Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in Micronesia?

Pohnpei, Chuuk, Yap, and Kosrae are volcanic high islands with streams, springs, and groundwater, but municipal treatment infrastructure is limited and unevenly maintained across the four states that make up the Federated States of Micronesia.

Treatment is inconsistent and bacterial contamination is common, particularly in Chuuk State, where water and sanitation infrastructure has long lagged behind other states. Boil-water advisories are relatively frequent, especially after heavy rain or infrastructure failures.

Pohnpei, home to the national capital Palikir, has somewhat better infrastructure than the other states, though caution is still warranted. Chuuk has the most serious water quality and access problems in the country, while Yap and Kosrae fall in between.

Variable by state and source, generally moderate where groundwater is used and softer where surface streams dominate..

Many residents boil water before drinking due to well-known inconsistencies in municipal treatment, particularly in Chuuk.

• •Boil or filter water in all four states, even in Pohnpei's main town of Kolonia
• •Pack water purification tablets or a portable filter for extended stays
• •Ask locally about current boil-water advisories, which are issued periodically

• •Boil or filter tap water in all four states of the Federated States of Micronesia
• •Exercise extra caution in Chuuk, where infrastructure problems are most severe