People not using safely managed drinking water sources in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: People not using safely managed drinking water sources was 122,408 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
122,408 people
Change on year
up 6.1%
World rank
102nd
of 163 countries
All-time high
122,408 people
in 2024
All-time low
0 people
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024

People not using safely managed drinking water sources in United Kingdom, 2000–2024

025.0k50.0k75.0k100.0k125.0k2000201220242000: 0 people2001: 0 people2002: 0 people2003: 0 people2004: 0 people2005: 3.5k people2006: 9.0k people2007: 14.6k people2008: 20.3k people2009: 26.1k people2010: 32.0k people2011: 38.0k people2012: 44.0k people2013: 50.1k people2014: 56.3k people2015: 62.7k people2016: 69.1k people2017: 75.6k people2018: 82.1k people2019: 88.6k people2020: 94.9k people2021: 101.5k people2022: 108.4k people2023: 115.4k people2024: 122.4k people

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.

Analysis

The most recent figure for people not using safely managed drinking water sources in United Kingdom is 122,408 people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.1% on the previous year and up 117.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people not using safely managed drinking water sources in United Kingdom peaked at 122,408 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 2000.

That places United Kingdom 102nd out of 163 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 7,352 people 0 people 26,119 people 10
2010s 59,856 people 32,010 people 88,558 people 10
2020s 108,536 people 94,950 people 122,408 people 5

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 99 United Arab Emirates 149,823 people compare
  2. 100 Sao Tome and Principe 149,141 people compare
  3. 101 Qatar 141,897 people compare
  4. 103 Kiribati 114,222 people compare
  5. 104 Austria 101,101 people compare
  6. 105 Lithuania 93,391 people compare

See the full ranking of 163 places →

More environment data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is people not using safely managed drinking water sources in United Kingdom?
People not using safely managed drinking water sources in United Kingdom was 122,408 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 safely managed drinking water sources recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 122,408 people in 2024.
What is the lowest people not using safely managed drinking water sources recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 2000.
How does United Kingdom rank for people not using safely managed drinking water sources?
United Kingdom ranks 102nd out of 163 countries with data for 2024.
Is people not using safely managed drinking water sources rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 117.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United Kingdom 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 safely managed 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

Indicator
People not using safely managed drinking water sources
Unit
people
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
163 places, 3,991 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

People not using safely managed drinking water sources either use unimproved drinking water sources or the improved sources they use are not located on their premises, not available when needed, or not free of contamination.