Progress on Water-Use Efficiency (SDG target 6.4)
Increasing water-use efficiency, for example by repairing leaking water distribution systems, using less thirsty crops and investing in new technology, results in more sustainable food and industrial production systems. Water savings are also often associated with energy savings, as less water needs to be extracted, treated, transported and heated.
- 22 $/m3 is the value added from the use of water by people and the economy at the global level (SDG indicator 6.4.1, 2022)
Available data series: 2000-2022
Number of countries (and areas) reporting in the last five years: 168
Proportion of world population covered by reporting in the last five years: 100%
Proportion of world land area covered by reporting in the last five years: 99%
Learn more about the indicator here
Read the latest progress report here
SDG target 6.4 is: ‘By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.’
To track progress towards the target, SDG indicator 6.4.1 monitors the change in water-use efficiency over time, measured as the ratio of dollar value added to the volume of water used.
Global status of indicator 6.4.1 Change in water-use efficiency over time (---)
US dollars per cubic meter (USD/m3)
>80
40-80
>10-40
>0-10
Data Not Available
Not Applicable
Progress over time of indicator 6.4.1 Change in water-use efficiency over time
Status in different countries (or areas) of indicator 6.4.1 Change in water-use efficiency over time (---)
- Australia and New Zealand
- Eastern and South-Eastern Asia
- Central and Southern Asia
- Latin America and the Caribbean
- Europe and Northern America
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand)
- Northern Africa and Western Asia
Status in different SDG regions of indicator 6.4.1 Change in water-use efficiency over time (---)
Status of different components of indicator 6.4.1 Change in water-use efficiency over time
Water-use efficiency, by sector (---)
Water withdrawal, by source and sector, for one reporting country (---)
Country (or area), region and world data for the latest year of reporting: (2022):
| Country (or area), SDG region, world | Year | 6.4.1 Change in water-use efficiency over time | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | Agriculture, forestry and fishing | Industry | Services | ||
| Afghanistan | 2022 | 0.6 | 0.12 | 13.19 | 37.22 |
| Albania | 2022 | 13.71 | 1.92 | 241.54 | 32.52 |
| Algeria | 2022 | 14.32 | 0.99 | 351.16 | 25.41 |
| Angola | 2022 | 133.45 | 0.49 | 202.18 | 142.96 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 2022 | 117.18 | 2.05 | 109 | 148.8 |
| Argentina | 2022 | 13.31 | 0.08 | 37.78 | 59.74 |
| Armenia | 2022 | 3.88 | 0.17 | 20.78 | 15.48 |
| Australia | 2022 | 80.3 | 0.39 | 120.18 | 397.26 |
| Australia and New Zealand | 2022 | 71.46 | 1.31 | 95.79 | 375.59 |
| Austria | 2022 | 118.7 | 2.22 | 43.45 | 342.94 |
| Azerbaijan | 2022 | 3.97 | 0.15 | 51.93 | 45.76 |
| Bahamas | 2022 | 328.69 | |||
| Bahrain | 2022 | 80.29 | 0.67 | 1040.56 | 72.96 |
| Bangladesh | 2022 | 9.54 | 1.01 | 154.46 | 53.19 |
| Barbados | 2022 | 49.75 | 0.66 | 79.13 | 175.17 |
| Belarus | 2022 | 32.99 | 0.07 | 39.48 | 49.47 |
