Drinking water service usage in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Drinking water service usage was 99.8% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Drinking water service usage in United Kingdom, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for drinking water service usage in United Kingdom is 99.8%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, drinking water service usage in United Kingdom peaked at 100.0% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 99.8%, in 2024.
That places United Kingdom 19th out of 163 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
Drinking water service usage in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 100.0% | — |
| 2001 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 100.0% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 100.0% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 100.0% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 100.0% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 100.0% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 99.9% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 99.9% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 99.9% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 99.9% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 99.9% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 99.9% | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 99.9% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 99.9% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 99.9% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 99.9% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 99.9% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 99.8% | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 99.8% | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 99.8% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 99.8% | -0.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 99.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 98.7%, 1.0× the median. (68 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 99.8% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 96.7%, 1.0× the median. (53 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 99.9% | 99.9% | 99.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 99.8% | 99.8% | 99.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More environment data for United Kingdom
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -3.13 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.25 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -3.47 % 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 -0.8735 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual -1.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is drinking water service usage in United Kingdom?
- Drinking water service usage in United Kingdom was 99.8% 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 2000.
- What is the lowest drinking water service usage recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 99.8% in 2024.
- How does United Kingdom rank for drinking water service usage?
- United Kingdom ranks 19th out of 163 countries with data for 2024.
- Is drinking water service usage rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.