Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in South Africa
South Africa: Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals was 23.2% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in South Africa, 1990–2022
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
South Africa recorded 23.2% for industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in 2022. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 9.0% on the previous year and up 124.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in South Africa peaked at 23.2% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 8.2%, in 2000.
South Africa ranks 48th of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of total freshwater withdrawal | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 10.9% | — |
| 1991 | 10.4% | -4.2% |
| 1992 | 10.0% | -4.4% |
| 1993 | 9.5% | -4.7% |
| 1994 | 9.0% | -5.0% |
| 1995 | 8.5% | -5.3% |
| 1996 | 8.5% | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 8.4% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 8.4% | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 8.3% | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 8.2% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 8.4% | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 8.6% | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 8.8% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 9.0% | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 9.2% | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 9.4% | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 9.5% | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 9.7% | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 9.9% | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 10.0% | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 10.2% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 10.3% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 10.5% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 15.3% | +45.6% |
| 2015 | 19.2% | +26.0% |
| 2016 | 20.7% | +7.5% |
| 2017 | 21.2% | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 20.5% | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 22.5% | +9.7% |
| 2020 | 21.3% | -5.2% |
| 2021 | 21.2% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 23.2% | +9.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.2% | 8.3% | 10.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.1% | 8.2% | 9.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.0% | 10.0% | 22.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.9% | 21.2% | 23.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 45 Sierra Leone 26.2% compare
- 46 New Zealand 24.0% compare
- 47 Kazakhstan 23.9% compare
- 49 Italy 22.7% compare
- 50 Suriname 22.0% compare
- 51 Antigua and Barbuda 21.7% compare
More environment data for South Africa
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 8.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.275 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.05 °C (2025)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Production, per unit of GDP 0 m3 per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Production, per capita 0.002 m3 per person (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Import quantity, annual growth rate -0.3469 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — 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 South Africa?
- Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in South Africa was 23.2% 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 23.2% in 2022.
- What is the lowest industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.2% in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals?
- South Africa ranks 48th out of 179 countries with data for 2022.
- Is industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 124.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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).