Tap Water Safety in Gambia

The estimated price of bottled water

N/A in USD (1.5-liter)

Can you drink the tap water in Gambia?

The US Center for Disease Control's travel advisory recommends avoiding tap water and drinking bottled or disinfected water in Gambia (source). Like all countries though, water accessibility, sanitation, and treatment vary widely from location to location, so we encourage looking for specific city information.

What do people in Gambia think about the tap water?

Water is not considered safe to drink in The Gambia. It’s best to boil, filter or chemically treat water (ie with iodine tablets) before drinking. Bottled water is widely available“ though the environmental impact of all the discarded plastic is considerable.

How do People In Gambia Rate The Tap Water?

Travellers and residents of Gambia have rated the water quality and pollution as follows, according to subjective survey data. A score of 100% is considered very high, and a score of 0% is very low. Please be cautious that "moderate to very high" water pollution is bad and the higher the rate of water quality the better.

Tap water ratings

Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility 83% Very High
Water Pollution 75% High
Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility 17% Very Low
Water Quality 25% Low

Reminder

Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.

Sources and Resources

Sources

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/the-gambia/health