Countries With Pristine Water: Avoiding Severe Water Pollution

Water quality is a critical issue for countries worldwide, and while access to clean water is improving, billions of people still lack easy access to it. Globally, demand for water has more than doubled since 1960, and growing populations and industries are putting pressure on freshwater systems. This has resulted in severe water stress in 25 countries, which use over 80% of their renewable water supply. Countries with the worst access to clean water include Niger, Papua New Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad, and Uganda. On the other hand, some countries are known for their high-quality water, such as Denmark, Iceland, Greenland, Latvia, Singapore, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, and New Zealand. These countries have high water quality due to factors such as underground aquifers, natural mineral springs, and strict standards for piped drinking water.

Countries with the cleanest drinking water

Clean drinking water is a luxury that not everyone has access to. In fact, over 40% of the world's population does not have access to potable tap water, with 664 million people lacking access to clean drinking water entirely. This is particularly true for people in African countries, such as Ghana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Uganda.

Despite this, some countries are known for having consistently clean drinking water. According to sources, the top 10 countries with the cleanest drinking water are all located in Europe. These countries typically have access to clean and pure water sources, such as mountain lakes, and possess the financial resources and technology to effectively treat their water. As a result, residents of these countries rarely need to worry about pathogens or toxins in their tap water.

While the specific countries are not mentioned, sources suggest that Malta and Greece are among the European countries with the cleanest tap water. However, the water in these countries may have a strong chlorine taste, which can be unpleasant for those unaccustomed to it and may cause stomach upset.

It is worth noting that water quality can vary within a country, and localized testing is the most common method for determining the safety of a region's drinking water. Developed countries typically have more consistent and reliable testing procedures, which may be conducted by water utilities or various government agencies.

Nations with the worst drinking water

While access to clean drinking water is improving worldwide, billions of people still lack easy access to it. In 2022, more than a quarter of the world's population (2.2 billion people) did not use safely managed drinking water services, according to UNICEF. This is defined by UNICEF as water that is from a local source, available onsite, available when needed, and free from contamination.

Several nations face challenges in providing their populations with access to clean drinking water due to various factors, including geographical constraints, economic conditions, conflict, and insufficient infrastructure. Here is a list of some countries that have been reported to have issues with drinking water quality and accessibility:

Eritrea

Eritrea, a country in East Africa, faces significant challenges in providing its citizens with access to clean drinking water. In 2019, it was reported that around 80.7% of the population lacked basic access to clean water, and 21.5% consumed untreated surface water. The country's water sources are often contaminated by human and animal waste, deforestation, and poor farming practices.

Niger

Niger, the largest country in West Africa, is among the worst for access to clean water and is also one of the poorest countries in the world. World Vision and other organizations are working to improve access to clean water and sanitation in the country.

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea, with its scattered rural communities across 600 Asia Pacific islands, struggles with a lack of clean water and sanitation. The country is also prone to natural disasters like cyclones and flooding, which damage infrastructure and crops.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa's second-largest country, faces extreme poverty, with nearly 64% of its population living in poverty. Many people in the country have no choice but to use unclean water for drinking, cooking, and washing, leading to health issues.

Chad

Chad, a landlocked and arid country in Africa, faces severe drought and food shortages. Only a small fraction of its vast land area is water. A significant proportion of the population (around 57.5%) lacks basic access to clean water, and the country is plagued by water scarcity.

Somalia

Somalia's water crisis is exacerbated by a combination of factors, including arid weather, a growing population, armed conflict, limited freshwater resources, and natural disasters. The destruction of delivery systems due to conflict has left many Somalis having to walk long distances to fetch water.

It is important to note that the situation regarding access to clean drinking water can change over time as countries implement measures to improve water infrastructure and sanitation. Additionally, the availability of recent and comprehensive data for all countries may vary.

Water stress and its causes

Water is essential for human survival, yet billions of people around the world lack access to clean water. Water stress, or scarcity, occurs when demand for safe, usable water in a given area exceeds the supply. Water stress is influenced by natural and man-made factors, with human factors often being central to the problem.

Causes of Water Stress

Water stress is caused by a combination of increasing demand and decreasing supply. Demand for water has more than doubled since 1960 due to growing populations and industries like irrigated agriculture, livestock, energy production, and manufacturing. Agriculture uses 70% of the world's accessible freshwater, but around 60% of this is wasted due to leaky irrigation systems, inefficient application methods, and the cultivation of water-intensive crops.

