Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Canada
Canada: Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population was 98.3% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Canada, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Canada is 98.3%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Canada peaked at 99.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 98.3%, in 2023.
That places Canada 136th out of 188 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Canada, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 99.8% | — |
| 2001 | 99.8% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 99.8% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 99.8% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 99.8% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 99.8% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 99.7% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 99.6% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 99.5% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 99.4% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 99.3% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 99.3% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 99.2% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 99.1% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 99.0% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 98.9% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 98.8% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 98.8% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 98.7% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 98.6% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 98.5% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 98.4% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 98.3% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 98.3% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 98.3% | +0.0% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 98.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 100.0%, 98% of the median. (60 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 99.7% | 99.4% | 99.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 99.0% | 98.6% | 99.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 98.4% | 98.3% | 98.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More environment data for Canada
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.76 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.642 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.96 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 2.9 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.7 % 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 -0.3398 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Canada?
- Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Canada was 98.3% 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 using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 99.8% in 2000.
- What is the lowest using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 98.3% in 2023.
- How does Canada rank for using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population?
- Canada ranks 136th out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Canada 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 Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population. 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
Proportion of people who use an improved drinking water source, regardless of collection time. An improved drinking water source is a safely designed drinking water source and includes e.g. piped water, boreholes or tubewells and packaged or delivered water.