| Belgium | 2022 | 104 | 1.34 | 24.88 | 499.86 |
| Belize | 2022 | 19.24 | 0.17 | 15.65 | 140.33 |
| Benin | 2022 | 45.95 | 0.76 | 90.22 | 55.18 |
| Bermuda | 2022 | 257.78 | 782.9 | ||
| Bhutan | 2022 | 6.7 | 0.36 | 158.74 | 98.41 |
| Bolivia (Plurinational State of) | 2022 | 13.55 | 0.43 | 286.44 | 78.61 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2022 | 8.54 | 37.4 | ||
| Botswana | 2022 | 76.6 | 0.1 | 260.9 | 77.27 |
| Brazil | 2022 | 22.67 | 0.7 | 33.59 | 71.27 |
| Brunei Darussalam | 2022 | 5.45 | 28.61 | ||
| Bulgaria | 2022 | 9.66 | 0.15 | 2.86 | 49.37 |
| Burkina Faso | 2022 | 14.01 | 0.06 | 225.36 | 17.42 |
| Burundi | 2022 | 7.16 | 0.06 | 38.04 | 32.94 |
| Cabo Verde | 2022 | 6.79 | 0.08 | 56.98 | 9.42 |
| Cambodia | 2022 | 8.59 | 0.41 | 282.96 | 87.55 |
| Cameroon | 2022 | 28.16 | 0.07 | 91.72 | 85.11 |
| Canada | 2022 | 44.17 | 0.34 | 13.66 | 250.29 |
| Central African Republic | 2022 | 17.87 | 0.13 | 34.28 | 14.71 |
| Central and Southern Asia | 2022 | 3.44 | 0.5 | 37.14 | 28.89 |
| Chad | 2022 | 12.67 | 0.07 | 72.97 | 34.03 |
| Chile | 2022 | 7.72 | 0.22 | 50.68 | 123.5 |
| China | 2022 | 31.6 | 2.56 | 68.78 | 88.52 |
| Colombia | 2022 | 11.73 | 0.14 | 79.27 | 60.92 |
| Comoros | 2022 | 73.38 | 0.12 | 217.31 | 130.11 |
| Congo | 2022 | 85.3 | 0.23 | 154.79 | 64.46 |
| Costa Rica | 2022 | 17.92 | 0.43 | 52.17 | 43.36 |
| Croatia | 2022 | 50.5 | 0.92 | 22.12 | 87.6 |
| Cuba | 2022 | 12.5 | 0.09 | 21.01 | 41.76 |
| Cyprus | 2022 | 79.25 | 0.84 | 166.62 | 189.92 |
| Czechia | 2022 | 132.85 | 1.43 | 74.08 | 214.94 |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 2022 | 44.67 | 0.24 | 58.17 | 117.75 |
| Democratic People's Republic of Korea | 2022 | 1.59 | 0.35 | 5.39 | 5.9 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | 2022 | 61.16 | 0.41 | 149.04 | 42.81 |
| Denmark | 2022 | 332.3 | 1.38 | 1362.67 | 648.82 |
| Djibouti | 2022 | 14.37 | 174.92 | ||
| Dominica | 2022 | 0.01 | 16.92 | ||
| Dominican Republic | 2022 | 9.65 | 0.24 | 46.96 | 64.11 |
| Eastern and South-Eastern Asia | 2022 | 23.1 | 1.29 | 64.86 | 92.38 |
| Ecuador | 2022 | 9.15 | 0.61 | 54.57 | 43.16 |
| Egypt | 2022 | 5.67 | 0.82 | 26.09 | 23.06 |
| El Salvador | 2022 | 11.87 | 0.04 | 61.49 | 39.63 |
| Equatorial Guinea | 2022 | 1697.75 | 284.46 | ||
| Eritrea | 2022 | 3.5 | 0.02 | 723.38 | 42 |
| Estonia | 2022 | 20.2 | 0.69 | 4.9 | 289.06 |
| Eswatini | 2022 | 3.81 | 0.11 | 67.6 | 61.83 |
| Ethiopia | 2022 | 5.9 | 0.21 | 440.11 | 46.54 |
| Europe and Northern America | 2022 | 54.85 | 0.32 | 23 | 241.34 |
| Fiji | 2022 | 40.94 | 0.48 | 68.2 | 110.55 |
| Finland | 2022 | 63.03 | 0.02 | 29.1 | 324.75 |
| France | 2022 | 94.69 | 3.07 | 23.18 | 364.17 |
| Gabon | 2022 | 102.91 | 0.31 | 588.82 | 70.84 |
| Gambia | 2022 | 13.03 | 0.15 | 12.77 | 25.41 |
| Georgia | 2022 | 12.91 | 0.7 | 10.16 | 25.34 |
| Germany | 2022 | 126.28 | 2.49 | 61.89 | 222.88 |
| Ghana | 2022 | 34.94 | 0.19 | 219.3 | 100.61 |
| Greece | 2022 | 18.11 | 0.55 | 86.31 | 91.14 |
| Grenada | 2022 | 2.07 | 60.65 | ||
| Guatemala | 2022 | 20.46 | 0.96 | 26.46 | 60.18 |
| Guinea | 2022 | 10.45 | 0.04 | 66.66 | 22.95 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 2022 | 5.14 | 0.12 | 15.48 | 22.77 |
