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

South Africa: People using at least basic drinking water services (% of) was 95.2% in 2017. ▲ Rising

Latest (2017)
95.2%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
49th
of 97 countries
All-time high
95.2%
in 2017
All-time low
89.3%
in 2000
Years of data
18
2000–2017

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

0204060801002000200820172000: 89.32001: 89.32002: 89.72003: 90.12004: 90.52005: 90.82006: 91.22007: 91.62008: 91.92009: 92.32010: 92.72011: 932012: 93.42013: 93.82014: 94.22015: 94.52016: 94.92017: 95.2

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for people using at least basic drinking water services (% of) in South Africa is 95.2%, measured in 2017. That is the highest value across all 18 years on record.

That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people using at least basic drinking water services (% of) in South Africa peaked at 95.2% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 89.3%, in 2000.

That places South Africa 49th out of 97 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.

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): Q4 in South Africa, 2000 to 2017.
Year Value Change
2000 89.3%
2001 89.3% +0.0%
2002 89.7% +0.4%
2003 90.1% +0.4%
2004 90.5% +0.4%
2005 90.8% +0.4%
2006 91.2% +0.4%
2007 91.6% +0.4%
2008 91.9% +0.4%
2009 92.3% +0.4%
2010 92.7% +0.4%
2011 93.0% +0.4%
2012 93.4% +0.4%
2013 93.8% +0.4%
2014 94.2% +0.4%
2015 94.5% +0.4%
2016 94.9% +0.4%
2017 95.2% +0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 90.7% 89.3% 92.3% 10
2010s 94.0% 92.7% 95.2% 8

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 46 India 95.8% compare
  2. 47 Nicaragua 95.5% compare
  3. 48 Gabon 95.2% compare
  4. 50 Jamaica 95.0% compare
  5. 51 Algeria 94.9% compare
  6. 52 Yemen 94.7% 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 95.2% 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 95.2% in 2017.
What is the lowest people using at least basic drinking water services (% of) recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 89.3% in 2000.
How does South Africa rank for people using at least basic drinking water services (% of)?
South Africa ranks 49th 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 up 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
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): Q4. 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 02 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-using-at-least-basic-drinking-water-services-percent-of-population-q4/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population): Q4
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