“Bring your water bottle to refill. As an eco-traveler, you probably already internalized this advice. But be careful – tap water is not safe to drink everywhere. ©Jeriko | Stock.Adobe.com

This happened to me in Malaysia. I had just arrived in Kuala Lumpur, checked into the hotel, filled my bottle, drank, and just 10 minutes later I felt sick. 😕 If I had only known before. A simple look on the internet would have been enough.

Water in the EU is drinkable – but there are big differences

In the EU, the EU Drinking Water Directive ensures that tap water is, or should be, of drinking quality. However, water quality varies widely. In some regions, such as South Tyrol or in Switzerland, the water is considered excellent and many of our Green PearlsⓇ partners in these regions enjoy fresh spring water straight from the tap. 

As we reported in our newsletter about valuable drinking water, some sustainable hotels bottle the spring water, sell it, and donate the proceeds to WIR (Water Is Right) to provide clean drinking water in other parts of the world.

In some European countries, such as Albania, it is not recommended to drink tap water. However, it is considered safe enough to brush your teeth and wash fruit. (You can also taste the water treatment through the strong taste of chlorine.)

In the U.S. and other countries, chlorine levels are higher

Chlorine in water is not considered a health hazard. However, it doesn’t taste very good. In countries like the U.S. or Australia, you can drink the water without hesitation, but it can sometimes spoil the taste – especially with ice cubes or when you’re making tea, you may prefer to use packaged water. Personally, I’ll drink chlorinated water to quench my thirst if the only alternative is bottled water, but everyone needs to decide that for themselves.

How do I know if the tap water is safe to drink?

There are some general sources of information, such as the US CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), but a quick Google search for your specific destination is usually sufficient:

“Google, is the tap water in X safe to drink?”

Learn about drinking water brands

If you are forced to drink bottled water while on vacation, you can research the brands. The simplest: 

Ask at the store where the water comes from and choose a brand that is as local as possible.

If you want to be even more thorough, you can also Google the brands to see if they are associated with any scandals, etc. For example, I would not buy brands like Nestlé Pure Life.

Boil tap water

Alternatively, you can boil tap water abroad – but it must be boiled for a minimum of three minutes. A kettle in your hotel room will not suffice. You will need a large pot in your vacation home. 

In general, please remember that drinkable tap water is truly a great privilege and you should appreciate it!