Drinking water service usage in India
India: Drinking water service usage was 76.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Drinking water service usage in India, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, drinking water service usage in India stood at 76.4%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 2.3% on the previous year and up 28.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, drinking water service usage in India peaked at 76.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 37.6%, in 2000.
India ranks 91st of 163 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Drinking water service usage in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 37.6% | — |
| 2001 | 39.1% | +3.9% |
| 2002 | 40.6% | +3.9% |
| 2003 | 42.1% | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 43.7% | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 45.2% | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 46.8% | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 48.3% | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 49.9% | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 51.5% | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 53.1% | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 54.7% | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 56.3% | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 57.9% | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 59.6% | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 61.2% | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 62.9% | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 64.6% | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 66.2% | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 67.9% | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 69.6% | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 71.3% | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 73.0% | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 74.7% | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 76.4% | +2.3% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 76.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 42.9%, 1.8× the median. (31 countries reporting)
- India's 76.4% is above the median for South Asia, which is 59.1%, 1.3× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 44.5% | 37.6% | 51.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.4% | 53.1% | 67.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 73.0% | 69.6% | 76.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
More environment data for India
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 11.05 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 12.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.954 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.92 % 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 1.12 % 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 India?
- Drinking water service usage in India was 76.4% 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 76.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest drinking water service usage recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.6% in 2000.
- How does India rank for drinking water service usage?
- India ranks 91st out of 163 countries with data for 2024.
- Is drinking water service usage rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India 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.