Sanitation facilities usage in India
India: Sanitation facilities usage was 97.69 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage 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
The most recent figure for sanitation facilities usage in India is 97.69 million people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 24.8% on the previous year and down 77.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in India peaked at 773.88 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 97.69 million people, in 2024.
India ranks 1st of 232 countries on this measure, 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 | 683.39 million people | 579.02 million people | 773.88 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 418.19 million people | 273.84 million people | 552.52 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 166.97 million people | 97.69 million people | 238.52 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 sanitation facilities usage in India?
- Sanitation facilities usage in India was 97.69 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 sanitation facilities usage recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 773.88 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 97.69 million people in 2024.
- How does India rank for sanitation facilities usage?
- India ranks 1st out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 77.7%. 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 Sanitation facilities usage. 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
Open defecation includes defecating in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water or other open spaces, not using any sanitation facilities.