| Guyana | 2022 | 8.61 | 0.01 | 472.53 | 45.46 |
| Haiti | 2022 | 7.59 | 0.24 | 78.37 | 35.38 |
| Honduras | 2022 | 13.55 | 0.27 | 50.92 | 49.66 |
| Hungary | 2022 | 25.96 | 0.5 | 9.66 | 139.98 |
| Iceland | 2022 | 65.88 | 0.85 | 18.38 | 183.71 |
| India | 2022 | 3.42 | 0.53 | 40.78 | 27.56 |
| Indonesia | 2022 | 4.5 | 0.36 | 49.55 | 20.23 |
| Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 2022 | 4.23 | 0.34 | 121.81 | 37.36 |
| Iraq | 2022 | 4.51 | 0.11 | 26.17 | 10.35 |
| Ireland | 2022 | 280.53 | 0 | 358.58 | 250.9 |
| Israel | 2022 | 158.58 | 2.56 | 638.33 | 297.8 |
| Italy | 2022 | 50.01 | 0 | 48.15 | 144.51 |
| Jamaica | 2022 | 25.39 | 3.37 | 55.13 | 26.65 |
| Japan | 2022 | 56.32 | 0.64 | 89.34 | 243.09 |
| Jordan | 2022 | 34.15 | 1.41 | 267.56 | 54.41 |
| Kazakhstan | 2022 | 7.95 | 0.07 | 12.65 | 25.23 |
| Kenya | 2022 | 17.25 | 0.19 | 49.64 | 108.92 |
| Kuwait | 2022 | 104.88 | 0.63 | 2484.64 | 162.22 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 2022 | 0.93 | 0.12 | 5.48 | 19.79 |
| Lao People's Democratic Republic | 2022 | 1.91 | 0.18 | 16.17 | 76.96 |
| Latin America and the Caribbean | 2022 | 13.71 | 0.33 | 41.81 | 57.41 |
| Latvia | 2022 | 155 | 0.04 | 188.64 | 228.36 |
| Lebanon | 2022 | 16.8 | 1.94 | 3.95 | 108.33 |
| Lesotho | 2022 | 40.2 | 0.02 | 27.97 | 60.06 |
| Liberia | 2022 | 4.68 | 0.05 | 4 | 5.85 |
| Libya | 2022 | 8.13 | 0.14 | 72.39 | 37.75 |
| Liechtenstein | 2022 | 486.79 | |||
| Lithuania | 2022 | 179.4 | 0.06 | 198.3 | 245.92 |
| Luxembourg | 2022 | 1189.98 | 0 | 1483.59 | 1231.67 |
| Madagascar | 2022 | 0.8 | 0.11 | 17.93 | 16.61 |
| Malawi | 2022 | 5.69 | 0.1 | 34.85 | 41.48 |
| Malaysia | 2022 | 63.85 | 1.48 | 86.25 | 152.89 |
| Maldives | 2022 | 1559.56 | 779.49 | ||
| Mali | 2022 | 2.18 | 0.05 | 965.58 | 67.07 |
| Malta | 2022 | 237.54 | 3.96 | 1789.52 | 324.56 |
| Mauritania | 2022 | 4.61 | 0.31 | 72.78 | 37 |
| Mauritius | 2022 | 17.89 | 0.4 | 225.91 | 27.95 |
| Mexico | 2022 | 13.29 | 0.3 | 50.46 | 57.84 |
| Monaco | 2022 | 1060.22 | |||
| Mongolia | 2022 | 24.12 | 0.55 | 29.08 | 136.54 |
| Montenegro | 2022 | 22.57 | 3.91 | 6.87 | 33.12 |
| Morocco | 2022 | 10.85 | 0.45 | 150.31 | 72.61 |
| Mozambique | 2022 | 8.42 | 0.07 | 157.25 | 22.58 |
| Myanmar | 2022 | 2 | 0.2 | 58.25 | 9.56 |
| Namibia | 2022 | 33.28 | 0.08 | 149.54 | 106.53 |
| Nepal | 2022 | 2.82 | 0.66 | 112.22 | 117.62 |
| Netherlands | 2022 | 96.48 | 21.53 | 26.69 | 290.37 |
| New Zealand | 2022 | 41.48 | 4.52 | 31.72 | 279.34 |
| Nicaragua | 2022 | 8.5 | 0.18 | 5539.63 | 37.94 |
| Niger | 2022 | 3.18 | 0 | 69.98 | 28.4 |
| Nigeria | 2022 | 32.38 | 0.26 | 81.12 | 48.61 |
| North Macedonia | 2022 | 19.39 | 1.62 | 69.93 | 22.25 |
| Northern Africa and Western Asia | 2022 | 13.22 | 0.46 | 102.14 | 55.25 |
| Norway | 2022 | 149.32 | 0.33 | 181.38 | 275.07 |
| Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand) | 2022 | 83.49 | 0.48 | 74.4 | 106.98 |
| Oman | 2022 | 46.86 | 1.22 | 171.02 | 362.62 |
| Pakistan | 2022 | 1.95 | 0.42 | 51.83 | 22.2 |
| Panama | 2022 | 54.89 | 0.41 | 2722.99 | 65.12 |
| Papua New Guinea | 2022 | 58.87 | 44.53 | ||
| Paraguay | 2022 | 14.41 | 0.21 | 73.39 | 63.77 |
