Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in South Africa
South Africa: Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas was 97.8% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas 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
South Africa recorded 97.8% 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.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in South Africa peaked at 99.1% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 97.8%, in 2024.
That places South Africa 104th 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 South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 98.8% | — |
| 2001 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 98.9% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 98.9% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 98.9% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 98.9% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 98.9% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 99.0% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 99.0% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 99.0% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 99.0% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 99.1% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 99.1% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 99.0% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 98.8% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 98.7% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 98.6% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 98.5% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 98.3% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 98.2% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 98.1% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 97.9% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 97.8% | -0.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 97.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 98.2%, 100% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 97.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 87.8%, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 98.9% | 98.8% | 99.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 98.9% | 98.5% | 99.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 98.1% | 97.8% | 98.3% | 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)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.59 % 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 0.2953 % 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 South Africa?
- Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in South Africa was 97.8% 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 99.1% in 2014.
- What is the lowest using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 97.8% in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas?
- South Africa ranks 104th 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 South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- 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 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.