AGUACYCLE
North America

United States

Capital: Washington D.C. · High income · Pop. 340.1 million

97.57%
Safely managed drinking water
97.01%
Safely managed sanitation
8,437
m³ freshwater / person / yr
16%
Water stress · Low-medium

Source: World Bank Open Data (WHO/UNICEF JMP & FAO AQUASTAT) · drinking water 2024

In United States, 97.57% of the population uses safely managed drinking water — an improved source, located on premises, available when needed, and free from contamination (2024 estimate). That leaves roughly 8.3 million people without safely managed drinking water at home.

Sanitation tracks closely: 97.01% use safely managed sanitation services and 99.62% have at least a basic service (2024).

United States has about 8,437 cubic meters of renewable internal freshwater per person each year. It withdraws the equivalent of 16% of those internal resources annually (low-medium water stress).

Agriculture accounts for about 40% of United States's water withdrawals, the rest going to households and industry.

Common questions

How many people in United States have safe drinking water?

97.57% of United States's population uses safely managed drinking water (2024), per WHO/UNICEF data; about 8.3 million people do not.

Does United States have enough freshwater?

United States has roughly 8,437 m³ of renewable internal freshwater per person per year, and uses about 16% of it annually (low-medium stress).

Elsewhere in North America