In this article, we will be covering the 30 countries with the worst drinking water supply. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis, you can move directly to the 5Countries with the Worst Drinking Water Supply.
Clean Water and Sanitation
WHO predicts that half of the world’s population will be residing in water-stressed areas by 2025. Rising population growth, increased urbanization, and water scarcity are some of the modern-day issues that water supply systems currently encounter. The quality of water from these supply systems is a fundamental concern. At least 1.8 billion people globally use a source of drinking water contaminated with fecal matter. A good water source doesn’t necessarily guarantee better drinking water. This is because water might even get contaminated while being transmitted through pipes or where sanitation is not properly maintained.
Deteriorating Circumstances in Africa
West and Central Africa continue to be significantly deprived of access to water, sanitation, and hygiene. As reported by UNICEF, more than a third of the total population in the region cannot access safe water. Alternatively, they consume contaminated and untreated water. The impact of these conditions is rather substantial, even resulting in gender inequalities since young African women and girls are primarily responsible for collecting drinking water. This water not being accessible on the premises further aggravates the inequality situation. Simultaneously, only less than 50% of the regional schools have access to water.
The consequences of unsafe drinking water for health are even worse. The African Region reported 95,763 cases of cholera and 2,317 deaths between November 2022 and January 2023. These cases were witnessed in countries including Burundi, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Malawi, and Zambia. As reported by the United Nations, Africa is currently going through a water catastrophe. West and Central Africa tends to be one of the most water-insecure and climate-impacted regions globally.
The countries majorly affected by this water-related crisis are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, C?te d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Somalia. One-third of children across these countries lack access to at least basic water at home. This has resulted in a huge death burden among African children. The severity of the situation is evident from the fact that two out of five children under the age of five who die around the world from water-related diseases belong to these countries. Environmental concerns for the region include dropping groundwater levels, temperatures rising higher than the global average, and scarce water supplies being contaminated by unpredictable patterns of rainfall.
Companies that are Working on the Provision of Clean Drinking Water
Companies including Primo Water Corporation (NYSE:PRMW), Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (NASDAQ:KDP), and Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) offer safe and clean bottled water for drinking. Let’s navigate through the drinking water business of these companies. Previously, we have also discussed the highest quality bottled water brands in the US.
Primo Water Corporation (NYSE:PRMW) manages a bottled water portfolio of well-known brands. Primo Water’s water solutions provide access to purified, spring, and mineral water. It has also partnered with the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) to further improve the safety and quality of drinking water. Bottled water brands owned by Primo Water Corporation (NYSE:PRMW) include Crystal Springs, Deep Rock, and Kentwood Springs.
Core Hydration is a quality bottled water product of the Core Nutrition LLC which is owned by Keurig Dr Pepper (NYSE:KDP). To support an active lifestyle, Core Hydration offers a balanced pH. Another new offering in this regard is Core Hydration+, a nutrient-enhanced water that has scientifically proven functional ingredients. Immunity, Vibrancy, and Calm are the three flavors in the new line. The real fruit extracts, zero calories, and no sugar make the product an attractive choice for health enthusiasts. You can also take a look at some of the healthiest bottled water brands.
Ethos Water is a brand owned by Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX). The bottled water brand emerged with a social mission of providing clean water access to children and was acquired by Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) in 2005. For every bottle of Ethos Water that is purchased, the global coffee chain donates 5 cents to support humanitarian programs in communities growing coffee, including the provision of clean and safe water to the needful.
With that being said, let’s move to the 30 countries with the worst drinking water supply.
30 Countries with the Worst Drinking Water Supply
30 Countries with the Worst Drinking Water Supply
Our Methodology:
In order to compile a list of the 30 countries with the worst drinking water supply, we sourced data from the Environmental Protection Index. By choosing the category of unsafe drinking water, we were able to find the EPI scores for all countries based on their exposure to unsafe drinking water. The rationale behind our approach was to define a worse drinking water supply in terms of its harmful impact. Since EPI scores in this case are based on the number of age-standardized disability-adjusted life-years lost per 100,000 persons due to exposure to unsafe drinking water, we utilized them.
Hence, we have shortlisted all countries that rank the lowest on the EPI for drinking water since a low score depicts an unsafe and hence a worse water supply. The list is in descending order of the EPI scores from 2022. Simultaneously, we have also included the percentage of populations in the respective countries who had access to safe drinking water in our list paragraphs, wherever available. This percentage has been acquired from UNICEF.
30 Countries with the Worst Drinking Water Supply
30. Kiribati
EPI Score:15.60
Kiribati is an island country in Oceania that has one of the worst drinking water supplies. In 2022, only 14.4% of the country’s population used safely managed drinking water.
