People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in India
India: People not using safely managed sanitation facilities was 539.97 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in India, 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
In 2024, people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in India stood at 539.97 million people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 4.3% on the previous year and down 31.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in India peaked at 962.65 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 539.97 million people, in 2024.
That places India 1st out of 150 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 929.55 million people | 876.48 million people | 962.65 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 770.65 million people | 667.81 million people | 860.78 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 590.84 million people | 539.97 million people | 642.85 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
More reference data data for India
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.8635 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.6189 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.0088 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.3046 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies -0.2053 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 233.06 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in India?
- People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in India was 539.97 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 962.65 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people not using safely managed sanitation facilities recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 539.97 million people in 2024.
- How does India rank for people not using safely managed sanitation facilities?
- India ranks 1st out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using safely managed sanitation facilities rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India 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.