Drinking water usage in urban areas in India
India: Drinking water usage in urban areas was 858,136 people in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
858,136 people
Change on year
down 1.3%
World rank
3rd
of 188 countries
All-time high
928,126 people
in 2012
All-time low
858,136 people
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024
Drinking water usage in urban areas 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 people.
Analysis
In 2024, drinking water usage in urban areas in India stood at 858,136 people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 7.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, drinking water usage in urban areas in India peaked at 928,126 people in 2012 and was at its lowest, 858,136 people, in 2024.
India ranks 3rd of 188 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Drinking water usage in urban areas in India, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 873,640 people | — |
| 2001 | 880,901 people | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 889,644 people | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 897,365 people | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 904,471 people | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 910,489 people | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 915,459 people | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 919,459 people | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 922,372 people | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 924,794 people | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 926,743 people | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 927,791 people | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 928,126 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 927,694 people | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 926,208 people | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 923,658 people | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 920,628 people | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 916,846 people | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 911,915 people | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 905,873 people | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 898,602 people | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 889,347 people | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 879,121 people | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 869,004 people | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 858,136 people | -1.3% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 858,136 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6,494 people, 132.1× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- India's 858,136 people is above the median for South Asia, which is 16,828 people, 51.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 903,859 people | 873,640 people | 924,794 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 921,548 people | 905,873 people | 928,126 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 878,842 people | 858,136 people | 898,602 people | 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 usage in urban areas in India?
- Drinking water usage in urban areas in India was 858,136 people 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 usage in urban areas recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 928,126 people in 2012.
- What is the lowest drinking water usage in urban areas recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 858,136 people in 2024.
- How does India rank for drinking water usage in urban areas?
- India ranks 3rd out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is drinking water usage in urban areas rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- 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 usage in urban areas. 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
Number of people using drinking water directly collected from surface waters.