About half of Libyans drink contaminated water What is the scientific reason?

From the tap directly, from the home tank, or from a water bottle purchased by the head of the household, water reaches Libyan tables in various forms, but the latest national survey of drinking water quality raises one question: What do we really know about the water that Libyans use for drinking, cooking, and washing food?

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The results of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey in Libya 2024-2025 reveal the presence of Escherichia coli bacteria in the drinking water of 46.4% of the households included in the survey, with a clear difference between rural and urban areas and between different regions.

However, the number, despite its importance, does not mean that all these cases represent independent sources of pollution, nor does it alone determine where the bacteria entered the water. It also provides research data that is very important for monitoring pollutants, but it is not an invitation to panic about drinking water.

And here begins the most important question: Does the pollution come from the water source, or does it occur on its way to the home, or inside the tanks and storage facilities?

The survey results showed that the bacteria were present in 53.5% of rural areas, compared to 45.6% in urban areas, with the geographical disparity being even more pronounced. The percentage reached 91.9% in Sirte, 85.1% in Jufra, and 72.4% in Al-Marj, compared to 11.9% in Benghazi.

The gap appears so large that it raises questions about the differences in water systems between regions, but data alone does not provide an explanation for these differences.

Environmental expert Yasmine Al-Ahmar warns, in a statement to Al Jazeera Net, against reading the national number in isolation from the method and location of sampling, explaining that the survey provides indicators of water quality at the source and at the point of use, but it is not a diagnostic study that identifies the source of each case of pollution or the party responsible for it.

The expert says that the appearance of bacteria in 100 people using the same well does not mean there are 100 contaminating sources, but may indicate a single source affecting a large number of consumers.

Therefore, the figure of 46.4% measures the extent of exposure detected by the survey, but it does not alone determine the extent of the sources of pollution or their causes.

Water pollution is not necessarily linked to its source only. Water may come out of the source in good quality, then become polluted during transport or through distribution networks, tanks, or storage and handling methods inside the home.

The environmental expert explains that the scientific method for determining the source of contamination requires tracing the water along its entire path, from the source to the outlet, then through the distribution network, the reservoir, and finally to the point of use within the home. If bacteria appear in the water at the source, this directs the investigation back to that same source.

If the water is safe at the source and then bacteria appear at the point of use, the investigation moves to the stages that separate the source from the consumer.

The expert points out that shallow wells, especially in areas where the groundwater level is close to the surface of the earth, may be more susceptible to pollution resulting from sewage leaks, absorption pits, or improper disposal of waste.