People using safely managed drinking water services (% of population) in Nepal
Nepal: People using safely managed drinking water services (% of population) was 16.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People using safely managed drinking water services in Nepal, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of population.
Analysis
Nepal recorded 16.5% for people using safely managed drinking water services in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and down 38.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using safely managed drinking water services in Nepal peaked at 29.8% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 16.1%, in 2021.
That places Nepal 144th out of 151 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People using safely managed drinking water services (% of population) in Nepal, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 26.8% | — |
| 2001 | 27.1% | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 27.3% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 27.6% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 27.8% | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 28.1% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 28.4% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 28.6% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 28.8% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 29.1% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 29.3% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 29.6% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 29.8% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 28.4% | -4.8% |
| 2014 | 26.9% | -5.1% |
| 2015 | 25.5% | -5.5% |
| 2016 | 24.0% | -5.9% |
| 2017 | 22.4% | -6.4% |
| 2018 | 20.9% | -6.9% |
| 2019 | 19.3% | -7.6% |
| 2020 | 17.7% | -8.3% |
| 2021 | 16.1% | -9.2% |
| 2022 | 16.2% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 16.3% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 16.5% | +0.8% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 16.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 42.9%, 38% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 16.5% is below the median for South Asia, which is 59.1%, 28% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 28.0% | 26.8% | 29.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.6% | 19.3% | 29.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.6% | 16.1% | 17.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More health data for Nepal
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.95 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8518 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 955 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 3 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -1.17 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0451 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0467 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using safely managed drinking water services in Nepal?
- People using safely managed drinking water services in Nepal was 16.5% 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 safely managed drinking water services recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 29.8% in 2012.
- What is the lowest people using safely managed drinking water services recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.1% in 2021.
- How does Nepal rank for people using safely managed drinking water services?
- Nepal ranks 144th out of 151 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people using safely managed drinking water services rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nepal 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 safely managed 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 drinking water from an improved source that is accessible on premises, available when needed and free from fecal and priority chemical contamination. Improved water sources include piped water, boreholes or tubewells, protected dug wells, protected springs, and packaged or delivered water.