Drinking water service usage in Canada
Canada: Drinking water service usage was 96.9% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Drinking water service usage in Canada, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Canada recorded 96.9% for drinking water service usage in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, drinking water service usage in Canada peaked at 99.1% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 96.9%, in 2024.
Canada ranks 45th of 163 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Drinking water service usage in Canada, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 99.0% | — |
| 2001 | 99.1% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 99.1% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 99.1% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 99.1% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 98.9% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 98.8% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 98.7% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 98.6% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 98.5% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 98.4% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 98.3% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 98.2% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 98.0% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 97.9% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 97.8% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 97.7% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 97.6% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 97.5% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 97.4% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 97.2% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 97.1% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 97.0% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 96.9% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 96.9% | -0.0% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 96.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 98.7%, 98% of the median. (68 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 98.9% | 98.5% | 99.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 97.9% | 97.4% | 98.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 97.0% | 96.9% | 97.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More environment data for Canada
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.76 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.642 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.96 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.7 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.3398 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is drinking water service usage in Canada?
- Drinking water service usage in Canada was 96.9% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest drinking water service usage recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 99.1% in 2004.
- What is the lowest drinking water service usage recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 96.9% in 2024.
- How does Canada rank for drinking water service usage?
- Canada ranks 45th out of 163 countries with data for 2024.
- Is drinking water service usage rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Drinking water service usage. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Proportion of people using an improved drinking water source that is located on premises, available when needed and free from fecal and priority chemical contamination.