People not using safely managed drinking water sources in United States
United States: People not using safely managed drinking water sources was 8.40 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People not using safely managed drinking water sources in United States, 2005–2024
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 States is 8.40 million people, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 31.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using safely managed drinking water sources in United States peaked at 14.19 million people in 2009 and was at its lowest, 8.36 million people, in 2023.
That places United States 37th out of 163 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.
People not using safely managed drinking water sources in United States, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 13.74 million people | — |
| 2006 | 13.85 million people | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 13.96 million people | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 14.08 million people | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 14.19 million people | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 13.82 million people | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 13.43 million people | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 13.04 million people | -2.9% |
| 2013 | 12.64 million people | -3.1% |
| 2014 | 12.24 million people | -3.2% |
| 2015 | 11.82 million people | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 11.41 million people | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 10.98 million people | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 10.55 million people | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 10.10 million people | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 9.62 million people | -4.7% |
| 2021 | 9.12 million people | -5.2% |
| 2022 | 8.65 million people | -5.2% |
| 2023 | 8.36 million people | -3.3% |
| 2024 | 8.40 million people | +0.5% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 8.40 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 30,638 people, 274.2× the median. (68 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13.96 million people | 13.74 million people | 14.19 million people | 5 |
| 2010s | 12.00 million people | 10.10 million people | 13.82 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.83 million people | 8.36 million people | 9.62 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
More environment data for United States
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.64 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -2.16 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.3672 % 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 -0.624 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0.1269 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people not using safely managed drinking water sources in United States?
- People not using safely managed drinking water sources in United States was 8.40 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 not using safely managed drinking water sources recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 14.19 million people in 2009.
- What is the lowest people not using safely managed drinking water sources recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.36 million people in 2023.
- How does United States rank for people not using safely managed drinking water sources?
- United States ranks 37th out of 163 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using safely managed drinking water sources rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States 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 — 20 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
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.