Safely managed drinking water — all countries

Safely managed drinking water — Lower-middle-income countries

Safely managed drinking water in lower-middle-income countries in 2024 — 64.1%. Since 2000, the indicator has risen by 23.9 pp.

2024 64.1% +0.9 pp vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 64.1%2024
Period minimum 40.2%2000

Trend over time

2000–2024 · % of population

Safely managed drinking water — Lower-middle-income countries, 2000–2024405060702000200320062009201220152018202120242000: 40.2%2001: 41%2002: 42%2003: 42.9%2004: 43.9%2005: 44.9%2006: 46%2007: 47%2008: 48.1%2009: 49.1%2010: 50.2%2011: 51.2%2012: 52.3%2013: 53.3%2014: 54.4%2015: 55.4%2016: 56.4%2017: 57.4%2018: 58.4%2019: 59.4%2020: 60.4%2021: 61.4%2022: 62.3%2023: 63.2%2024: 64.1%
Change over the period: +23.9 pp Annual average: 1 pp

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Lower-middle-income countries

Lower-middle-income countries 64.1%
World 73.7%
Safely managed drinking water — Lower-middle-income countries, by year Lower-middle-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 64.1 +0.9 pp
2023 63.2 +0.9 pp
2022 62.3 +0.9 pp
2021 61.4 +1 pp
2020 60.4 +1 pp
2019 59.4 +1 pp
2018 58.4 +1 pp
2017 57.4 +1 pp
2016 56.4 +1 pp
2015 55.4 +1 pp
2014 54.4 +1 pp
2013 53.3 +1 pp
2012 52.3 +1.1 pp
2011 51.2 +1.1 pp
2010 50.2 +1.1 pp
2009 49.1 +1.1 pp
2008 48.1 +1 pp
2007 47 +1 pp
2006 46 +1 pp
2005 44.9 +1 pp
2004 43.9 +1 pp
2003 42.9 +0.9 pp
2002 42 +0.9 pp
2001 41 +0.8 pp
2000 40.2

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.