People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Canada
Canada: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 110,386 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Canada, 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 in rural areas not using an improved water source in Canada stood at 110,386 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 6.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Canada peaked at 110,386 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 97,990 people, in 2001.
That places Canada 85th out of 178 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.
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Canada, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 98,575 people | — |
| 2001 | 97,990 people | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 98,619 people | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 99,168 people | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 99,701 people | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 100,221 people | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 100,697 people | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 100,734 people | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 100,828 people | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 100,975 people | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 101,084 people | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 101,246 people | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 102,053 people | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 102,865 people | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 103,590 people | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 104,267 people | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 105,122 people | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 106,105 people | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 107,106 people | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 108,043 people | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 108,634 people | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 108,846 people | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 109,242 people | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 109,869 people | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 110,386 people | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 99,751 people | 97,990 people | 100,975 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 104,148 people | 101,084 people | 108,043 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 109,395 people | 108,634 people | 110,386 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More environment data for Canada
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.76 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.642 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.96 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.7 % 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 -0.3398 % 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 in rural areas not using an improved water source in Canada?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Canada was 110,386 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 in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 110,386 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 97,990 people in 2001.
- How does Canada rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- Canada ranks 85th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada 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 in rural areas not using an improved water source. 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.