People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Australia
Australia: People not using safely managed sanitation facilities was 1.13 million people in 2024. ▬ Flat
People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Australia, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Australia is 1.13 million people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Australia peaked at 1.20 million people in 2010 and was at its lowest, 1.13 million people, in 2024.
That places Australia 85th out of 150 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Australia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.20 million people | — |
| 2001 | 1.20 million people | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 1.20 million people | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 1.19 million people | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 1.19 million people | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 1.19 million people | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 1.19 million people | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 1.19 million people | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 1.19 million people | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 1.20 million people | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 1.20 million people | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 1.20 million people | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 1.20 million people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.20 million people | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1.20 million people | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 1.20 million people | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 1.19 million people | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 1.19 million people | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 1.19 million people | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 1.19 million people | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 1.18 million people | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 1.16 million people | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 1.15 million people | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 1.14 million people | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 1.13 million people | -1.0% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 1.13 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 481,577 people, 2.3× the median. (60 countries reporting)
- Australia's 1.13 million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 795,840 people, 1.4× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.19 million people | 1.19 million people | 1.20 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.20 million people | 1.19 million people | 1.20 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.15 million people | 1.13 million people | 1.18 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More reference data data for Australia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 28.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 118.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 170.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 13.9 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Australia?
- People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Australia was 1.13 million people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people not using safely managed sanitation facilities recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.20 million people in 2010.
- What is the lowest people not using safely managed sanitation facilities recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.13 million people in 2024.
- How does Australia rank for people not using safely managed sanitation facilities?
- Australia ranks 85th out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using safely managed sanitation facilities rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People not using safely managed sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People not using safely managed sanitation services might practice open defecation, use unimproved sanitation facilities, or use improved facilities that do not safely manage human waste.