Which countries have the cleanest water in the world?

“Water, water everywhere, Nor any drop to drink.”

When Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote that line in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, he may not have been thinking of these top 10 countries noted for having the cleanest water in the world.

Iceland

The name––Iceland––evokes feelings of clarity and purity. Naturally, its tap water is among the cleanest water in the world. Reasons include:

• Remoteness: Its closest neighbour, Greenland, is 300 kilometres away. Being isolated limits cross-border pollution and urban and industrial contamination.

• Population: A small population has less impact on water systems. Approximately 401,000 people ––roughly four people per square kilometre––live in Iceland. Compare to Toronto’s density of 4,428 people per square kilometre.

• Composition: Icelandic rock and soil naturally filters glacier meltwater. The water travels to underground reservoirs and is extracted via wells and springs.

• Clean energy: Iceland generates power from renewable hydropower (70 per cent) and geothermal (30 per cent) sources. This reduces air pollution and risks to water sources.

A big contributor to Iceland’s pristine water is its dedication to environmentalism. Water pollution is banned and certain areas are designated as water protection zones.

Iceland is naturally built to produce clean water. The government is committed to protecting it, and 97 per cent of Icelanders are satisfied and proud of their water quality.

Finland

Finland–– “The Land of a Thousand Lakes”––has over 188,000 lakes.

Finland has some of the cleanest water in the world. A reason is that water shapes Finnish geography and culture (dipping into cold water after a hot sauna––called avantouinti ––is a popular wellness ritual).

A whopping 99.98 per cent of Finland’s tap water surpasses quality standards, placing it high among countries with the cleanest drinking water. Finnish tap water often exceeds purity levels versus bottled water.

Here’s why:

• Approximately 60 per cent of comes from groundwater. This protects it from pollution and requires minimal treatment to make it safe for consumption.

• There are strict limits on tap water contaminants. Contrast this against a one-litre plastic bottle of water found with 240,000 pieces of microplastics and nanoplastics.

• The Finnish Water Way states that people, businesses and government are responsible for protecting water quality, affordability and availability. Also, that clean water is a bridge for peace among nations.

Together, Finland’s natural geography, cultural respect for water, strict laws and innovative stewardship create a system that keeps water remarkably clean and safe.

Switzerland

Switzerland is landlocked with no access to a coastline. It’s also called the “Water Tower of Europe” for its rivers and lakes.

It’s also known for being one of the cleanest drinking water countries in the world. Consider these statistics:

• Sources: Around 80 per cent of water comes from groundwater that’s shielded from pollution and waste. The remaining 20 per cent comes from surface sources like lakes and rivers.

• Access: Roughly 97 per cent of the population has access to clean, safe and reliable drinking water.

• Treatment : Because the groundwater is among the cleanest water in the world, an impressive 40 per cent requires no treatment, chlorination or purification before being fed into pipes.

Swiss tap water naturally contains vital minerals to improve health and taste.

Calcium supports strong bones and teeth. Magnesium helps with muscle and nerve function. Potassium can regulate heart rate and blood pressure.

In the 1960s, Switzerland had some of the dirtiest water in Europe.

Now, because of regulations, groundwater protection zones and better water management infrastructure, Swiss water is so clean it is often referred to as “blue gold.”

Singapore

The first three countries have small populations and low population density.

Not Singapore. With population density of 8,437 people per square kilometre, it’s the second most densely populated country in the world.

Despite that, Singapore is known for having some of the cleanest water in the world. This is due to the Four National Taps strategy adopted by Singapore to ensure sustainable water:

• Local catchment water: An extensive network of drains, canals and reservoirs to collect, store, treat and distribute rainwater throughout Singapore.

• Imported wate r: Singapore has an agreement with Malaysia to import water as needed.

• NEWater: Microfiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet disinfection technologies recycle used water into drinking water.

• Desalination: An island city-state, Singapore is surrounded by water. Desalination transforms seawater into fresh drinking water to reduce reliance on water imports.

In 2061, the water agreement with Malaysia expires. Singapore aims to close the loop on external water reliance and become completely self-sufficient by then.

From a young age, students learn about the importance of water and the effort to produce and protect safe, high-quality drinking water. This sets the foundation for responsible water usage throughout life.

Norway

As the westernmost country in Scandinavia, water is integral to life in Norway. Consider these stats:

• The Norwegian mainland has over 29,000 kilometres of coastline.

• When including the country’s 50,000 islands and 1,700 fjords, Norway’s coastline is over 102,000 kilometres in length.

• Norway has over 240,000 lakes and 4,000 rivers.

Norway takes water seriously. That’s why it has some of the cleanest water on earth. Approximately 95 per cent of its tap water comes from natural sources, which have not been touched by industrialization and pollution.

Most of the country’s underground pipes were built in the mid-1900s. Relatively speaking, they’re young. Even so, cities are replacing pipes to prevent contamination or leaks or breaks due to harsh Norwegian winters.

The relationship between water and community health is also important. In one instance, researchers found that certain gastrointestinal infections could be caused by tap water.

In another, researchers discovered a link between drops in water pressure and campylobacteriosis, which can lead to cramps, fever and diarrhea).

Norway views water as “liquid gold.” Norwegians understand that water is a key driver of health, community and prosperity and should be treated as such.

Luxembourg

Small. Landlocked. Low. Luxembourg is consistently ranked as one of the world’s cleanest countries overall.

Unsurprisingly, Luxembourg also has some of the cleanest drinking water in the world, too.

Access to clean water is considered a human right in Luxembourg. It’s actually codified in law in two unique ways:

• Right of water: Drinking water is considered a public service. It is illegal to privatize any water supply systems for profit, and every municipality is responsible for ensuring its citizens have clean water.

