People using improved drinking water sources in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: People using improved drinking water sources was 1.52 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People using improved drinking water sources in Sri Lanka, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, people using improved drinking water sources in Sri Lanka stood at 1.52 million people.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 16.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using improved drinking water sources in Sri Lanka peaked at 2.17 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 1.51 million people, in 2023.
Sri Lanka ranks 37th of 231 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People using improved drinking water sources in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2.17 million people | — |
| 2001 | 2.16 million people | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 2.15 million people | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 2.12 million people | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 2.10 million people | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 2.07 million people | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 2.04 million people | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 2.02 million people | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 1.99 million people | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 1.96 million people | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 1.93 million people | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 1.90 million people | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 1.87 million people | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 1.85 million people | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 1.82 million people | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 1.79 million people | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 1.76 million people | -1.7% |
| 2017 | 1.73 million people | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 1.70 million people | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 1.66 million people | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 1.63 million people | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 1.59 million people | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 1.55 million people | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 1.51 million people | -2.5% |
| 2024 | 1.52 million people | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.08 million people | 1.96 million people | 2.17 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.80 million people | 1.66 million people | 1.93 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.56 million people | 1.51 million people | 1.63 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More environment data for Sri Lanka
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.24 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 5.49 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.207 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.849 °C (2025)
- Sawnwood — Export quantity, per unit of GDP 0 m3 per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Sawnwood — Export quantity, per capita 0.0003 m3 per person (2024)
- Sawnwood — Export value, annual growth rate -10.94 % 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 0.0001 1000 USD per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using improved drinking water sources in Sri Lanka?
- People using improved drinking water sources in Sri Lanka was 1.52 million people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people using improved drinking water sources recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 2.17 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people using improved drinking water sources recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.51 million people in 2023.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for people using improved drinking water sources?
- Sri Lanka ranks 37th out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People using improved drinking water sources. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people using only unimproved drinking water sources.