Safely managed drinking water — all countries

Safely managed drinking water — European Union

Safely managed drinking water in the European Union in 2024 — 97.2%. Since 2000, the indicator has risen by 1.7 pp.

2024 97.2% −0 pp vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 97.3%2022
Period minimum 95.5%2000

Trend over time

2000–2024 · % of population

Safely managed drinking water — European Union, 2000–202495.59696.59797.52000200320062009201220152018202120242000: 95.5%2001: 95.6%2002: 95.7%2003: 95.8%2004: 96%2005: 95.7%2006: 95.8%2007: 96%2008: 96.1%2009: 96.3%2010: 96.4%2011: 96.5%2012: 96.6%2013: 96.7%2014: 96.8%2015: 96.9%2016: 97%2017: 97%2018: 97.1%2019: 97.2%2020: 97.2%2021: 97.3%2022: 97.3%2023: 97.3%2024: 97.2%
Change over the period: +1.7 pp Annual average: 0.07 pp

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: European Union

European Union 97.2%
World 73.7%
Safely managed drinking water — European Union, by year European Union All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 97.2 −0 pp
2023 97.3 −0 pp
2022 97.3 +0 pp
2021 97.3 +0 pp
2020 97.2 +0 pp
2019 97.2 +0.1 pp
2018 97.1 +0.1 pp
2017 97 +0.1 pp
2016 97 +0.1 pp
2015 96.9 +0.1 pp
2014 96.8 +0.1 pp
2013 96.7 +0.1 pp
2012 96.6 +0.1 pp
2011 96.5 +0.1 pp
2010 96.4 +0.1 pp
2009 96.3 +0.1 pp
2008 96.1 +0.2 pp
2007 96 +0.2 pp
2006 95.8 +0.2 pp
2005 95.7 −0.3 pp
2004 96 +0.1 pp
2003 95.8 +0.1 pp
2002 95.7 +0.1 pp
2001 95.6 +0.1 pp
2000 95.5

About the indicator

The share of the population with safely managed drinking water — the top rung of the WHO and UNICEF ladder. Three requirements at once: the source is improved and located in the dwelling or on the plot, water is available when it is needed, and it is free of contamination. It is this indicator that is written into Sustainable Development Goal 6.1, whereas the better-known “basic access” requires only an improved source within half an hour's walk — the gap between the two measures in some countries exceeds forty percentage points.

Important: Stricter than basic access on three counts at once. There are fewer territories than for the basic indicator: testing for contamination requires laboratory data, which are not available everywhere.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.