Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in Samoa?

The Samoa Water Authority (SWA) supplies Apia and other parts of Upolu and Savai'i primarily from mountain streams and springs, with treatment historically limited and chlorination applied inconsistently across the network.

Bacterial contamination is common due to limited treatment infrastructure, agricultural runoff, and livestock grazing near stream catchments in the highlands. Even in Apia, water quality can vary noticeably by neighborhood and season.

Apia's hotels and resorts typically boil or filter water for guests despite being in the capital. Rural villages on both Upolu and Savai'i carry higher risk, as smaller catchment systems receive even less consistent treatment.

Generally soft, roughly 20–60 mg/L, consistent with Samoa's volcanic mountain-stream sources..

Many Samoans boil water before drinking as standard practice, reflecting the limited treatment applied by the Samoa Water Authority.

• •Boil tap water for at least one minute before drinking, even in Apia
• •Bottled water is widely available in supermarkets and resorts
• •Ask village homestay hosts whether their water has been boiled or treated

• •Boil or filter all tap water, including in Apia
• •Use extra caution with tap water in rural villages on Savai'i and outer Upolu