Water supply and sanitation in Russia
In Russia, approximately 70% of drinking water comes from surface sources and 30% from groundwater, with urban areas generally having better access than rural ones.[1]
As of 2025, access to centralized water supply has improved to around 90% of households, but sanitation lags, with 22.6% of households (mostly rural) lacking sewer connections. Water quality issues persist in Russia, with 35-60% of reserves failing sanitary standards, exacerbated by untreated wastewater discharge.[2]
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Aging and deteriorating water and sanitation infrastructure in Russia
About one-third of water-supply and sewerage networks have deterioration levels exceeding 60%, with full restoration projected to take over 50 years at present repair rates. In many Russian cities, 30% of pipelines require urgent repair due to corrosion which is leading to leaks, contamination, and supply disruptions.[3]
Waterborne diseases due to a large amount of Russia’s wastewater is released untreated into Russian water bodies
Untreated Wastewater Discharge: A large amount of Russia’s wastewater is released untreated into Russian water bodies, worsening pollution and health risks like waterborne diseases (e.g., diarrhea, respiratory infections). This contributes to secondary contamination in drinking supplies.[4]
External links
- What do outdoor toilets tell us about Russia?, Euro Topics Press Review, April 3, 2019
