2020-2023	100	100	100	0
Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand)	2023	97.3	100	100	88.3
Panama	2023	75.23	74.77	100
Paraguay	2023	71.61	75.21	66.67	0
Peru	2023	37.44	39.4	23.5
Poland	2023	67.59	68.06	63.33	79.59
Portugal	2023	52.94	62.28		38.36
Qatar	2023	50			50
Republic of Korea	2023	93.56	86.33	92.52	95.16
Romania	2020-2023	50.86	52.21	0	44.4
Russian Federation	2023	100	100	100
Rwanda	2023	77.78	72.73	100	0
Saint Kitts and Nevis	2023	82			82
Samoa	2023	100	100	100
Senegal	2023	44.44	66.67		33.33
Serbia	2023	50.79	76.47	0	23.08
Sierra Leone	2023	70	79.41		50
Singapore	2023	100		100
Slovakia	2020-2023	61.44	35.44	0	89.19
Slovenia	2023	86.81	91.29	30	85.71
South Africa	2023	70.69	70	47	78
South Sudan	2023	100	100	100	100
Spain	2023	21.6	19.22	3.65	33.71
Sub-Saharan Africa	2023	78.7	72.4	75.1	80.9
Sudan	2017-2023	100	100	70	100
Sweden	2023	48.37	34.58	52.96	97.62
Switzerland	2020-2023	79.41	79.41	36.4
Thailand	2023	36.76	38.33	25
Togo	2020	100	100	100	100
Trinidad and Tobago	2023	87.5			87.5
Tunisia	2023	84.94	83		86
Türkiye	2023	78.45	79	71
Uganda	2023	84.09	78.12	100
United Arab Emirates	2023	100		100	100
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland	2020-2023	32.88	33	32	57.76
United Republic of Tanzania	2023	88.89	85.71	100
United States of America	2023	41.97	39.98	45.63
Uruguay	2023	81.75	82.29	78.5
World	2023	56	49.7	52.2	79.9
Yemen	2023	37.8			37.8
Zambia	2017-2023	85.71	100	0	66.67
Zimbabwe	2023	80.95	80.95

Progress on Ambient Water Quality (SDG target 6.3)

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