Drinking water usage in urban areas in India
India: Drinking water usage in urban areas was 858,136 people in 2024. ▬ Flat
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%.
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
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 4,371 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 3.01 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 572.27 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 37.74 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 108.11 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 4.39 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 861.61 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 1.01 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 2.4 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 135.23 Mt CO2e (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.