Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Zambia
Zambia: Share of population not using improved drinking water sources was 19.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Zambia, 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 population not using improved drinking water sources in Zambia stood at 19.5%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 5.5% on the previous year and down 38.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Zambia peaked at 50.0% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 19.5%, in 2024.
Zambia ranks 18th of 231 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 50.0% | — |
| 2001 | 48.8% | -2.5% |
| 2002 | 47.4% | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 46.0% | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 44.6% | -3.0% |
| 2005 | 43.3% | -3.0% |
| 2006 | 41.9% | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 40.6% | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 39.3% | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 37.9% | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 36.6% | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 35.4% | -3.5% |
| 2012 | 34.1% | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 32.8% | -3.7% |
| 2014 | 31.5% | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 30.3% | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 29.1% | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 27.8% | -4.2% |
| 2018 | 26.6% | -4.4% |
| 2019 | 25.4% | -4.5% |
| 2020 | 24.2% | -4.7% |
| 2021 | 23.0% | -4.9% |
| 2022 | 21.8% | -5.1% |
| 2023 | 20.7% | -5.3% |
| 2024 | 19.5% | -5.5% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 19.5% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 8.0%, 2.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 19.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.8%, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 44.0% | 37.9% | 50.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.0% | 25.4% | 36.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.9% | 19.5% | 24.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 15 South Sudan 22.4% compare
- 16 Solomon Islands 22.2% compare
- 17 Angola 20.9% compare
- 19 Zimbabwe 18.5% compare
- 20 Burkina Faso 18.2% compare
- 21 Togo 17.7% compare
More environment data for Zambia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.98 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -3.03 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.265 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.11 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.74 % 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 3.49 % 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 share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Zambia?
- Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Zambia was 19.5% 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 population not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 50.0% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.5% in 2024.
- How does Zambia rank for share of population not using improved drinking water sources?
- Zambia ranks 18th out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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 population not using improved drinking water sources. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Proportion 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.