United Kingdom vs United States: Safe drinking water

Safe drinking water in 2022: 99.8% in United Kingdom and 97.5% in United States, by WHO/UNICEF estimates. In 2022 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by 2.3 percentage points, or 1.02 times that in United States.

Watch it change on the map

% of people · WHO/UNICEF

United KingdomUnited StatesWorld

What the numbers say

United Kingdom has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2005.
In 2022, United Kingdom ranked 16 and United States ranked 39 of 135 countries, counting from the highest.
The world as a whole: 72.9% in 2022.

Every year

% of people · WHO/UNICEF

Year	United Kingdom	United States	World
2022	99.8	97.5	72.9
2021	99.8	97.3	72.5
2020	99.8	97.2	72.3
2019	99.8	97	71.7
2018	99.9	96.9	71
2017	99.9	96.7	70.4
2016	99.9	96.5	69.7
2015	99.9	96.4	69.1
2014	99.9	96.2	68.4
2013	99.9	96.1	67.7
2012	99.9	95.9	67.1
2011	99.9	95.7	66.4
2010	100	95.6	65.9
2009	100	95.4	65.4
2008	100	95.4	64.9
2007	100	95.4	64.6
2006	100	95.4	64
2005	100	95.4	63.7
2004	100	–	63
2003	100	–	62.4
2002	100	–	61.8
2001	100	–	61.1
2000	100	–	60.8

Each country on its own

Good to know

The share of people whose drinking water comes from an improved source at home, there when needed and free of contamination.
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme, via Our World in Data.
Ranks count the 135 countries with a value in 2022, highest first.
The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

United Kingdom vs United States

Health

People

Economy

Education

Politics

Conflict

Deaths in conflictsUnited Kingdom: 0 deaths in 2022United States: 1 deaths in 2022