People in rural areas not using an improved water source in India
India: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 19.16 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in India, 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 India stood at 19.16 million people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 25.7% on the previous year and down 76.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in India peaked at 149.47 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 19.16 million people, in 2024.
India ranks 5th of 178 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in India, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 149.47 million people | — |
| 2001 | 146.12 million people | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 142.40 million people | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 138.43 million people | -2.8% |
| 2004 | 134.28 million people | -3.0% |
| 2005 | 129.92 million people | -3.3% |
| 2006 | 125.34 million people | -3.5% |
| 2007 | 120.57 million people | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 115.60 million people | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 110.53 million people | -4.4% |
| 2010 | 105.35 million people | -4.7% |
| 2011 | 100.02 million people | -5.1% |
| 2012 | 94.52 million people | -5.5% |
| 2013 | 88.87 million people | -6.0% |
| 2014 | 83.05 million people | -6.6% |
| 2015 | 77.07 million people | -7.2% |
| 2016 | 70.99 million people | -7.9% |
| 2017 | 64.81 million people | -8.7% |
| 2018 | 58.51 million people | -9.7% |
| 2019 | 52.12 million people | -10.9% |
| 2020 | 45.63 million people | -12.4% |
| 2021 | 39.03 million people | -14.4% |
| 2022 | 32.41 million people | -17.0% |
| 2023 | 25.80 million people | -20.4% |
| 2024 | 19.16 million people | -25.7% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 19.16 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 796,634 people, 24.1× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- India's 19.16 million people is above the median for South Asia, which is 585,844 people, 32.7× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 131.26 million people | 110.53 million people | 149.47 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 79.53 million people | 52.12 million people | 105.35 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.41 million people | 19.16 million people | 45.63 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
More environment data for India
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 11.05 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 12.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.954 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.92 % 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 1.12 % 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 India?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in India was 19.16 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 in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 149.47 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.16 million people in 2024.
- How does India rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- India ranks 5th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 76.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India 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.