Target 6.1 – Drinking water
What and why?
One of the most essential uses of water is for drinking and hygiene purposes within households. This use is captured in target 6.1, which seeks to secure safe and affordable drinking water for all. Water “for all” households represents an important share of total water use (target 6.4). “Safe” drinking water means that it is free of contaminants; the treatment needed to reach “safe” is directly dependent on the quality of the raw water (targets 6.2, 6.3 and 6.6).
Targets 6.1 and 6.2 build on the MDG targets on drinking water and sanitation, and respond directly to the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation.
- Learn more about SDG target 6.1 and how it relates to the other SDGs