Municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals in South Africa
South Africa: Municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals was 17.4% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Municipal 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
In 2022, municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals in South Africa stood at 17.4%.
That represents a change of down 35.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals in South Africa peaked at 30.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 15.1%, in 2018.
South Africa ranks 99th of 180 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.
Municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of total freshwater withdrawal | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 17.1% | — |
| 1991 | 18.5% | +7.8% |
| 1992 | 19.8% | +7.3% |
| 1993 | 21.2% | +6.9% |
| 1994 | 22.6% | +6.5% |
| 1995 | 24.0% | +6.2% |
| 1996 | 25.3% | +5.4% |
| 1997 | 26.6% | +5.2% |
| 1998 | 27.9% | +4.9% |
| 1999 | 29.2% | +4.7% |
| 2000 | 30.5% | +4.5% |
| 2001 | 30.2% | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 29.9% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 29.6% | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 29.3% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 29.0% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 28.7% | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 28.5% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 28.2% | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 27.9% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 27.7% | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 27.5% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 27.2% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 27.0% | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 23.2% | -14.2% |
| 2015 | 20.0% | -13.7% |
| 2016 | 19.8% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 20.1% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 15.1% | -24.8% |
| 2019 | 16.7% | +10.4% |
| 2020 | 16.2% | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 17.4% | +7.6% |
| 2022 | 17.4% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 23.2% | 17.1% | 29.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.2% | 27.9% | 30.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.4% | 15.1% | 27.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.0% | 16.2% | 17.4% | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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 — Export quantity, per unit of GDP 0 m3 per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Sawnwood — Export quantity, per capita 0.0085 m3 per person (2024)
- Sawnwood — Export value, annual growth rate -0.695 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood — Export value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Sawnwood — Export value, per capita 0.0009 1000 USD per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals in South Africa?
- Municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals in South Africa was 17.4% 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 municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 30.5% in 2000.
- What is the lowest municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.1% in 2018.
- How does South Africa rank for municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals?
- South Africa ranks 99th out of 180 countries with data for 2022.
- Is municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Municipal (domestic) water withdrawals as a percentage of total water withdrawals (which is the sum of water used for agriculture, industry, and municipal purposes).