Disparities in drinking water services: Private well dependence and public supply inequities in Western Sweden

Abstract

Studies show that minority and low-income populations often receive lower quality drinking water, increasing their risk for waterborne diseases and adverse health effects. However, most research on this topic has focused on the United States, Canada, South Africa, and India, leaving Scandinavia unexplored. This study examines whether similar disparities exist in Sweden by analysing drinking water access in the Gothenburg region. Using geospatial analysis to intersect drinking water provision areas with socio-economic data, we compare private well-users with municipally supplied populations and then assess whether disparities also appear within municipal supply systems, considering water quality parameters, water price, and pipe breaks. The analysis reveals two key patterns. First, untreated drinking water use among private well-owners is slightly more common in socio-economically advantaged communities, contrasting with evidence from other regions where exposed private well-use is typically associated with disadvantaged groups. Second, within the municipal supply, we find no clear regionwide trends, although the tail end of the distribution shows disparities between the wealthiest and less affluent municipalities, especially in microbial and chemical test results with noted issues and in pipe-break frequency. Sweden’s high-resolution socio-economic data and municipal collaboration in sharing drinking water service areas enable these detailed assessments without relying on coarse geospatial proxies. By identifying disparities in both private and municipal drinking water access, this study provides a structured approach that can support Swedish water-expansion planning and contributes to emerging discussions on water justice in high-income countries.