Municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals was 74.0% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1980–2022
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 municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 74.0%, measured in 2022.
The figure is up 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 75.7% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 43.8%, in 2000.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 12th out of 180 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % of total freshwater withdrawal | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 51.6% | — |
| 1981 | 53.4% | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 55.4% | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 57.4% | +3.7% |
| 1984 | 59.6% | +3.8% |
| 1985 | 62.0% | +3.9% |
| 1986 | 61.4% | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 61.0% | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 60.5% | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 60.0% | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 59.5% | -0.8% |
| 1991 | 59.5% | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 59.5% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 59.5% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 59.4% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 59.4% | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 59.1% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 58.8% | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 58.4% | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 57.7% | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 43.8% | -24.1% |
| 2001 | 46.7% | +6.6% |
| 2002 | 52.5% | +12.3% |
| 2003 | 55.3% | +5.3% |
| 2004 | 56.9% | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 61.8% | +8.5% |
| 2006 | 47.9% | -22.5% |
| 2007 | 70.4% | +46.9% |
| 2008 | 72.9% | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 71.5% | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 74.1% | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 75.7% | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 71.0% | -6.3% |
| 2013 | 73.1% | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 73.5% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 73.1% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 74.0% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 74.0% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 74.0% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 74.0% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 74.0% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 74.0% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 74.0% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 58.2% | 51.6% | 62.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 59.1% | 57.7% | 59.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.0% | 43.8% | 72.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.6% | 71.0% | 75.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 74.0% | 74.0% | 74.0% | 3 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 9 Djibouti 84.2% compare
- 10 Central African Republic 82.9% compare
- 11 Equatorial Guinea 79.8% compare
- 13 Jamaica 73.4% compare
- 14 Congo 69.5% compare
- 15 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 68.0% compare
More environment data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -3.13 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.25 Percentage change (2025)
- Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.35 Percentage change (2024)
- Exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 1.22 Percentage change (2024)
- Heating Degree Days 5,420 (2024)
- Cooling Degree Days 28.37 (2024)
- Total fisheries production 981,329 metric tons (2024)
- Capture fisheries production 755,323 metric tons (2024)
- Aquaculture production 226,006 metric tons (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Waste 2.03 Mt CO2e (2024)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 74.0% 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 municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 75.7% in 2011.
- What is the lowest municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.8% in 2000.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 12th out of 180 countries with data for 2022.
- Is municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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.
Download this data
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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).