Drinking water service usage in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Drinking water service usage was 46.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Drinking water service usage in Sri Lanka, 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 Sri Lanka stood at 46.9%.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, drinking water service usage in Sri Lanka peaked at 48.1% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 45.2%, in 2000.
Sri Lanka ranks 126th of 163 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Drinking water service usage in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 45.2% | — |
| 2001 | 45.3% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 45.4% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 45.5% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 45.6% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 45.7% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 45.9% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 46.1% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 46.2% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 46.4% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 46.6% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 46.8% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 47.0% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 47.2% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 47.3% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 47.6% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 47.8% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 48.0% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 48.1% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 47.9% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 47.6% | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 47.4% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 47.1% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 46.8% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 46.9% | +0.2% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 46.9% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 69.0%, 68% of the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 46.9% is below the median for South Asia, which is 59.1%, 79% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 45.7% | 45.2% | 46.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.4% | 46.6% | 48.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.2% | 46.8% | 47.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More environment data for Sri Lanka
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.24 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 5.49 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.207 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.849 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 5.63 % 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 1.22 % 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 Sri Lanka?
- Drinking water service usage in Sri Lanka was 46.9% 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 48.1% in 2018.
- What is the lowest drinking water service usage recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.2% in 2000.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for drinking water service usage?
- Sri Lanka ranks 126th out of 163 countries with data for 2024.
- Is drinking water service usage rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.