Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in New Zealand
New Zealand: Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals was 24.0% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in New Zealand, 1985–2022
Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of total freshwater withdrawal.
Analysis
The most recent figure for industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in New Zealand is 24.0%, measured in 2022.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in New Zealand peaked at 24.5% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 8.3%, in 2000.
That places New Zealand 46th out of 179 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 38 years of available data.
Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % of total freshwater withdrawal | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 10.0% | — |
| 1986 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 10.0% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 8.3% | -16.9% |
| 2001 | 11.4% | +37.7% |
| 2002 | 13.8% | +20.3% |
| 2003 | 15.6% | +13.1% |
| 2004 | 17.0% | +9.2% |
| 2005 | 18.2% | +6.9% |
| 2006 | 19.1% | +5.3% |
| 2007 | 20.1% | +5.0% |
| 2008 | 21.0% | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 21.9% | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 22.8% | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 23.0% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 23.3% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 23.6% | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 23.9% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 24.2% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 24.5% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 24.4% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 24.3% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 24.2% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 23.9% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 23.9% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 24.0% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 10.0% | 10.0% | 10.0% | 5 |
| 1990s | 10.0% | 10.0% | 10.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.6% | 8.3% | 21.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.8% | 22.8% | 24.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.9% | 23.9% | 24.0% | 3 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 43 Georgia 27.4% compare
- 44 Congo 26.2% compare
- 45 Sierra Leone 26.2% compare
- 47 Kazakhstan 23.9% compare
- 48 South Africa 23.2% compare
- 49 Italy 22.7% compare
More environment data for New Zealand
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.2131 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 1.69 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.379 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.23 °C (2025)
- Sawnwood — Production, annual growth rate 11.44 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood — Production, per unit of GDP 0 m3 per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Sawnwood — Production, per capita 0.7846 m3 per person (2024)
- Sawnwood — Import quantity, annual growth rate 2.88 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 m3 per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in New Zealand?
- Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in New Zealand was 24.0% 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 industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 24.5% in 2016.
- What is the lowest industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.3% in 2000.
- How does New Zealand rank for industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals?
- New Zealand ranks 46th out of 179 countries with data for 2022.
- Is industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand 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 Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Industrial water withdrawals as a percentage of total water withdrawals (which is the sum of water used for agriculture, industry, and municipal purposes).