United States's people using at least basic drinking water services (% of population) was 99.98% in 2024, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 0.63 percentage points from 99.35% in 2014.
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 99.98% | 2024 |
| Five years earlier | 99.74% | 2019 |
| Ten years earlier | 99.35% | 2014 |
| Highest | 99.98% | 2023 |
| Lowest | 98.9% | 2005 |
| Average since 2015 | 99.76% | 2015–2024 |
| First recorded | 98.9% | 2005 |
What the numbers say
In 2024, United States' people using at least basic drinking water services (% of population) fell 0 percentage points on 2023 (from 99.98% to 99.98%).
Across the 18 yearly changes before that (2006 to 2023), the average change was +0.06 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.03 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.8 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 0.09 percentage points in 2010 and the biggest yearly fall was 0 percentage points in 2024. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.07 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 97% of the movement over 10 observed years.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
In 2024, United States had the 44th highest value of the 201 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 99.98% | 2024 |
| World | 91.45% | 2024 |
| North America | 99.8% | 2024 |
| High income | 99.16% | 2024 |
Closest to United States in the 2024 ranking
- United Arab Emirates — 41st of 201: 100%
- United Kingdom — 42nd of 201: 100%
- Qatar — 43rd of 201: 99.99%
- Australia — 45th of 201: 99.97%
- Armenia — 46th of 201: 99.93%
- Mauritius — 47th of 201: 99.93%
What this measures
The percentage of people using at least basic water services. This indicator encompasses both people using basic water services as well as those using safely managed water services. Basic drinking water services is defined as drinking water from an improved source, provided collection time is not more than 30 minutes for a round trip. Improved water sources include piped water, boreholes or tubewells, protected dug wells, protected springs, and packaged or delivered water.
Limitations: National, regional and income group estimates are made when data are available for at least 50 percent of the population.
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.
All 20 values
| Year | People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 99.98 |
| 2023 | 99.98 |
| 2022 | 99.96 |
| 2021 | 99.89 |
| 2020 | 99.82 |
| 2019 | 99.74 |
| 2018 | 99.67 |
| 2017 | 99.59 |
| 2016 | 99.51 |
| 2015 | 99.43 |
| 2014 |
People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population) in nearby economies
More health data for United States
- Population ages 00-04, female (% of female population) — 5.25% (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male (% of male population) — 5.45% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female — 28.47 million (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female (% of female population) — 16.74% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male — 29.97 million (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male (% of male population) — 17.45% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total — 58.44 million (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 (% of total population) — 17.1% (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female (% of female population) — 5.57% (2025)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is United States's people using at least basic drinking water services (% of population)?
- 99.98% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 2005?
- It is up 1.08 percentage points from 98.9% in 2005. The highest value was 99.98% in 2023 and the lowest 98.9% in 2005.
- How does United States rank?
- 44th highest of 201 economies with data for 2024.
- Is the latest change in people using at least basic drinking water services (% of population) unusual for United States?
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SH.H2O.BASW.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO), uri: washdata.org, publisher: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (washdata.org), date accessed: 2025-09-30, date published: 2025-08… Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.
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