• Right to water: Prohibiting access to water is a form of discrimination. Beyond access, Luxembourgers have the right to publicly view information regarding water quality.

Luxembourg doesn’t have many bodies of water. It's largest lake, Upper Sûre Lake, is only 3.8 square kilometres, just a bit bigger than Central Park in New York.

What it does have is a stringent treatment and monitoring program. Water is treated using sand filtration ––among other methods––to remove unwanted solids.

The country performs 6,500 water analyses annually with a 99.8 per cent compliance rate in accordance with the EU Drinking Water Act.

Luxembourg safeguards water quality, ensuring safe, clean and accessible drinking water for all.

New Zealand

Moving to the Southern Hemisphere, New Zealand, also ranks for having some of the cleanest water in the world. In fact, 100 per cent of the country’s population access to safe, clean drinking water.

Being an island country, New Zealand is surrounded by water. Inland, New Zealand is blessed with an abundance of natural water resources:

• There are over 770 lakes and 425,000 kilometres of rivers in New Zealand.

• New Zealand is quite rainy. Some areas receive up to 10,000 millimetres of rain each year. It can rain for up to 250 days per year , too. Water is always being replenished in the country.

• Each person could access 69,000 cubic metres of water annually. That’s enough water to fill around 28 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Per person. Per year.

New Zealand has a unique approach to water. It’s called Te Mana o te Wai , Māori for “the health of water first.” It states that healthy water is the priority of the nation.

Then human needs. Then economic needs.

It makes sense. Protect the water first, and everything else flows afterwards.

Denmark

In Copenhagen lives The Little Mermaid. She gazes out, welcoming sailors and tourists alike, as she reflects on her life underwater. A tribute to the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen.

Denmark’s relationship with water is just as enduring.

About 90 per cent of Danish water is groundwater that’s naturally filtered through sand and soil, thus needing little treatment. To access the groundwater, there are over 280,000 registered wells throughout the country.

Denmark takes an “ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” approach to water management:

• GRUMO : Short for Groundwater Monitoring, a program that tracks water quality through a network of monitored wells.

• Strict regulations: Hard limits on pesticide and fertilizer use to prevent soil contamination, which could seep to the water below.

• Personal responsibility: Danish laws require landowners, industry and agriculture to protect groundwater.

• Penalties: If more than 10 per cent of water is lost due to faulty pipes or poor infrastructure or processes, water utilities are fined heavily.

Water was vital in Andersen’s fairy tale. It represented life, love and safety.

Today, the Danish people view water with the same reverence. As a result, Denmark enjoys some of the cleanest water in the world.

Canada

Canada has some of the cleanest water in the world. And a quiet village in Ontario may have the purest water on the planet.

Elmvale is home to 2,300 people and the Alliston Aquifer. It’s an underground reservoir with groundwater so pristine, it contains fewer trace contaminants than 5,000-year-old arctic ice. The water formed in the 1980s as rainwater that’s been naturally filtered through sand and soil.

The Elmvale Water Kiosk offers this water free. Global travelers stop to fill a bottle with some of the cleanest drinking water in the world.

There are other reasons why Canada has exceptionally clean water:

• Pristine sources: The west coast is known for mountain-fed water. Meanwhile, arctic tap water is among the purest in the world.

• Sophisticated infrastructure: Advanced water treatment techniques including chlorination, screening, filtration, sedimentation and coagulation.

• Water abundance: The Great Lakes hold about 18% of the world’s surface freshwater and Canada has the most lakes (over two million) of any country.

It’s estimated that 60 per cent of Canada’s water drains north. However, 85 per cent of Canadians live within 300 kilometres of the U.S. border.

That means that Canadians only consume about one per cent of the available renewable freshwater supply.

Austria

Austria and its mountains are a natural pairing. Roughly 66 per cent of Austria is covered by the Austrian Alps. And nearly 100 per cent of its drinking water comes from mountain or groundwater sources.

Among alpine countries, Austria is known as the “Land of Water.” The reputation of having some of the cleanest water in the world is one Austrians are proud of. Here’s why:

• The Austrian Water Rights Act considers the living conditions of the people. Regardless of the social or economic status of an individual, all have equal access to safe water.

• Because Austrian water is high quality, it requires little treatment or disinfection.

• Infrastructure is extensive and modern. Approximately nine million people are serviced by 5,500 water supply companies, over 2,000 monitoring sites and 78,500 kilometres of pipes.

In Austria, “water quality” is broadly defined. Beyond health, cleanliness and purity, it also refers to the function of water. Can water be used for a variety of purposes? Can water serve as a sustainable habitat for animals and plants?

Austria’s geological beauty is matched by its care for water. It is no surprise that it treats this vital resource with responsibility and respect.

More information about water from World Vision Canada

Want to know more about water from World Vision Canada? Check out these resources:

• Clean water: what happens to humans without it? A poignant look at how having access to clean water changes people’s lives and what happens when that access is blocked.

• Is safe water for all by 2030 a pipe dream? Water providers must head in a new direction to realize universal coverage.

• A woman powering Zambia’s clean water future. Jessy works tirelessly to bring clean water to her community, overcoming setbacks, stereotypes and struggles.

Give the gift of water and help communities everywhere have the cleanest water in the world

The biggest, most life-changing difference you can make is to bring clean water to those who need it most. Here’s how:

Donate to the Clean Water Fund

• Ensure children and families have access to safe drinking water whenever they need it. Give safe, clean water that’s free from painful and deadly waterborne diseases.

Help drill a well

• One borehole can transform a community and bring relief, health and dignity. Your gift provides equipment, parts and training to help communities dig and maintain their well.

Water purification and hygiene kits

• Provide clean water and hygiene to families in need by giving water filters, purification tablets and other critical items.