The structures of the mono- and sesquihydrates of 2,6-bis(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)pyridine (bbip) are reported. Phase (I), C₁₉H₁₃N₅·H₂O, has one water and one bbip molecule in the asymmetric unit, while phase (II), C₁₉H₁₃N₅·1.5H₂O, has three water molecules and two bbip molecules in the asymmetric unit. The compounds exhibit very similar molecular geometries but different packing organizations, which result from intricate hydrogen-bonding schemes.