People not using improved drinking water sources in Ireland
Ireland: People not using improved drinking water sources was 152,499 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People not using improved drinking water sources in Ireland, 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 not using improved drinking water sources in Ireland stood at 152,499 people. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved drinking water sources in Ireland peaked at 152,499 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 127,644 people, in 2000.
Ireland ranks 90th of 231 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People not using improved drinking water sources in Ireland, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 127,644 people | — |
| 2001 | 128,882 people | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 130,270 people | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 131,613 people | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 133,219 people | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 135,327 people | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 138,188 people | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 141,351 people | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 143,438 people | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 144,072 people | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 143,984 people | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 143,740 people | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 143,494 people | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 143,370 people | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 143,520 people | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 143,989 people | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 144,653 people | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 145,482 people | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 146,471 people | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 147,410 people | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 147,991 people | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 148,471 people | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 150,001 people | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 151,665 people | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 152,499 people | +0.5% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 152,499 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.0026 people, 59522722.2× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 152,499 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 2,187 people, 69.7× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 135,400 people | 127,644 people | 144,072 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 144,611 people | 143,370 people | 147,410 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 150,125 people | 147,991 people | 152,499 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More environment data for Ireland
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.51 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 2.17 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.412 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.89 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.13 % 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 -0.0083 % 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 people not using improved drinking water sources in Ireland?
- People not using improved drinking water sources in Ireland was 152,499 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 not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 152,499 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 127,644 people in 2000.
- How does Ireland rank for people not using improved drinking water sources?
- Ireland ranks 90th out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland 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 not using improved drinking water sources. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people not using improved drinking water sources. These people might use surface water sources or unprotected springs or wells, as no safe and reliable improved drinking water source is available to them.