Is the Water Safe to Drink in Vanuatu?

While drinking water in Port Vila and Luganville is considered safe for locals, we generally don't recommend it for visitors.

The municipal water supply may contain bacterial strains that locals are accustomed to, but these can cause upset stomachs for travellers who aren't used to the drinking water in Vanuatu. Though unlikely to cause serious harm, it's best to stick to bottled, filtered or boiled water to avoid any digestive issues during your travels.

If you're planning to venture to Vanuatu's outer islands, it's wise to be prepared with a filtration system, like a Lifestraw Water Bottle, or stock up on bottled water in Port Vila or Luganville before departure, as supplies become increasingly limited the further you travel from the main centres.

Bottled Water in Vanuatu

Bottled water is readily available at local supermarkets and convenience stores throughout Vanuatu.

You'll find convenience stores scattered across Port Vila and Luganville, as well as the main centres of the outer islands, like Lenakel in Tanna or Lakatoro in Malekula, making bottled water a relatively reliable option for safe drinking water when you're exploring the islands.

Make sure to dispose of your plastic waste responsibly after use and reuse it whenever possible.

The public water supply in Vanuatu varies significantly between urban and rural areas. Urban centres rely on piped systems drawing from sources like aquifers, whilst rural communities depend on community-managed rainwater harvesting, bores and springs, often supplemented by solar-powered desalination and atmospheric water generators on remote islands.

How is Water in Vanuatu Treated?

Rainwater harvesting remains the backbone of water supply across most islands. Some local communities use "first-flush" diverters that help ensure the cleanest water possible makes it into storage tanks.

On some islands like Uripiv, you'll find impressive solar desalination plants that convert seawater into WHO-standard drinking water.

You'll also find atmospheric water generation units (think SOURCE Hydropanels) that pull moisture from the air and turn it into mineralised drinking water.

For remote villages, portable filtration systems such as Wateroam's ROAMfilter provide decentralised water treatment.

When modern systems aren't available, many families still rely on boiling water and basic filtration methods, especially during the dry season when rainwater supplies run low.

Most rural water systems are managed by local Water Committees made up of community members. These volunteers do incredible work, though they often struggle with funding and maintenance challenges.

International organisations and NGOs regularly bring new technologies and training programmes to improve water supplies across the archipelago.

Drinking Tap Water in Vanuatu

Although most locals are generally fine to drink it, there may be higher concentrations or unfamiliar strains of bacteria, like E.coli, present in the water. In fact, a 2023 survey found many piped, groundwater and rainwater sources contaminated with E. coli.

It's unlikely that visitors will have built up an immunity to particular bacterial strains, which can cause traveller's diarrhoea.

That's why it is generally advised for visitors to treat the tap water in Vanuatu before drinking it, even if the locals are drinking it.

As we’ve established, treating drinking water in Vanuatu is a good idea for travellers. We understand, however, that there are some challenges when it comes to making sure water is safe to drink, like having access to facilities to boil water or even the environmental implications of buying bottled water.

That's why we have prepared a few ways to purify water so you can put that in your knowledge bank for any tropical adventure!

Boil the Water

Bringing the water to a boil for 10 minutes is probably the best-known method of purifying water. It kills parasites, bacteria and even viruses and ensures that it is fully safe to drink. Plus, it is the cheapest water purifying method out there. Note that boiling water in a kettle won't effectively kill bacteria; water must be boiled for several minutes.

If you want to ensure you can use this method to treat water, check out accommodations with kitchen facilities in Where to Stay in Vanuatu LINK#A059.

Use Water Purification Tablets

Use your own water bottle, drop a water purifying tablet and “voila!” This method has been trialled and tested for years and despite the fact that it gives a bit of a weird taste to the water, it is widely used by travellers around the globe.

If the taste is an issue for you, try a water-purifying solution. Although a bit more expensive, it offers better taste and water clarity than tablets. Price-wise, this is still going to save you tens of dollars compared to buying bottled water all trip long.

Buy a Water-Purifying Water Bottle

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By far our favourite solution of them all, water-purifying bottles like the Lifestraw Bottle removes 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria and 99.9% of waterborne protozoan. That means that there is no boiling necessary and that you can fill up your water bottle from any tap in Vanuatu and know that you have a filtration system with you.

While they are not the cheapest option, once the initial purchase is done, all you have to do is replace the filtration cartridge when it expires.

Although there are alternative brands to Lifestraw, this is just the one that the VanuatuPocketGuide.com team use when travelling the Pacific, so we can recommend it with confidence. When looking for alternatives, make sure to search for “water-purifying” and not “water-filtration”, as filtration only improves the taste of the water.

For more handy things to pack for Vanuatu Samoa, check out What to Pack for Vanuatu: A Full Packing List.