Some 91% of individuals in Europe and the United States say that they are concerned about extreme weather phenomena in their region, while 85% believe that their region needs to improve efforts to help communities prepare for floods, a new study by Kemira has found.
Kemira, a Finland-based producer of sustainable chemical solutions for water-intensive industries, noted in its Kemira Water Index 2025 report that more than three fifths of individuals (62%) have personally experienced water-related issues such as flooding (20%), drought (16%) or a complete loss of water service (12%).
Along with flood defence preparation, 84% of respondents said that they felt more work needed to be done to plan for future droughts and water shortages in their region.
Elsewhere, just 5% of those surveyed said that they have a detailed plan in place, or a backup water supply or source for their household in case of a water shortage.
Rising concerns
“Our research found that instead of feeling secure about having access to clean water in today’s modern world, concerns about toxic contaminants and weather disasters like droughts and flooding are escalating, and many people are wondering if their local government and utilities are doing enough to protect their communities from water-related issues,” commented Tuija Pohjolainen-Hiltunen, executive vice president at Kemira.
“For the water industry, the Kemira Water Index confirms how urgently communities need more public education about preserving their local water resources, critical investments in water infrastructure and government-led action to prepare for the future.”
Kemira Water Index
The Kemira Water Index (see below) also ranked ten European countries and ten US states according to water resilience, with Norway, Sweden and the UK coming out on top in Europe, and California, Minnesota, and Michigan leading among US states. The rankings are based on 21 indicators and over 300 data sources assessing availability, management, and infrastructure conditions.
Other findings from the study include that more than half (53%) of respondents believe that their region is ‘not prepared’ for climate-related challenges, while rising global temperatures are a ‘top of mind’ issue for 54% of Americans and 59% of Europeans.
Around two fifths of respondents in both the US (40%) and Europe (39%) are concerned about water contamination from bacteria or viruses, while 22% of Americans and 27% of Europeans are concerned about the presence of PFAS or ‘forever chemicals’
Kemira’s research was undertaken by Ipsos, and surveyed 14,000 respondents across 10 European countries and 10 US states. Read more here.
Top European Countries for Water Resilience
| Rank | Country |
|---|---|
| 1 | Norway |
| 2 | Sweden |
| 3 | The United Kingdom |
| 4 | Finland |
| 5 | Germany |
| 6 | France |
| 7 | Denmark |
| 8 | Spain |
| 9 | The Netherlands |
| 10 | Italy |
Top US States for Water Resilience
| Rank | State |
|---|---|
| 1 | California |
| 2 | Minnesota |
| 3 | Michigan |
| 4 | Arizona |
| 5 | New York |
| 6 | Florida |
| 7 | Illinois |
| 8 | South Carolina |
| 9 | Texas |
| 10 | Georgia |
