People using at least basic drinking water services in South Asia
South Asia: People using at least basic drinking water services was 95.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
People using at least basic drinking water services in South Asia, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of population.
Analysis
South Asia recorded 95.9% for people using at least basic drinking water services in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using at least basic drinking water services in South Asia peaked at 95.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 81.2%, in 2000.
South Asia ranks 14th of 45 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People using at least basic drinking water services in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 81.2% | — |
| 2001 | 81.7% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 82.4% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 83.0% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 83.6% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 84.3% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 84.9% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 85.5% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 86.1% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 86.8% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 87.4% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 88.0% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 88.6% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 89.3% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 89.9% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 90.5% | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 91.1% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 91.7% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 92.3% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 92.9% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 93.6% | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 94.2% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 94.8% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 95.3% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 95.9% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 83.9% | 81.2% | 86.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 90.2% | 87.4% | 92.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 94.8% | 93.6% | 95.9% | 5 |
More health data for South Asia
- Population ages 15-64, total, annual growth rate 1.17 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, total, annual growth rate 4.04 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, female, per capita 0.3313 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, annual growth rate 1.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, male, per capita 0.035 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per capita 0.3493 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per capita 0.0385 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using at least basic drinking water services in South Asia?
- People using at least basic drinking water services in South Asia was 95.9% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest people using at least basic drinking water services recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 95.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest people using at least basic drinking water services recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 81.2% in 2000.
- How does South Asia rank for people using at least basic drinking water services?
- South Asia ranks 14th out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
- Is people using at least basic drinking water services rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of people using at least basic water services. This indicator encompasses both people using basic water services as well as those using safely managed water services. Basic drinking water services is defined as drinking water from an improved source, provided collection time is not more than 30 minutes for a round trip. Improved water sources include piped water, boreholes or tubewells, protected dug wells, protected springs, and packaged or delivered water.