Safely managed drinking water — all countries

Safely managed drinking water — Southern Africa

Safely managed drinking water in Southern Africa in 2024 — 66.1%. Since 2000, the indicator has risen by 5.8 pp.

2024 66.1% −0.5 pp vs 2023
World rank
Period maximum 67.6%2020
Period minimum 60.3%2000

Trend over time

2000–2024 · % of population

Safely managed drinking water — Southern Africa, 2000–202460626466682000200320062009201220152018202120242000: 60.3%2001: 60.8%2002: 61.6%2003: 62.4%2004: 63.2%2005: 64.1%2006: 64.6%2007: 65%2008: 65.3%2009: 65.7%2010: 66%2011: 66.3%2012: 66.5%2013: 66.7%2014: 66.9%2015: 67.1%2016: 67.2%2017: 67.3%2018: 67.4%2019: 67.5%2020: 67.6%2021: 67.5%2022: 67%2023: 66.6%2024: 66.1%
Change over the period: +5.8 pp Annual average: 0.24 pp

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Southern Africa

Southern Africa 66.1%
World 73.7%
Safely managed drinking water — Southern Africa, by year Southern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 66.1 −0.5 pp
2023 66.6 −0.5 pp
2022 67 −0.5 pp
2021 67.5 −0.1 pp
2020 67.6 +0.1 pp
2019 67.5 +0.1 pp
2018 67.4 +0.1 pp
2017 67.3 +0.1 pp
2016 67.2 +0.1 pp
2015 67.1 +0.2 pp
2014 66.9 +0.2 pp
2013 66.7 +0.2 pp
2012 66.5 +0.2 pp
2011 66.3 +0.3 pp
2010 66 +0.3 pp
2009 65.7 +0.3 pp
2008 65.3 +0.4 pp
2007 65 +0.4 pp
2006 64.6 +0.5 pp
2005 64.1 +0.8 pp
2004 63.2 +0.8 pp
2003 62.4 +0.8 pp
2002 61.6 +0.8 pp
2001 60.8 +0.5 pp
2000 60.3

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.