NEW RESEARCH: Kemira Water Index 2025 exposes critical weaknesses in water resilience and alarming consumer unpreparedness

New international study led by Kemira identifies where people are most vulnerable if their community suddenly loses access to clean water due to extreme weather-related disasters, outdated infrastructure and toxic contaminants

• 91% of people surveyed across Europe and the US are concerned about extreme weather phenomena in their region
• 85% of people surveyed stated their region needs to improve efforts to help communities prepare for floods
• 84% of people surveyed feel that more work should be done to plan for future droughts and shortages in their region
• 62% of people surveyed have personally experienced water-related issues, such as flooding (20%), drought (16%) or a complete loss of water service (12%)
• Only 5% of people surveyed said they have a detailed plan and large backup water supply or source for their household in case of emergencies

HELSINKI, Oct. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Kemira, a global leader in sustainable chemical solutions for water-intensive industries, today released the Kemira Water Index 2025. Combining international research, expert analysis and consumer insights, the headline of Kemira’s Water Index 2025 asserts that urgent action and more effective strategies are needed to strengthen water security, particularly in regions facing mounting climate and water-related pressures.

The Kemira Water Index 2025 offers rankings of 10 European countries and 10 US states from the most to least water resilient, derived from 21 carefully selected metrics, and reviewed across 300+ data sources. These rankings enable policymakers, utility companies, businesses, and consumers to understand where water sources are secure, evaluate preparedness, and recognize communities with the highest risk.

 

“Our research found that instead of feeling secure about having access to clean water in today’s modern world, concerns about toxic contaminants and weather disasters like droughts and flooding are escalating, and many people are wondering if their local government and utilities are doing enough to protect their communities from water-related issues,” said Tuija Pohjolainen-Hiltunen, Executive Vice President at Kemira. “For the water industry, the Kemira Water Index confirms how urgently communities need more public education about preserving their local water resources, critical investments in water infrastructure and government-led action to prepare for the future.”

KEY STUDY HIGHLIGHTS

Water availability & vulnerability: As extreme weather events and the levels of human-made contaminants in water sources vary significantly across regions, the Kemira Water Index survey pinpoints exactly which water-related issues cause the public to worry most.   

• Across continents, most people (91%) have concerns about climate change-related issues in their region, with rising global temperatures being top of mind for surveyed Americans (54%) and Europeans (59%) alike.
• As climate concerns escalate, more than half (53%) of all people surveyed are feeling that their region is not prepared for climate-related challenges.
• More than half of people surveyed (62%) have personally experienced water-related issues, such as flooding (20%), drought (16%) or a complete loss of water service (12%).
• Many people surveyed (85%) want to see more work being done to prepare their communities for floods and (84%) feel their region should improve planning for future droughts and shortages.
• When it comes to water contamination, bacteria or viruses are a top concern for more surveyed people in America and Europe (40%, 39% respectively).
• More surveyed Americans and Europeans are worried about PFAS or ‘forever chemicals’ (22%, 27% respectively) than traces of drugs or medicines (19%, 21% respectively).

Water use & management: Water behaviors and preferences vary widely across regions, shaped by local cultures and influential industries. Households are striving to conserve water in obvious ways, but there’s an apparent lack of education about how effective monitoring can help people manage water more sustainably.

• Only 26% of Americans surveyed trust the tap as their primary source of drinking water – a stark contrast to Europe, where 70% of surveyed respondents across 10 countries prefer to drink tap water.
• The majority of all survey respondents (91%) report taking one or more water conservation measures at home – however, more than one-third (36%) do not monitor water usage in their household.
• The primary conservation practices for people surveyed in Europe and in the US include turning off the tap while brushing teeth (65%, 49% respectively), running full loads in their washing machines and dishwashers (54%, 42% respectively) and taking shorter showers (52%, 41% respectively).
• When using water from the tap, more surveyed Europeans use it to cook (86%) and clean house (77%) than people in the US (68%, 58% respectively); however, more surveyed Americans reportedly use tap water for pet care (39%) and watering their gardens or lawns (35%) than people in Europe (29%, 27% respectively).

Risk, Policy & Perceptions: Governments play a crucial role in water resilience. From enforcing regulations and requirements, to effective planning and public awareness campaigns, their policies ultimately determine if water risks will eventually escalate into crisis.

• Despite significant concerns about water risks, household preparedness is surprisingly low across regions – only 7% of people surveyed in the US and a mere 4% of people surveyed in Europe say they have a detailed water preparedness plan and large backup water supply or source.
• Nearly half of all surveyed Europeans and Americans collectively feel that government-led initiatives need improvement when it comes to preparing for floods (47%) and planning for droughts (46%).
• Most people surveyed in both continents support stricter water usage regulations on industries (77%).
• However, while 69% of surveyed Europeans are in favor of mandating water efficiency standards for household appliances, 66% of surveyed Americans say ‘no’.

Capacity & Investment: The Kemira Water Index 2025 shows how countries like Norway and its Nordic peers, known for future-focused planning and investing, perform highly in water resilience. Alternatively, when water systems and infrastructures are neglected, communities face greater risk.

• Regardless of actual investment in infrastructure such as pipes, reservoirs, and water treatment, only 17% of survey respondents from European countries and 27% from the US gave their local regions high praise, calling for more work to be done.
• Consumers themselves are not necessarily willing to contribute through their own water bills, with only 11% of surveyed Europeans and 22% of surveyed Americans saying they’d be willing to pay more for quality water.
• However, more than half of people surveyed in the US (58%) and in Europe (54%) reported that their purchasing decisions could be influenced by information shared about a product’s “water footprint.”
• A large share (72%) of surveyed Europeans and Americans collectively support their governments requiring all new homes and buildings to have water-saving fixtures by law.

“Utilities are continually struggling to keep up with dynamic rules and requirements set by policymakers, while also trying to invest in technology improvements – and still keep costs down for consumers,” Pohjolainen-Hiltunen added. “They cannot do it alone. That is why governments and utilities must work together to establish regulatory standards that keep water safe and upgrade systems before the climate crisis worsens. Companies and consumers must also do their part to embrace water-smart habits at home and in their communities to protect our most valuable resource.”

For more information about Kemira Water Index 2025 or to download the report, please visit kemira.com/water-index-2025.

Notes for Editors

• The survey was commissioned by Kemira and conducted by Ipsos in July 2025.
• The research sample consisted of 14,000 consumers from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, as well as Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, South Carolina, Texas in the United States.

Kemira is a global leader in sustainable chemical solutions for water-intensive industries. We deliver tailored products and services to improve the product quality, processes, and resource efficiency of our diverse range of customers. Our focus is on water treatment, as well as on fiber and renewable solutions – enabling sustainability transformation for our customers. In 2024, Kemira reported annual revenue of EUR 2.9 billion with a global team of some 4,700 colleagues. Kemira is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki www.kemira.com.

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For more information, please contact: 

Kemira Oyj
Greg Morrison
Communications Director
Tel. +31 621 628 423
greg.morrison@kemira.com 

Jennifer Blackburn
Communications Manager
Americas
Tel. +1 404 434 6592
jennifer.blackburn@kemira.com 

Jenni Vuorela
Communications Manager
Europe
Tel. +358 40 186 4094
jenni.vuorela@kemira.com 

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