Welcome to the United Nations
Portal accessibility toolbar
Increase contrast
Increase font size
Decrease font size
Reset page style

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.

  • 60 % of the world’s monitored water bodies has good ambient water quality (SDG indicator 6.3.2, 2020)

Available time series: 2017-2020
Number of countries (and areas) reporting in the last five years: 96
Proportion of world population covered by reporting in the last five years:35%

Proportion of world land area covered by reporting in the last five years: 64%
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 (2020)

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

Status in different countries (or areas) of indicator 6.3.2 Level 1 Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality (2020)

  • 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 (2020)

Status of different components of indicator 6.3.2 Level 1 Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality (2020)

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 - 2020

Country (or area), region, worldYear 6.3.2 Level 1 Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality
Overall Rivers Open water bodies Groundwater
Andorra2017-2020868675
Antigua and Barbuda202000
Argentina202018021.9
Australia202087.79287
Australia and New Zealand202087.190.384.1
Austria202081.881.495.696.2
Belarus202088.991.393.162.8
Belize20207960100
Benin202089.410010088.9
Bosnia and Herzegovina202030.628.410094.7
Botswana2017-2020789094.475
Brazil20207175.94767.9
Bulgaria202065.69910025.6
Burkina Faso202097.710010095.3
Burundi2020100100100100
Canada202082.282.2
Chile20208484
Costa Rica202068.568.5
Croatia202055.95571.491
Cyprus202061.494.11009.1
Czechia202088.297.510037.9
Côte d'Ivoire20208066.7100
Democratic Republic of the Congo20206666
Denmark202053.4543875
Dominican Republic202070.65088.9
El Salvador202059.759.7
Estonia202075.786.244.2100
Eswatini202087.587.5
Ethiopia202096.896.4100
Europe and Northern America202075.877.871.5
Fiji2017-2020100100100100
Finland202096.810010086.9
France202078.992.510039.4
Gabon202093.691.3100100
Georgia20209292
Germany20173935.172.4
Greece202040.696.51000
Guinea201780.980.9
Guyana202067.867.8
Hungary202059.360.73478.4
Iceland2020100100100100
Ireland202059.453.250.592.2
Jamaica202057.294.333.4
Japan202037.530750
Jordan2017-202010066.7100100
Kazakhstan202063.972.538.7
Kenya202086.590.433.390.3
Lao People's Democratic Republic2020808080
Latin America and the Caribbean20205756.347.854.6
Latvia202066.561.668.1100
Lebanon201750500100
Lesotho2017-20201001001000
Liberia20205033.3100
Liechtenstein20208077.8100
Lithuania202098.797.7100
Madagascar202090.794.194.681.6
Mali20207077.80
Marshall Islands2017100100100
Mexico202054.953.158.3
Montenegro202088.186.790.9100
Morocco201779.276.185.976.3
Namibia201778.685.760100
Netherlands202095.91009962.5
New Zealand202072.280.140.40
Niger20206060
Nigeria202012.515.17.8
North Macedonia2017-2020707000
Norway20201001001000
Panama202064.463.6100
Paraguay202071.675.266.70
Peru202025.425.623.6
Poland202096.198.498.858.8
Republic of Korea202093.382.687.896
Romania202083.793.266.744.4
Russian Federation20209610083.3
Rwanda202078.87566.7100
Samoa2020100100100
Senegal202044.466.733.3
Serbia202083.177.110088.5
Sierra Leone202041.741.7
Singapore2020100100
Slovakia202057.2100047.3
Slovenia202083.989.527.378.6
South Africa202052.152.343.574.2
South Sudan2017100100100100
Sub-Saharan Africa202070.572.5
Sudan201786.11007090
Sweden202048.434.65397.6
Switzerland202061.110036.4
Thailand20203636
Togo2020100100100100
Trinidad and Tobago202087.587.5
Tunisia202084.98386
Uganda2020000
United Arab Emirates201740050
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland202089.99610057.8
United Republic of Tanzania202085.38780
United States of America202033.732.644.7
Uruguay202075.976.973
World202060
Zimbabwe202083.383.3
×

Download snapshot

Format:

Resolution: