UNICEF tracks a threefold rise in reported damage to water systems in war
A report covering 23 countries and territories describes what happens to families and clinics when safe water runs out.
Reported attacks that damaged or destroyed water and sanitation facilities in conflicts tripled between 2021 and 2025, UNICEF said on November 5. Its report brings together incidents affecting services, workers and the people who depend on them in 23 countries and territories.
UNICEF describes the effects inside clinics, where staff need clean water to sterilize equipment and prepare food for severely malnourished children. Families may have to travel farther to collect water, taking time away from school and work.
The agency says emergency teams have trained local repair crews and expanded solar-powered pumping where grid electricity is unreliable. It called for more systematic recording of incidents and greater protection for civilian water services.
