Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Canada
Canada: Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas was 98.3% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas 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
Canada recorded 98.3% for using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Canada peaked at 99.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 98.3%, in 2023.
That places Canada 95th out of 188 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas 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
- 92 Morocco 98.3% compare
- 93 Philippines 98.3% compare
- 94 North Macedonia 98.3% compare
- 96 Tuvalu 98.2% compare
- 97 Eswatini 98.1% compare
- 98 Uzbekistan 98.1% compare
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)
- 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)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Canada?
- Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas 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 at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 99.8% in 2000.
- What is the lowest using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 98.3% in 2023.
- How does Canada rank for using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas?
- Canada ranks 95th out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas 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 at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas. 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, which is either located on their premises, or at a collection point, which takes no more than 30 minutes for a roundtrip.