Municipal water withdrawal in India
India: Municipal water withdrawal was 56.00 billion cubic meters in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
56.00 billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
3rd
of 183 countries
All-time high
56.00 billion cubic meters
in 2010
All-time low
11.40 billion cubic meters
in 1975
Years of data
49
1975–2023
Municipal water withdrawal in India, 1975–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters.
Analysis
In 2023, municipal water withdrawal in India stood at 56.00 billion cubic meters. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, municipal water withdrawal in India peaked at 56.00 billion cubic meters in 2010 and was at its lowest, 11.40 billion cubic meters, in 1975.
India ranks 3rd of 183 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Municipal water withdrawal in India, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 11.40 billion cubic meters | — |
| 1976 | 11.93 billion cubic meters | +4.6% |
| 1977 | 12.46 billion cubic meters | +4.4% |
| 1978 | 12.99 billion cubic meters | +4.3% |
| 1979 | 13.52 billion cubic meters | +4.1% |
| 1980 | 14.05 billion cubic meters | +3.9% |
| 1981 | 14.58 billion cubic meters | +3.8% |
| 1982 | 15.11 billion cubic meters | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 15.64 billion cubic meters | +3.5% |
| 1984 | 16.17 billion cubic meters | +3.4% |
| 1985 | 16.70 billion cubic meters | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 18.36 billion cubic meters | +9.9% |
| 1987 | 20.02 billion cubic meters | +9.0% |
| 1988 | 21.68 billion cubic meters | +8.3% |
| 1989 | 23.34 billion cubic meters | +7.7% |
| 1990 | 25.00 billion cubic meters | +7.1% |
| 1991 | 26.70 billion cubic meters | +6.8% |
| 1992 | 28.40 billion cubic meters | +6.4% |
| 1993 | 30.10 billion cubic meters | +6.0% |
| 1994 | 31.80 billion cubic meters | +5.6% |
| 1995 | 33.50 billion cubic meters | +5.3% |
| 1996 | 35.20 billion cubic meters | +5.1% |
| 1997 | 36.90 billion cubic meters | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 38.60 billion cubic meters | +4.6% |
| 1999 | 40.30 billion cubic meters | +4.4% |
| 2000 | 42.00 billion cubic meters | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 43.40 billion cubic meters | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 44.80 billion cubic meters | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 46.20 billion cubic meters | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 47.60 billion cubic meters | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 49.00 billion cubic meters | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 50.40 billion cubic meters | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 51.80 billion cubic meters | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 53.20 billion cubic meters | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 54.60 billion cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 56.00 billion cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 56.00 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 56.00 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 56.00 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 56.00 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 56.00 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 56.00 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 56.00 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 56.00 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 56.00 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 56.00 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 56.00 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 56.00 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 56.00 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 56.00 billion cubic meters is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 245.90 million cubic meters, 227.7× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- India's 56.00 billion cubic meters is above the median for South Asia, which is 476.30 million cubic meters, 117.6× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 12.46 billion cubic meters | 11.40 billion cubic meters | 13.52 billion cubic meters | 5 |
| 1980s | 17.57 billion cubic meters | 14.05 billion cubic meters | 23.34 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.65 billion cubic meters | 25.00 billion cubic meters | 40.30 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.30 billion cubic meters | 42.00 billion cubic meters | 54.60 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 56.00 billion cubic meters | 56.00 billion cubic meters | 56.00 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 56.00 billion cubic meters | 56.00 billion cubic meters | 56.00 billion cubic meters | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
More environment data for India
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 11.05 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 12.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.954 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.92 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 1.12 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is municipal water withdrawal in India?
- Municipal water withdrawal in India was 56.00 billion cubic meters in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest municipal water withdrawal recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 56.00 billion cubic meters in 2010.
- What is the lowest municipal water withdrawal recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.40 billion cubic meters in 1975.
- How does India rank for municipal water withdrawal?
- India ranks 3rd out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is municipal water withdrawal rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Municipal water withdrawal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Water withdrawn each year for direct use by the population, usually measured as the total supplied by the public distribution network.