Erick Burgueño Salas
Research expert covering climate change and the water industry
Water quality worldwide
Accessibility to a high-quality drinking water source has improved considerably since the beginning of the century. As of 2022, almost six billion people worldwide had access to safely managed drinking water. Nonetheless, more than a quarter of the global population remained without such vital services. Furthermore, even if there have been improvements in the quality of drinking water, the overall quality of water bodies across the globe is still in bad shape, with barely half of them reporting a good status as of 2023.
Location also plays a decisive role when it comes to water quality. Water bodies in Oceania were the most likely to have good water quality, with more than 80 percent of them reaching a good status in 2023. On the other hand, regions like Central and Southern Asia reported good quality in only a third of their freshwater resources. Europe and Northern America also ranked poorly in this regard, with half of their water bodies in a good state. This situation is linked to highly industrialized countries, but also with more strict and regular sampling.
Overall, the quality of water worldwide for human consumption is improving, though there are still important discrepancies between regions. When it comes to the general quality of water bodies, more regular monitoring must be carried out, combined with the strengthening of local environmental regulations, in order to generate a more reliable water quality picture.
The quality of water bodies
The quality of water bodies around the world fluctuates depending on their type and location. Water quality in aquifers was reported to be higher than in other types of water bodies, with almost 80 percent of groundwater worldwide considered good in 2023. In contrast, less than half of rivers managed to reach such standards. This can be explained by the natural protection aquifers have compared to open water bodies, which are more exposed to pollution accidents like chemical runoffs, sewage overflows, and plastic waste in general.Location also plays a decisive role when it comes to water quality. Water bodies in Oceania were the most likely to have good water quality, with more than 80 percent of them reaching a good status in 2023. On the other hand, regions like Central and Southern Asia reported good quality in only a third of their freshwater resources. Europe and Northern America also ranked poorly in this regard, with half of their water bodies in a good state. This situation is linked to highly industrialized countries, but also with more strict and regular sampling.
Supplying safe drinking water
Despite the irregularities in the quality of freshwater resources, there are several technologies available for water treatment and improvement, depending on the final use. Most of these techniques are used when water needs to be prepared for human consumption. In 2022, around 73 percent of the global population had access to safely managed drinking water, up four percentage points in comparison to 2015. Meanwhile, despite consistent development over the past decades, roughly 700 million people worldwide still lacked basic drinking water services, with more than half located in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, rural populations are, in general, more affected by a lack of safely managed drinking water sources than urban populations.Overall, the quality of water worldwide for human consumption is improving, though there are still important discrepancies between regions. When it comes to the general quality of water bodies, more regular monitoring must be carried out, combined with the strengthening of local environmental regulations, in order to generate a more reliable water quality picture.
