People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Ireland
Ireland: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 37,475 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Ireland, 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 Ireland stood at 37,475 people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.6% on the previous year and down 11.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Ireland peaked at 46,284 people in 2008 and was at its lowest, 37,475 people, in 2024.
Ireland ranks 99th of 178 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 Ireland, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 46,142 people | — |
| 2001 | 45,976 people | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 45,841 people | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 45,644 people | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 45,520 people | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 45,549 people | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 45,823 people | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 46,242 people | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 46,284 people | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 45,843 people | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 45,169 people | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 44,445 people | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 43,720 people | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 43,032 people | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 42,424 people | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 41,907 people | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 41,437 people | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 40,992 people | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 40,565 people | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 40,098 people | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 39,508 people | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 38,871 people | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 38,483 people | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 38,097 people | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 37,475 people | -1.6% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 37,475 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1,044 people, 35.9× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 45,886 people | 45,520 people | 46,284 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 42,379 people | 40,098 people | 45,169 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 38,487 people | 37,475 people | 39,508 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More environment data for Ireland
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.51 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 2.17 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.412 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.89 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.13 % 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 -0.0083 % 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 Ireland?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Ireland was 37,475 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 46,284 people in 2008.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 37,475 people in 2024.
- How does Ireland rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- Ireland ranks 99th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ireland 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.