29. Comoros
EPI Score:15.40
Comoros is situated in Southeastern Africa. The country has one of the lowest EPI scores and has an unsafe drinking water supply.
28. Pakistan
EPI Score:15.30
Pakistan is a South Asian nation where 50.6% of the people were capable of using safe drinking water in 2022. The country recorded a low EPI score of 15.30 in 2022.
27. Republic of the Congo
EPI Score:14.50
The Republic of the Congo ranks as another country with a bad drinking water supply. 46.1% of the country’s population had access to safe drinking water as recorded last in 2021.
26. Solomon Islands
EPI Score:14.40
Solomon Islands is an Oceania-based country which had an EPI score of 14.40 in 2022. Based on the low EPI score, the country’s drinking water is deemed unsafe.
25. Haiti
EPI Score:13.90
The country of Haiti records one of the lowest EPI scores which depicts that the drinking supply of the country is not clean and safe. Thus, Haiti has one of the worst drinking water supplies.
24. Kenya
EPI Score:13.70
Kenya is another African country with a supply of unsafe drinking water. This is evident from the country’s EPI score of 13.70 in the unsafe drinking water category, as recorded in 2022.
23. Mauritania
EPI Score:13.60
Located in Northwest Africa, Mauritania ranks as another country with a worse drinking water supply. The EPI score for the country was only 13.60 in 2022.
22. Benin
EPI Score:13.60
Benin is a West African nation that has one of the worst drinking water supplies. The country recorded a low score for both drinking water and sanitation in 2022.
21. Democratic Republic of the Congo
EPI Score:13.40
Only 11.6% of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo accessed safely managed drinking water in 2022. The country has one of the worst supplies of drinking water.
20. Zambia
EPI Score:13.20
Zambia is situated at the crossroads of Central, Southern, and East Africa. The country had a low EPI score of 13.20 and ranks among countries with the worst drinking water supplies.
19. Senegal
EPI Score:13.00
In 2022, only 26.7% of Senegal’s population used safely managed drinking water services. Thus, the country has an unsafe supply of drinking water.
18. Eswatini
EPI Score:12.20
Eswatini is positioned in Southern Africa and recorded an EPI score of 12.20 in 2022 which is one of the lowest among all other countries.
17. Malawi
EPI Score:12.10
Malawi is another African nation that is deprived of pure drinking water. In 2022, 17.8% of the people in the country could use safely managed drinking water.
16. Angola
EPI Score:12.00
Angola is situated on the west-central coast of Southern Africa. The country has one of the worst drinking water supplies since its EPI score is only 12.00.
15. Sierra Leone
EPI Score:11.60
10.3% of people in Sierra Leone were capable of using safe drinking water in 2022. Thus, the country’s drinking water supply is inaccessible and unsafe.
14. Ethiopia
EPI Score:11.30
The lack of access to a safe drinking water supply in Ethiopia can be seen from the fact that only 13.2% of the locals used safe drinking water in 2022.
13. Guinea
EPI Score:11.00
The coastal country of Guinea is situated in West Africa. The drinking water supply in the country is harmful since its EPI score was only 11.00 in 2022.
12. Liberia
EPI Score:9.50
Liberia ranks among the countries with the worst drinking water supplies. While Liberia recorded an EPI score of 9.50 for drinking water, the country’s score for sanitation was as low as 10.50.
11. Mali
EPI Score:8.30
The West African country Mali ranks as another country lacking a clean drinking water supply. The country’s EPI score was only 8.30 in 2022.
10. Burkina Faso
EPI Score:7.90
Burkina Faso is a West African country that ranks among countries with the worst drinking water supplies. Many people in the country even lack access to at least basic drinking water services and sanitation.
9. Cameroon
EPI Score:7.50
Access to quality drinking water is a major concern in Cameroon. Those who are poor or reside in rural areas are more subject to the unavailability of safe drinking water in the country.
8. Lesotho
EPI Score:7.20
28.2% of Lesotho’s population used safely managed drinking water services in 2022. The aforementioned small proportion represents a concerning supply of safe drinking water in Lesotho.
7. Guinea-Bissau
EPI Score:6.60
Guinea-Bissau has one of the most compromised and worst supplies of drinking water around the world. In 2022, only 23.9% of the country’s people could access safe drinking water.
6. Eritrea
EPI Score:6.40
Eritrea holds limited water resources. Additionally, the major source of drinking water for many is simply groundwater. Hence, Eritrea is one of the 30 countries with a poor drinking water supply.