Water quality is a crucial aspect of environmental health and public welfare. The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) provides a comprehensive measure of a country’s water quality based on various factors. This overview highlights the countries with the best and worst water quality as per their EPI scores.
| Country | EPI Score |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 100 |
| Netherlands | 100 |
| Greece | 100 |
| Austria | 100 |
| Switzerland | 100 |
| Finland | 100 |
| Norway | 100 |
| Ireland | 100 |
| Malta | 100 |
| Iceland | 100 |
| Germany | 98.6 |
| Sweden | 97.9 |
| Italy | 97.8 |
| Luxembourg | 97.8 |
| Denmark | 95.8 |
| Spain | 94.8 |
| France | 93.8 |
| Israel | 93.8 |
| Belgium | 93 |
| Japan | 91.8 |
| Cyprus | 91.7 |
| Canada | 90.9 |
| United States | 89.3 |
| Singapore | 88.9 |
| Portugal | 85.7 |
| South Korea | 84.6 |
| Australia | 81.2 |
| Brunei | 79.9 |
| New Zealand | 74.5 |
| Slovenia | 70.3 |
| Taiwan | 67.2 |
| Chile | 66.8 |
| Poland | 65.7 |
| Czech Republic | 65.2 |
| Slovakia | 64.6 |
| Mauritius | 63.6 |
| Croatia | 63.3 |
| Uruguay | 61.8 |
| Armenia | 61.7 |
| Belarus | 60.7 |
| Hungary | 60.6 |
| Serbia | 60.5 |
| Argentina | 59.5 |
| Estonia | 59.2 |
| China | 58.4 |
| North Macedonia | 58.3 |
| Bulgaria | 58 |
| Latvia | 57.7 |
| Lithuania | 57.4 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 57.3 |
| Kuwait | 57.2 |
| Qatar | 57 |
| Montenegro | 56.8 |
| Kazakhstan | 56 |
| Russia | 55.8 |
| Romania | 55.4 |
| Costa Rica | 55.3 |
| Ukraine | 55.1 |
| Jordan | 54.4 |
| Uzbekistan | 54 |
| Georgia | 52.3 |
| United Arab Emirates | 51.7 |
| Saudi Arabia | 51 |
| Vietnam | 50.9 |
| Moldova | 50.8 |
| Albania | 50.3 |
| Colombia | 50.1 |
| Mexico | 50 |
| Algeria | 49.1 |
| Tunisia | 49.1 |
| Iran | 48.8 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 48.5 |
| Malaysia | 48.2 |
| Bahamas | 47.8 |
| Barbados | 47.8 |
| Turkmenistan | 47.7 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 47.3 |
| Jamaica | 47.3 |
| Turkey | 47 |
| Lebanon | 46.8 |
| Sri Lanka | 46.7 |
| Ecuador | 46.7 |
| Azerbaijan | 46.5 |
| Oman | 46.5 |
| Cuba | 46 |
| Iraq | 45.9 |
| Seychelles | 45.8 |
| Brazil | 45.2 |
| Paraguay | 45.2 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 45.2 |
| Grenada | 44.4 |
| Maldives | 44.2 |
| Mongolia | 43.8 |
| Venezuela | 43.6 |
| Dominica | 43.5 |
| Peru | 42.8 |
| Tonga | 42.8 |
| Thailand | 42.7 |
| Nicaragua | 42.2 |
| Saint Lucia | 42.2 |
| Panama | 41.7 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 41.1 |
| El Salvador | 40.8 |
| Samoa | 40.4 |
| Belize | 39.6 |
| Bolivia | 38.5 |
| Egypt | 36.7 |
| Morocco | 36.7 |
| Suriname | 35.4 |
| Dominican Republic | 35.2 |
| Cape Verde | 34.5 |
| Philippines | 34.4 |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 34.1 |
| Cambodia | 33.3 |
| Micronesia | 33 |
| Guyana | 32.6 |
| Fiji | 32 |
| Tajikistan | 31.7 |
| Bhutan | 31.5 |
| Honduras | 30.9 |
| Marshall Islands | 30.3 |
| Myanmar | 30 |
| Equatorial Guinea | 29.6 |
| Afghanistan | 27.8 |
| Guatemala | 27.2 |
| Gabon | 27.2 |
| Bangladesh | 26.9 |
| Timor-Leste | 26.2 |
| Laos | 26.1 |
| Nepal | 25.9 |
| Indonesia | 24.9 |
| South Africa | 23.4 |
| Sudan | 22.6 |
| Vanuatu | 21.4 |
| Ghana | 20.4 |
| Botswana | 20.2 |
| Bahrain | 20.1 |
| Gambia | 19 |
| Namibia | 18.9 |
| Tanzania | 18.4 |
| India | 18.3 |
| Djibouti | 18.2 |
| Uganda | 17.7 |
| Ivory Coast | 17 |
| Rwanda | 17 |
| Mozambique | 16.5 |
| Zimbabwe | 16.2 |
| Papua New Guinea | 15.8 |
| Kiribati | 15.6 |
| Comoros | 15.4 |
| Pakistan | 15.3 |
| Republic of the Congo | 14.5 |
| Solomon Islands | 14.4 |
| Haiti | 13.9 |
| Kenya | 13.7 |
| Benin | 13.6 |
| Mauritania | 13.6 |
| DR Congo | 13.4 |
| Zambia | 13.2 |
| Senegal | 13 |
| Eswatini | 12.2 |
| Malawi | 12.1 |
| Angola | 12 |
| Sierra Leone | 11.6 |
| Ethiopia | 11.3 |
| Guinea | 11 |
| Liberia | 9.5 |
| Mali | 8.3 |
| Burkina Faso | 7.9 |
| Cameroon | 7.5 |
| Lesotho | 7.2 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 6.6 |
| Eritrea | 6.4 |
| Madagascar | 6.2 |
| Burundi | 5.4 |
| Togo | 4.9 |
| Nigeria | 4.3 |
| Niger | 1.7 |
Top Countries with the Highest Water Quality
Several countries have achieved perfect scores in water quality, indicating their commitment to maintaining clean and safe water resources.
- United Kingdom, Netherlands, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Norway, Ireland, Malta, Iceland (EPI Score: 100): These countries share the top spot with a perfect score, reflecting their exceptional water quality standards.
High-Performing Countries in Water Quality
- Germany (EPI Score: 98.6) and Sweden (97.9): Both countries are known for their stringent environmental regulations and sustainable practices.
- Italy and Luxembourg (EPI Score: 97.8): These countries have made significant investments in water treatment and conservation.
Notable Rankings in Water Quality
- Denmark (EPI Score: 95.8) and Spain (94.8): These European nations have focused on improving water infrastructure and reducing pollution.
- France and Israel (EPI Score: 93.8): Both countries have advanced water management systems, ensuring high water quality.
Global Perspective on Water Quality
- Japan (EPI Score: 91.8) and Cyprus (91.7): These countries have implemented effective water quality policies and technologies.
- Canada (90.9) and United States (89.3): North American countries with high scores, reflecting their focus on water quality standards.
Countries with Lower Water Quality Scores
- China (EPI Score: 58.4) and India (18.3): These populous nations face challenges in water quality due to industrialization and limited resources.
- African Nations: Many African countries, including Niger (1.7), Nigeria (4.3), and Togo (4.9), have low EPI scores, indicating significant challenges in water quality.
The EPI scores reveal a wide disparity in water quality standards across the globe. While many developed nations have achieved high scores, developing countries often struggle with water quality issues. This underscores the need for global cooperation and investment in water infrastructure and management to ensure safe and clean water for all.
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