Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in South Africa
South Africa: Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water was 68.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 68.0% for proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in South Africa peaked at 69.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 63.2%, in 2000.
That places South Africa 96th out of 150 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 63.2% | — |
| 2001 | 63.7% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 64.5% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 65.3% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 66.1% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 66.9% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 67.4% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 67.7% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 67.9% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 68.2% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 68.4% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 68.6% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 68.8% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 69.0% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 69.2% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 69.3% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 69.4% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 69.6% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 69.7% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 69.7% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 69.8% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 69.6% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 69.1% | -0.8% |
| 2023 | 68.6% | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 68.0% | -0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 66.1% | 63.2% | 68.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.2% | 68.4% | 69.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.0% | 68.0% | 69.8% | 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)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, annual growth rate 20.46 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 t per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per capita 0.012 t per person (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, annual growth rate 3.25 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in South Africa?
- Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in South Africa was 68.0% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of population using safely managed drinking water recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 69.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest proportion of population using safely managed drinking water recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 63.2% in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for proportion of population using safely managed drinking water?
- South Africa ranks 96th out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of population using safely managed drinking water rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services, by urban/rural (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).