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Progress on Ambient Water Quality – 2021 Update

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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.”

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.

This report presents the global status on ambient water quality and acceleration needs to achieve target 6.3 by 2030, based on the latest data on indicator 6.3.2.

In the 2020 Data Drive, 89 countries submitted data on the indicator. This is a positive sign, and although the number of submissions is important, it is only the first step. More submissions mean more countries engaged with the indicator, and more information is being generated and shared, and it is here that the real success lies. Collecting these data and making them available helps to trigger action targeted at improving water quality.

UN-Water Publications

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