Percentage of population using at least basic drinking water services in South Africa
South Africa: Percentage of population using at least basic drinking water services was 90 % in 2024. ▲ Rising
Percentage of population using at least basic drinking water services in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, percentage of population using at least basic drinking water services in South Africa stood at 90 %.
The figure is down 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of population using at least basic drinking water services in South Africa peaked at 92 % in 2012 and was at its lowest, 86 %, in 2000.
South Africa ranks 129th of 186 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 88.1 % | 86 % | 90 % | 10 |
| 2010s | 91.7 % | 91 % | 92 % | 10 |
| 2020s | 90.6 % | 90 % | 91 % | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More environment data for South Africa
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 8.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.275 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.05 °C (2025)
- Other paper and paperboard, not elsewhere specified — Import -37.67 % change on previous year (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard, not elsewhere specified — Import 0.0001 t per person (2024)
- Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -11.78 Percentage change (2024)
- Exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -12.27 Percentage change (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard, not elsewhere specified — Import value -6.69 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is percentage of population using at least basic drinking water services in South Africa?
- Percentage of population using at least basic drinking water services in South Africa was 90 % in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest percentage of population using at least basic drinking water services recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 92 % in 2012.
- What is the lowest percentage of population using at least basic drinking water services recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 86 % in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for percentage of population using at least basic drinking water services?
- South Africa ranks 129th out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is percentage of population using at least basic drinking water services rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Percentage of population using at least basic drinking water services (percent) — Value. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO).
About this data
The Suite of Food Security Indicators presents the core set of food security indicators. Following the recommendation of experts gathered in the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) Round Table on hunger measurement, hosted at FAO headquarters in September 2011, an initial set of indicators aiming to capture various aspects of food insecurity is presented here. The choice of the indicators has been informed by expert judgement and the availability of data with sufficient coverage to enable comparisons across regions and over time. Many of these indicators are produced and published elsewhere by FAO and other international organizations. They are reported here in a single database with the aim of building a wide food security information system. More indicators will be added to this set as more data will become available. Indicators are classified along the four dimensions of food security -- availability, access, utilization and stability.