AdvertisementU.N. Investigator On Extreme Poverty Issues A Grim Report — On The U.S.December 21, 2017Sasha IngberfacebookEmailWater polluted by mine runoff in West Virginia. Philip Alston, the U.N. envoy, cites a ranking of 178 countries by access to drinking water and sanitation. The United States trails behind many wealthy countries, coming in at No. 36. (Corbis via Getty Images)