Share of urban and rural population using safely managed drinking water in South Africa
South Africa: Share of urban and rural population using safely managed drinking water was 75.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of urban and rural population using safely managed drinking water in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of urban and rural population using safely managed drinking water in South Africa stood at 75.6%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.0% on the previous year and down 9.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban and rural population using safely managed drinking water in South Africa peaked at 90.3% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 75.6%, in 2024.
South Africa ranks 53rd of 105 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.
Share of urban and rural population using safely managed drinking water in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 90.1% | — |
| 2001 | 90.1% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 90.1% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 90.2% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 90.3% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 90.3% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 89.8% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 89.0% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 88.2% | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 87.4% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 86.7% | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 85.9% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 85.1% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 84.3% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 83.5% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 82.7% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 81.9% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 81.1% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 80.4% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 79.6% | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 78.8% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 78.0% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 77.2% | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 76.4% | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 75.6% | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 89.6% | 87.4% | 90.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 83.1% | 79.6% | 86.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 77.2% | 75.6% | 78.8% | 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)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Production, per unit of GDP 0 m3 per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Production, per capita 0.002 m3 per person (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Import quantity, annual growth rate -0.3469 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 m3 per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban and rural population using safely managed drinking water in South Africa?
- Share of urban and rural population using safely managed drinking water in South Africa was 75.6% 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 share of urban and rural population using safely managed drinking water recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 90.3% in 2005.
- What is the lowest share of urban and rural population using safely managed drinking water recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 75.6% in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for share of urban and rural population using safely managed drinking water?
- South Africa ranks 53rd out of 105 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of urban and rural population using safely managed drinking water rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa 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 Share of urban and rural population using safely managed drinking water. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Proportion of people using an improved drinking water source that is located on premises, available when needed and free from fecal and priority chemical contamination.