Evanston

More than half the world does not trust its drinking water, and expects to be harmed by it in the next two years, a new global survey has found.

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The study was done using nationally representative data from 148,585 adults in 141 countries from the 2019 Lloyd’s Register Foundation World Risk Poll, according to a release. 

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The fear over drinking water was highest in Zambia, and lowest in Singapore while the overall mean was 52.3%, according to the study published in the journal Nature Communications on Monday (Aug 26).

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In the US, 39% anticipated serious harm from drinking water in the short term, said the study by Northwestern University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

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Those who are worried about their drinking water are mainly women, city dwellers, individuals with more education, and those struggling with their current income were more likely to anticipate being harmed by their drinking water, said the release on the study.

Interestingly, it found a correlation between higher corruption perception index scores and expected harm from drinking water

And even in countries like the US, where water access is consistent, doubts about safety were widespread, found the study. 

What happens when people don't trust their drinking water?

Sera Young, professor of anthropology and global health at Northwestern and senior author of the new study said, “When we mistrust our tap water, we buy packaged water, which is wildly expensive and hard on the environment; drink soda or other sugar-sweetened beverages, which is hard on the teeth and the waistline; and consume highly processed prepared foods or go to restaurants to avoid cooking at home, which is less healthy and more expensive."

"Individuals exposed to unsafe water also experience greater psychological stress and are at greater risk of depression.”

Also read: Earth's groundwater to turn 'undrinkable' for half a billion people by 2100: Study

It is difficult for consumers to judge the hazards and safety of their water supply because many contaminants are invisible, odourless and tasteless, noted the authors of the study.

Without adequate information, many are left to evaluate the safety of their water based on prior experiences, media reports, and personal values and beliefs, they said.

(With inputs from agencies)