Safely managed drinking water — all countries

Safely managed drinking water — United Kingdom

Safely managed drinking water in the United Kingdom in 2024 — 99.8%. Ranked 17 in the world out of 148. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 0.2 pp.

2024 99.8% −0 pp vs 2023
World rank 17of 148
Period maximum 100%2000
Period minimum 99.8%2024

Trend over time

2000–2024 · % of population

Safely managed drinking water — United Kingdom, 2000–202499.899.999.91001002000200320062009201220152018202120242000: 100%2001: 100%2002: 100%2003: 100%2004: 100%2005: 100%2006: 100%2007: 100%2008: 100%2009: 100%2010: 99.9%2011: 99.9%2012: 99.9%2013: 99.9%2014: 99.9%2015: 99.9%2016: 99.9%2017: 99.9%2018: 99.9%2019: 99.9%2020: 99.9%2021: 99.9%2022: 99.8%2023: 99.8%2024: 99.8%
Change over the period: −0.2 pp Annual average: -0.01 pp

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: United Kingdom

United Kingdom 99.8%
World 73.7%
Northern Europe computed 99.5%
High-income countries computed 95.4%
Safely managed drinking water — United Kingdom, by year United Kingdom All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 99.8 −0 pp
2023 99.8 −0 pp
2022 99.8 −0 pp
2021 99.9 −0 pp
2020 99.9 −0 pp
2019 99.9 −0 pp
2018 99.9 −0 pp
2017 99.9 −0 pp
2016 99.9 −0 pp
2015 99.9 −0 pp
2014 99.9 −0 pp
2013 99.9 −0 pp
2012 99.9 −0 pp
2011 99.9 −0 pp
2010 99.9 −0 pp
2009 100 −0 pp
2008 100 −0 pp
2007 100 −0 pp
2006 100 −0 pp
2005 100 −0 pp
2004 100 +0 pp
2003 100 +0 pp
2002 100 +0 pp
2001 100 −0 pp
2000 100

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.