Is it safe to drink the tap water in Europe? You asked, we answered (2024)

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European countries where the tap water is safe to drink: Where should you exercise caution? What to do if the water is unsafe to drink?

Recently updated on April 23rd, 2024 at 04:51 pm

Drinking contaminated water is an easy way to get sick whilst travelling, no naturally many travellers are cautious. However, instead of creating a hard and fast rule that you are best to avoid tap water in Europe, know that in many countries, including all Western European countries, the water is perfectly safe to drink. So, save on buying and using plastic bottles and bring along a reusable water bottle on your trip instead. You can fill this up at the start of each day and feel good that you are saving on plastic and pennies.

Many countries including the UK, Italy, Germany and Belgiumalso offer public taps nationwide, giving you the chance to fill up on the go.A word of warning however – avoid filling up your bottle in decorativefountains, as this water can be unsafe.

European countries where the tap water is safe to drink:

The following are all the places where you can drink tap water in Europe risk free, if you are thinking of doing a Europe tour…

Andorra

Austria

Belgium

Croatia

Czech Republic

Denmark

Finland

France

Germany

Where should you exercise caution?

Despite most of Europe offering safe drinking water, there are some destinations where you should exercise caution. This is not so much due to water being contaminated, but rather that you have not develop immunity to the water in the same way as the locals have. The destinations to avoid drinking tap water in Europe are the following:

Albania

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bulgaria

Cyprus

Hungary

Georgia

The Greek Islands

Kazakhstan

Kosovo

Moldova

Montenegro

Romania

Serbia

Ukraine

What to do if the water is unsafe to drink?

The easy solution here is to simply buy bottled water, however doing this will mean having to use single use plastics – something we all know to avoid. The good news is there are now many ways to filter water on the go. Consider investing in a smart water bottle that has an advanced filtration system, or simpler still, a filter straw.

Do you have a reusable water you swear by, that you bringon all your travels? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments…