Is the drinking water in Spain safe? What do locals and people from abroad say about the local drinking water coming from the tap?
According to the Spanish government 99.5% of all public water in Spain is potable (meaning safe to drink). That’s what the different water quality reports from Spain indicate. Despite this many people are afraid to drink and cook with tap water. One good way to know if there’s any threat in the water is to check the water quality reports from Spain and the different areas.
There are few public sources available. TAPP Water therefore built a database aggregating reports from the the local water companies in over 200 cities (search with postcode) in Spain. See Water Quality in Spain.
But the best source is to hear what the locals think and say. This is a summary of what people say about the drinking water across 70 cities in Spain.
Drinking water in Spain: By the people for the people
Here you go from north to south in Spain. Use search in the browser to find your area while we work on structuring the information better.
The image shows the Water hardness across Spain.
Jaen Province
Safe to drink warned not to and doesn’t taste good.
Sue: “We were told not to drink tap water only because it is very hard and after a time could/might cause renal stones.”
Calahonda Royale
Safe to drink and tastes ok
Linda: “I live in CALAHONDA Royale and I have been drinking tap water for 13 years and am still alive ! Makes me laugh when I see people carrying 5 gallon water bottles up the hill!”
Fuerteventura
Desaltination and not recommended to drink unless filtered.
Hugh: “We wouldn’t drink ours here in Fuerteventura. It’s probably fine from the desalination plant. But many of the rubber water pipes travel above ground in a lot of places, so will get hot in the sun encouraging bacteria growth. Also, the pressure isn’t very high so it doesn’t easily push out any contaminants where there are breaks.”
Campo, La Marina
Safe to drink but tastes bad.
Veronica: “Told it’s fine to drink as long as it’s from the tap but to invest in an inline filter as it’s high in a mineral but other than that it’s fine.”
Pruna
Good to drink.
Chris: “Inland the old villages all have water sources, mountain water, crisp and clean, comes out of the taps in Pruna. Is delicious.”
Ontinyent
Good to drink
Mervyn: “We drink our tap water – it’s wonderful. In fact, I am told that the water Ontinyent is so good that it’s ‘shipped’ all over to Spain and mainly Barcelona.
Adra, Western Almeria
Safe to drink but tastes bad.
Carol: “Our tap water is normally heavily chlorinated but sometimes in Summer, someone forgets & it can smell & taste stale. For years I drank Spring water (straight from the source) but some new houses have been built above it. Where do their sewers go? Now buy in Lidl @28c for 2lts. I’m near Adra, Western Almeria. Just be careful because it can be dangerous (so I’m told), if the water gets hot in plastic bottles.”
Santiago de la Ribera, Murcia
Safe to drink but tastes bad
Christine: “Tap water is ok but we mainly drink it boiled. Used bottled water when we first came to Spain but someone asked me what I think I was drinking in cafes – yes, boiled tap water!”
Turis, Los Cabelleros
Told not to drink. Tastes bad.
Susannah: “So much debri in the supply.”
Ayamonte
Safe to drink and tastes good.
Alice: “I have always drank the tap water here.”
Pontiente de Granada
Told not to drink. Tastes bad.
Anne: ”Wouldn’t drink ours either straight from the tap, although we do cook with it. We buy the 5l flagons which we decant into a fridge dispenser.”
Lanjaron
Safe to drink and used for bottling
Aldeire Granada
Safe to drink and tastes good.
Kay: “have always drank from the tap”
Almoradi, Alicante
Safe to drink and tastes good.
Carole: “I live in Almoradi, Alicante and use the water from my taps for everything. However, for drinking, using in kettle and using in iron I use the water through the filtered water tap by the side of the kitchen sink. Had this installed over 10 years ago and have the filters changed about every 6 months or so. Always have a bottle of it in the fridge.”
Polop de La Marina, Alicante Province
Safe to drink and tastes good.
“Our tap water is wonderful.”
Macastre
Safe to drink and tastes ok.
Jackie: “we drink the water with no problems”
Albuñol
Safe to drink and tastes ok.
Bill: OK in winter, but put in fridge in summer. Probably a lot better than some I’ve tasted in England.”
Quesada Rojales
Safe to drink but tastes bad.
Maggie: “We have a filter but lots of our friends and neighbours drink straight from the tap. I am a but obsessive about water and had a filter in the UK.”
Liber, Alicante
Safe to drink but tastes bad.
Helen: “most of the time we can drink the water but it doesn’t taste nice…”
Elviria
Safe to drink and tastes ok.
Kath: “We live in Elviria and drink the tap water…”
Castril
Safe to drink but tastes bad and pipes are old
Queenie: “it’s probably fine when it comes out of the mountains , but whatever they do to it and by the time it’s run through ancient asbestos pipes which are constantly bursting , it looks and sometimes smells a health hazard.”
Alhaurin el Grande
Safe to drink and tastes ok.
Tina: “Drink from the tap all the time.”
Calasparra, Murcia
Safe to drink but tastes poor.
Jan: “We get bottled water from Consum, some people drink the tap water.”
Murcia coast
Safe to drink but tastes poor.
Emilio ”Many people think that the water is bad. Mostly that is total búnk. The water from the tap is good in most areas. Total stupidity most of the time, shipping or buying bottled water.”
Toledo
Safe to drink and tastes ok.
Madrid
Safe to drink and tastes good in most areas. Some people consider it to have too much chlorine during the summer.
Alexandra: “Madrid is great”
Santo Domingo, Madrid
James: “The well water here is unsafe to drink due to the levels of arsenic.”
