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 regions on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
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
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 59.68 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 11.06 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 15.58 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.0879 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 1.23 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0115 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 18.11 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.0209 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.0087 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 1.16 Mt CO2e (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 regions 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.