At the same time, water supply is decreasing due to unsustainable water use policies, climate change, and water pollution. Climate change is causing more frequent droughts and floods, and glaciers and snow packs are disappearing, affecting freshwater supplies to downstream communities. Water pollution from pesticides, fertilizers, untreated human wastewater, and industrial waste is making water sources unusable.

Impact of Water Stress

Water stress has wide-reaching impacts on public health, economic development, and global trade. It can drive mass migrations and spark conflicts. It also threatens food security, with 3.2 billion people living in agricultural areas with high to very high water shortages or scarcity.

Addressing Water Stress

To address water stress, countries are implementing more sustainable and innovative practices and improving international cooperation on water management. Integrated water resources management (IWRM) provides a framework for governments to align water use patterns with the needs of different users, including the environment. Measures such as reducing losses from water distribution systems, safe wastewater reuse, desalination, and appropriate water allocation can help control water stress. Investment in water infrastructure and better water governance are also crucial to addressing the problem.

Water quality testing methods

Water quality testing is essential to ensure the long-term health of citizens and the sustainability of water supplies. Water quality testing methods vary depending on the resources available in a particular country or region. In developed countries, water utilities or local, state, or federal agencies may conduct water quality testing. In contrast, testing in developing and least-developed countries may be less consistent and reliable.

One of the most widely respected aggregators of water quality data is Yale University's Environmental Performance Index (EPI). The EPI tracks 40 performance indicators, including "Sanitation & Drinking Water," to pinpoint the most environmentally friendly countries. The EPI measures water quality in terms of "age-standardized disability-adjusted life-years lost per 100,000 persons (DALY rate) due to exposure to unsafe drinking water." A score of 100 on the DALY scale indicates the purest and least contaminated water, while a score of 0 indicates the 5% of countries with the most contaminated water.

Some additional basic water tests that do not involve chemical analysis include testing for conductivity, odour, sediment, and turbidity. These tests measure the physical traits of a water sample, such as clarity or the presence of sand and silt. Other parameters that may be tested include temperature, pH, salinity, and phosphates.

Water testing is crucial, especially for those who lack basic water services and must rely on water sources that may be contaminated by human or animal waste, deforestation, or poor farming practices. By understanding the quality of water through testing, communities can implement the necessary treatments to ensure access to safe and clean water.

The impact of water shortages

Water is essential for human life, but only 3% of the world's water is freshwater, with two-thirds of that amount tucked away in frozen glaciers. This limited supply of freshwater means that 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to water, and 2.7 billion experience water scarcity for at least one month per year. By 2025, two-thirds of the world's population may face water shortages.

Water shortages have far-reaching impacts on all areas of life, from sanitation and health to education and gender equality. When water is scarce, people cannot get enough to drink, wash, or feed crops, and economic decline may occur. Inadequate sanitation, affecting 2.4 billion people, can lead to deadly diarrheal diseases, including cholera and typhoid fever, and other water-borne illnesses. Two million people, mostly children, die each year from diarrheal diseases alone. In addition, women and girls are disproportionately affected by water scarcity, as they are often tasked with collecting water and may face increased dangers, such as sexual abuse, on their long journeys to water sources.

Water shortages also have ecological consequences, as natural landscapes and ecosystems suffer when water supplies are limited and poorly managed. For example, the Aral Sea in central Asia, once the world's fourth-largest freshwater lake, has shrunk significantly in just three decades due to excessive pollution and water diversion for irrigation and power generation. This ecological catastrophe has resulted in food shortages, a rise in infant mortality, and a decrease in life expectancy for the nearby population.

The increasing global demand for water, driven by growing populations and industries, is a significant contributor to water shortages. Inefficient water use and unsustainable water management practices further exacerbate the problem. Climate change and rising temperatures are also altering rainfall patterns, impacting the quality and distribution of water resources. Without intervention, such as investment in water infrastructure and better water governance, water stress will continue to worsen, particularly in rapidly growing and developing regions.

Water scarcity is a pressing issue that threatens public health, food security, economic growth, and global peace and security. It is essential to address this challenge through sustainable water management practices, investment in water infrastructure, and the protection of global water resources to ensure their long-term availability and accessibility for all.

Frequently asked questions