Vejer de la Frontera
Safe to drink but tastes terrible.
Tracy: “We spoke about water preferred to drink bottled, but you could drink from the tap.”
Extremadura, Badajoz
Safe to drink and tastes ok.
Ann: “I live in Badajoz region in Extremadura and there is nothing wrong with the water here.”
Castalla
Safe to drink and tastes ok.
Susan: “Water is fine here it goes through treatment centre”
Mallorca
Safe to drink but tastes bad in many areas of the island
Norm: “water’s fine straight from the tap.”
Berja, Almeria
Safe to drink and tastes good.
Jean: “our water is fine drank gallons of it through the summer”
Galicia
Safe to drink and generally tastes good.
Mijas, Andalucia
Edith: “We drink the tap water.”
Antequera, Malaga
Safe to drink generally but tastes bad. Lots of limescale.
Randolph: “drank the tap water for a while in my second year here in ’05. Sadly it did cause a lot of discomfort for me after a year or two because of the level of limescale (cal). I still drink it but use a filter jug. I see a big difference in the electric kettle when using filtered water.”
Arboleas, Albox
Safe to drink but discoloured and tastes bad.
Dani: “Only use tapped water for cooking at boiling temps as the colour is sometimes a little amber in colour!”
Torrevieja
Safe to drink but tastes poorly, very hard and lots of limescale
Annabel: “We always use tap water for most things. Only filtered/bottled for the coffee machines (Tassimo type ones) because of the limescale!”
Torrevieja
Safe to drink but tastes bad.
Steve: “I have been “told” all types of things usually by people who have lived here for a short time if at all …… and often selling some fort of water purification system.”
Castalla
Safe to drink but tastes poorly.
Jenny: “The spanish all drink from the tap here but i have a water filter and also use bottled water, tap water for tea.”
Altea
Safe to drink but tastes poorly.
Bob: “We have an inline filter for drinking water but use the tap water for teeth cleaning without problems. The inline filter system is mostly for the lime scale which can cause kidney stone problems if you drink a lot of it (which we do).”
Granada province
Safe to drink and tastes good
Bill: “We do not need a filter for limescale- our kettle is completely fur-free after 9 years of use.”
Barcelona
Safe to drink but tastes poorly.
Nicklas: “I live in Barcelona on and off, and the water tastes terrible compared to e.g. Sweden or the French Riviera. I use EcoPro Compact by Tapp Water.”
Castadefelles, Barcelona
Safe to drink but tastes really bad.
Alexander: “I have a build-in house filter (Aquasana), which filters chlorine and makes the water also softer. So no more bottled drinking water und calc issues in the house 🙂 But a rather expensive solution. But feel much better, as it is super convenient.”
Albanez, Santander
Safe to drink but tastes bad.
Vanessa: “We bought a Brita filter and fill our own reusable bottles when we are out and about ;)”
Pinoso
Safe to drink but tastes bad
Jane: “use the tap water straight from the tap for cooking and Brita filtered for drinking.”
Javea
Safe to drink and tastes ok.
Andrea: “drink from tap all the while, taste’s fine”
Torreguadiaro
Safe to drink and tastes ok.
Liz: “Fine from the tap! Not too hard, kettle wearing well.”
La azhoia, Murca
Safe to drink but tastes bad.
Pat: “Use a filter jug as it dosen’t taste great.”
Jalon
Unsafe to drink
Claire: “Told the water was unsafe to drink….. Various notices were posted around the town telling people to only drink bottled water”
Algorfa
Safe to drink but tastes poorly. Lots of calcium.
Mark: “The only people who told us the water was bad were Water filter sales people…”
Calpe
Safe to drink and tastes ok.
Graham: “The tap water here is fine to drink and does not fur the kettle.”
La Nucia Centre
Safe to drink but tastes poorly.
Lisa: “It smells strongly of chlorine at times! We have a Brita filter for the kettle (otherwise the kettle gets full of limescale /call deposits) and drink bottled water… But I use the tap water to cook with and for cleaning teeth etc…”
Torremendo
Safe to drink and tastes ok.
Joy: “Water fine . Have drunk for last 6 years”
Queseda, Rojales
Safe to drink but tastes poorly.
Jeanie: “I have a filter tap which I use all the time for drinking etc but I know people do drink the tap water with no problem!”
Morly: “look inside your water heater, tap airators, valves, ETC ETC. If they are full of calcium/or whatever, think what it could be doing to your insides.”
Albox, Almeria
Safe to drink but tastes bad.
Sharon: “For 13 years the water has not been good for drinking but last year was told by Gestagua that it is now safe to drink. I don’t drink it because I’m not so sure the old pipes have been changed and if any solution has been added to make it safe.”
Veronica: “We were told the magnesium level may be high …so get a kit and test your drinking water”
Novelda
Safe to drink and tastes ok.
Christina: “Use the tap water only”
Enix
Safe to drink but tastes poor.
Jon: “Can drink it but have filter system fitted, lot of calcium.”
Parcent 03792, Alicante province
Safe to drink and tastes ok.
Judie: “I drink water from the tap”
Mijas Pueblo
Safe to drink and tastes ok
Gerry: “Drink the water from the tap daily for the past 12 years, I even have a shower and bath in it 😀”
Summary Drinking Water in Spain
Will drinking water in Spain make you sick? How does it taste? Hopefully the answers above gave you a good idea as a summary.
Source: Collected September 2016 from Facebook groups including Expats in Spain. Originally published in www.todosobreelagua.com
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