Drinking water service usage in Laos

Laos: Drinking water service usage was 35.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
35.2%
Change on year
up 8.6%
World rank
137th
of 163 countries
All-time high
35.2%
in 2024
All-time low
5.1%
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Drinking water service usage in Laos, 2000–2024

102030402000201220242000: 5.1 %2001: 6.7 %2002: 8 %2003: 8.3 %2004: 8.7 %2005: 9 %2006: 9.3 %2007: 9.6 %2008: 9.9 %2009: 10.2 %2010: 10.5 %2011: 10.8 %2012: 11.1 %2013: 11.4 %2014: 11.7 %2015: 12 %2016: 14.3 %2017: 16.6 %2018: 19 %2019: 21.5 %2020: 24.1 %2021: 26.8 %2022: 29.6 %2023: 32.4 %2024: 35.2 %

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Laos recorded 35.2% for drinking water service usage in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.

That represents a change of up 8.6% on the previous year and up 199.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, drinking water service usage in Laos peaked at 35.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5.1%, in 2000.

Laos ranks 137th of 163 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 8.5% 5.1% 10.2% 10
2010s 13.9% 10.5% 21.5% 10
2020s 29.6% 24.1% 35.2% 5

Countries ranked near Laos

  1. 134 Eswatini 38.2% compare
  2. 135 Sao Tome and Principe 36.7% compare
  3. 136 Cote d'Ivoire 36.4% compare
  4. 138 Tanzania 31.3% compare
  5. 139 Lesotho 31.3% compare
  6. 140 Afghanistan 30.6% compare

See the full ranking of 163 places →

More environment data for Laos

All data for Laos →

Frequently asked questions

What is drinking water service usage in Laos?
Drinking water service usage in Laos was 35.2% 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 Laos?
The highest recorded value was 35.2% in 2024.
What is the lowest drinking water service usage recorded in Laos?
The lowest recorded value was 5.1% in 2000.
How does Laos rank for drinking water service usage?
Laos ranks 137th out of 163 countries with data for 2024.
Is drinking water service usage rising or falling in Laos?
Over the last ten years it is up 199.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Laos 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

Indicator
Drinking water service usage
Unit
%
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
163 places, 3,991 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

Proportion of people using an improved drinking water source that is located on premises, available when needed and free from faecal and priority chemical contamination.