Annual freshwater withdrawals in Singapore
Singapore: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 199.53 million billion cubic meters in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Singapore, 1975–2022
Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in billion cubic meters.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual freshwater withdrawals in Singapore is 199.53 million billion cubic meters, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 42.8% on the previous year and down 79.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in Singapore peaked at 2.27 billion billion cubic meters in 2005 and was at its lowest, 190.00 million billion cubic meters, in 1975.
That places Singapore 150th out of 181 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Singapore, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 190.00 million billion cubic meters | — |
| 1976 | 258.02 million billion cubic meters | +35.8% |
| 1977 | 326.05 million billion cubic meters | +26.4% |
| 1978 | 394.07 million billion cubic meters | +20.9% |
| 1979 | 462.09 million billion cubic meters | +17.3% |
| 1980 | 530.11 million billion cubic meters | +14.7% |
| 1981 | 598.13 million billion cubic meters | +12.8% |
| 1982 | 666.16 million billion cubic meters | +11.4% |
| 1983 | 734.18 million billion cubic meters | +10.2% |
| 1984 | 802.20 million billion cubic meters | +9.3% |
| 1985 | 870.23 million billion cubic meters | +8.5% |
| 1986 | 938.25 million billion cubic meters | +7.8% |
| 1987 | 1.01 billion billion cubic meters | +7.3% |
| 1988 | 1.07 billion billion cubic meters | +6.8% |
| 1989 | 1.14 billion billion cubic meters | +6.3% |
| 1990 | 1.20 billion billion cubic meters | +5.3% |
| 1991 | 1.27 billion billion cubic meters | +5.7% |
| 1992 | 1.34 billion billion cubic meters | +5.4% |
| 1993 | 1.41 billion billion cubic meters | +5.1% |
| 1994 | 1.48 billion billion cubic meters | +4.8% |
| 1995 | 1.54 billion billion cubic meters | +4.6% |
| 1996 | 1.61 billion billion cubic meters | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 1.68 billion billion cubic meters | +4.2% |
| 1998 | 1.75 billion billion cubic meters | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 1.82 billion billion cubic meters | +3.9% |
| 2000 | 1.88 billion billion cubic meters | +3.7% |
| 2001 | 1.97 billion billion cubic meters | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 2.03 billion billion cubic meters | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 2.12 billion billion cubic meters | +4.2% |
| 2004 | 2.20 billion billion cubic meters | +4.0% |
| 2005 | 2.27 billion billion cubic meters | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 2.08 billion billion cubic meters | -8.3% |
| 2007 | 1.89 billion billion cubic meters | -9.0% |
| 2008 | 1.71 billion billion cubic meters | -9.7% |
| 2009 | 1.51 billion billion cubic meters | -11.3% |
| 2010 | 1.32 billion billion cubic meters | -12.8% |
| 2011 | 1.13 billion billion cubic meters | -14.7% |
| 2012 | 960.20 million billion cubic meters | -14.7% |
| 2013 | 794.57 million billion cubic meters | -17.2% |
| 2014 | 651.03 million billion cubic meters | -18.1% |
| 2015 | 507.50 million billion cubic meters | -22.0% |
| 2016 | 509.80 million billion cubic meters | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 499.30 million billion cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 488.30 million billion cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 493.00 million billion cubic meters | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 498.70 million billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 349.12 million billion cubic meters | -30.0% |
| 2022 | 199.53 million billion cubic meters | -42.8% |
Singapore compared with similar countries
- Singapore's 199.53 million billion cubic meters is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.70 billion billion cubic meters, 12% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Singapore's 199.53 million billion cubic meters is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9.27 billion billion cubic meters, 2% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual freshwater withdrawals in Singapore changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -42.8% | 349.12 million billion cubic meters | 199.53 million billion cubic meters |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 326.04 million billion cubic meters | 190.00 million billion cubic meters | 462.09 million billion cubic meters | 5 |
| 1980s | 836.21 million billion cubic meters | 530.11 million billion cubic meters | 1.14 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.51 billion billion cubic meters | 1.20 billion billion cubic meters | 1.82 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.97 billion billion cubic meters | 1.51 billion billion cubic meters | 2.27 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 734.90 million billion cubic meters | 488.30 million billion cubic meters | 1.32 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 349.12 million billion cubic meters | 199.53 million billion cubic meters | 498.70 million billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Singapore
- 148 Botswana 213.26 million billion cubic meters compare
- 149 Sierra Leone 212.20 million billion cubic meters compare
- 151 Cape Verde 179.05 million billion cubic meters compare
- 152 Guinea-Bissau 175.00 million billion cubic meters compare
- 153 Latvia 172.33 million billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for Singapore
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.71 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.9965 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 42.94 % change on previous year (1990)
- Standard Deviation 0.253 °C (1990)
- Temperature change 0.647 °C (1990)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 5.11 % 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 -5.19 % 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 annual freshwater withdrawals in Singapore?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in Singapore was 199.53 million billion cubic meters in 2022, according to AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Singapore?
- The highest recorded value was 2.27 billion billion cubic meters in 2005.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Singapore?
- The lowest recorded value was 190.00 million billion cubic meters in 1975.
- How does Singapore rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- Singapore ranks 150th out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in Singapore?
- Over the last ten years it is down 79.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Singapore data come from?
- The figures come from AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual freshwater withdrawals. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 48 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual freshwater withdrawals refer to total water withdrawals, not counting evaporation losses from storage basins, measured in cubic meters (m³) per year. Total water withdrawals are the sum of withdrawals for agriculture, industry and municipal (domestic uses). Withdrawals also include water from desalination plants in countries where they are a significant source.