| Peru | 2022 | 7.6 | 0.49 | 42.45 | 36.9 |
| Philippines | 2022 | 4.19 | 0.2 | 7.71 | 27.71 |
| Poland | 2022 | 54.74 | 0.14 | 24.61 | 182.5 |
| Portugal | 2022 | 32.16 | 0.5 | 20.45 | 178.89 |
| Puerto Rico | 2022 | 28.99 | 1.99 | 17.9 | 65.78 |
| Qatar | 2022 | 191.72 | 1.41 | 2776.38 | 115.15 |
| Republic of Korea | 2022 | 58.27 | 1.01 | 120.8 | 153.51 |
| Republic of Moldova | 2022 | 8.92 | 2.43 | 2.69 | 33.86 |
| Romania | 2022 | 24.79 | 0.37 | 15.34 | 111.88 |
| Russian Federation | 2022 | 19.67 | 0.06 | 14.91 | 49.02 |
| Rwanda | 2022 | 14.89 | 0.52 | 262.61 | 26.67 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2022 | 0.54 | 42.55 | ||
| Saint Lucia | 2022 | 0 | 113.71 | ||
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2022 | 48183.16 | 70.83 | ||
| Sao Tome and Principe | 2022 | 8.19 | 0.4 | 72.34 | 19.13 |
| Saudi Arabia | 2022 | 28.01 | 0.87 | 286.29 | 91.02 |
| Senegal | 2022 | 6.37 | 0.09 | 3766.89 | 52.35 |
| Serbia | 2022 | 7.6 | 0.32 | 2.73 | 39.51 |
| Seychelles | 2022 | 112.84 | 4.35 | 41.89 | 153.64 |
| Sierra Leone | 2022 | 10.59 | 3.95 | 6.11 | 15.57 |
| Singapore | 2022 | 540.22 | 1378.96 | ||
| Slovakia | 2022 | 158.23 | 1.84 | 120.71 | 202.53 |
| Slovenia | 2022 | 55.8 | 9.7 | 21.71 | 179.41 |
| Somalia | 2022 | 1.18 | 0.2 | 294.85 | 178.04 |
| South Africa | 2022 | 15.81 | 0.16 | 17 | 67.55 |
| South Sudan | 2022 | 8.96 | 0.01 | 16.49 | 11.32 |
| Spain | 2022 | 40.82 | 0.47 | 40.44 | 209.02 |
| Sri Lanka | 2022 | 6.2 | 0.34 | 31.32 | 62.58 |
| State of Palestine | 2022 | 28.9 | 4.2 | 69.55 | 38.45 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 2022 | 13.99 | 0.15 | 56.86 | 53.34 |
| Sudan | 2022 | 2.74 | 0.16 | 248.05 | 53.82 |
| Suriname | 2022 | 6.99 | 0.83 | 14.04 | 41.52 |
| Sweden | 2022 | 248.97 | 4.23 | 93.28 | 566.89 |
| Switzerland | 2022 | 441.37 | 6.04 | 285.47 | 624.04 |
| Syrian Arab Republic | 2022 | 0.91 | 0.19 | 6.84 | 5.64 |
| Tajikistan | 2022 | 1.18 | 0.37 | 1.79 | 6.64 |
| Thailand | 2022 | 7.51 | 0.4 | 51.38 | 97.54 |
| Timor-Leste | 2022 | 1.73 | 0.06 | 580.64 | 8.13 |
| Togo | 2022 | 25.53 | 0.02 | 209.17 | 31.09 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 2022 | 54.85 | 2.44 | 78.19 | 45.86 |
| Tunisia | 2022 | 12.02 | 0.32 | 176.55 | 38.4 |
| Turkmenistan | 2022 | 2.07 | 0.25 | 18.78 | 37.07 |
| Türkiye | 2022 | 15.51 | 0.17 | 260.69 | 92.56 |
| Uganda | 2022 | 42.46 | 0.05 | 182.34 | 54.63 |
| Ukraine | 2022 | 11.79 | 0.03 | 4.76 | 28.37 |
| United Arab Emirates | 2022 | 89.57 | 1.44 | 3712.85 | 97.42 |
| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 2022 | 338.37 | 1.02 | 463.94 | 382.09 |
| United Republic of Tanzania | 2022 | 9.09 | 0.23 | 793.79 | 49.71 |
| United States of America | 2022 | 47.44 | 0.25 | 16.52 | 300.91 |
| Uruguay | 2022 | 11.45 | 0.22 | 15.92 | 97.16 |
| Uzbekistan | 2022 | 2.63 | 0.72 | 20.03 | 23.22 |
| Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) | 2022 | 4.35 | 0.12 | 64.06 | 8.9 |
| Viet Nam | 2022 | 3.76 | 0.29 | 39.41 | 136.14 |
| World | 2022 | 21.52 | 0.7 | 38.51 | 114.36 |
| Yemen | 2022 | 4.86 | 0.63 | 58.36 | 43.39 |
| Zambia | 2022 | 14.91 | 0.04 | 66.01 | 51.05 |
| Zimbabwe | 2022 | 3.6 | 0.04 | 100.25 | 17.13 |