People using at least basic drinking water services (% of) in South Africa

South Africa: People using at least basic drinking water services (% of) was 65.3% in 2017. ▬ Flat

Latest (2017)
65.3%
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
55th
of 97 countries
All-time high
67.5%
in 2000
All-time low
65.3%
in 2017
Years of data
18
2000–2017

People using at least basic drinking water services (% of) in South Africa, 2000–2017

02040602000200820172000: 67.5 lowest2001: 67.5 lowest2002: 67.4 lowest2003: 67.2 lowest2004: 67.1 lowest2005: 66.9 lowest2006: 66.8 lowest2007: 66.7 lowest2008: 66.5 lowest2009: 66.4 lowest2010: 66.2 lowest2011: 66.1 lowest2012: 66 lowest2013: 65.8 lowest2014: 65.7 lowest2015: 65.5 lowest2016: 65.4 lowest2017: 65.3 lowest

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (washdata.org). Measured in lowest.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 65.3% for people using at least basic drinking water services (% of) in 2017. That is the lowest value across all 18 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 2.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people using at least basic drinking water services (% of) in South Africa peaked at 67.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 65.3%, in 2017.

That places South Africa 55th out of 97 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the middle of the range.

People using at least basic drinking water services (% of) in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population): Q1 (lowest) in South Africa, 2000 to 2017.
Year lowest Change
2000 67.5%
2001 67.5% +0.0%
2002 67.4% -0.2%
2003 67.2% -0.2%
2004 67.1% -0.2%
2005 66.9% -0.2%
2006 66.8% -0.2%
2007 66.7% -0.2%
2008 66.5% -0.2%
2009 66.4% -0.2%
2010 66.2% -0.2%
2011 66.1% -0.2%
2012 66.0% -0.2%
2013 65.8% -0.2%
2014 65.7% -0.2%
2015 65.5% -0.2%
2016 65.4% -0.2%
2017 65.3% -0.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 67.0% 66.4% 67.5% 10
2010s 65.7% 65.3% 66.2% 8

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 52 Gambia 68.0% compare
  2. 53 Lao People's Democratic Republic 67.7% compare
  3. 54 Mongolia 67.0% compare
  4. 56 Malawi 61.5% compare
  5. 57 Cambodia 60.3% compare
  6. 58 Gabon 58.3% compare

See the full ranking of 97 places →

More health data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is people using at least basic drinking water services (% of) in South Africa?
People using at least basic drinking water services (% of) in South Africa was 65.3% in 2017, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (washdata.org).
What is the highest people using at least basic drinking water services (% of) recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 67.5% in 2000.
What is the lowest people using at least basic drinking water services (% of) recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 65.3% in 2017.
How does South Africa rank for people using at least basic drinking water services (% of)?
South Africa ranks 55th out of 97 countries with data for 2017.
Is people using at least basic drinking water services (% of) rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (washdata.org), published as part of People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population): Q1 (lowest). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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People using at least basic drinking water services (% of) in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (washdata.org). Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-using-at-least-basic-drinking-water-services-percent-of-population-q1-lowest/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population): Q1 (lowest)
Unit
lowest
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (washdata.org)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
97 places, 1,672 data points, 2000–2017
Last refreshed