According to the triennial World Water Development Report (2006) of the United Nations, 19 per cent of the South African population still lack access to safe water, and 33 per cent lack basic sanitation services.
Public institutions also suffer from a lack of access to safe water and sanitation services: 59 per cent of all schools (over 16 000) and clinics (over 2 500) lack access to acceptable sanitation facilities, while 27 per cent of all schools (over 7 500) and 48 per cent of all clinics (over 2 000) lack access to safe water supplies.