Water is essential for the existence of life on Earth. However, with the growing human population, climate change and lack of investment in infrastructure to access potable or safe drinking water is threatened.

This map layer shows the percentage of the population that accesses their drinking water from unprotected sources such as a dug well, spring, river, lake, pond or canal. The World Resources Institute compiled the data. This dataset is an index, which means it comprises data illustrating 13 different types of water-related risks, such as amount, water quality and local regulations. Some areas, such as the Sahara Desert, have little water, but also few people, and the risk to water, as a result, is low. Other places have a high population and low water availability or safe infrastructure to access the water and will show in shades of red. Data like this help decision-makers prioritize areas for conservation or mitigation efforts.