Can I drink the tap water?

How good is the tap water in London, United Kingdom ?


849 people said I love the tap water here, 245 people said I drink filtered tap water, 233 people said The tap water is not safe to drink.

All in all, 64% of folks here drink from the tap.



How good is the tap water in all of United Kingdom?


711 people said I drink filtered tap water, 2985 people said I love the tap water here, 606 people said The tap water is not safe to drink.

All in all, 69% of folks here drink from the tap.


Can you drink the tap water in London then?


What residents and travelers say

London's tap water is generally reported as safe and widely drinkable, reflecting the high standards set by local and national authorities. However, users on Reddit and major travel forums often note that taste perceptions vary significantly between neighborhoods and even individual buildings. Many attribute these differences to factors like plumbing materials and water hardness levels, which can affect flavor and mouthfeel. While the water is treated and monitored extensively, some residents prefer to use filters for taste enhancement or to reduce chlorine taste, especially in older properties where pipe conditions might influence water quality.

Awareness of local water quality is common, and many Londoners casually refill reusable bottles from the tap in public places, supporting sustainability efforts. However, some travelers and new residents remain cautious, often opting for bottled water due to unfamiliarity or concerns about flavor. There are occasional reports of mild issues such as temporary cloudiness or slight odors, but these are typically linked to maintenance works or specific building plumbing rather than the water supply itself.

For the most accurate and current information, residents and travelers should consult official resources such as Thames Water - Water Quality and Public Health England - Water Quality. These sites provide detailed reports and updates on water safety and quality standards across London neighborhoods.





Further reading on tap water in London


To verify tap-water quality and any current advisories in London, start by visiting Thames Water, the official water utility serving London. Their website provides detailed water quality reports and real-time updates. Additionally, check the London Borough Council or Public Health England for local health notices. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) offers nationally relevant guidance, while the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Union agencies provide broader water safety standards. Following Thames Water's official social media channels can also offer timely alerts.



Answers in London vs. United Kingdom

London is in the bottom 6% of United Kingdom, in the bottom 33% of Europe, and in the top 25% globally.

Top 10 cities in United Kingdom

Best (by % who love it)

  1. Glasgow (85%)
  2. Edinburgh (84%)
  3. Plymouth (83%)
  4. Liverpool (83%)
  5. Hove (80%)
  6. Brighton (77%)
  7. Leeds (76%)
  8. Bristol (76%)
  9. Nottingham (75%)
  10. Cardiff (73%)

Worst (by % who love it)

  1. Birmingham (60%)
  2. London (64%)
  3. Oxford (65%)
  4. Exeter (65%)
  5. Sheffield (66%)
  6. Cambridge (68%)
  7. Manchester (70%)
  8. Newcastle upon Tyne (70%)
  9. Southampton (71%)
  10. Cardiff (73%)

Tap water by country



How big is our data?


6295

CITIES

178

Countries

46.1K

USERS

16.7K

LOVE TAP WATER

Tap water by city

Looking for other cities in United Kingdom?

Leeds   -  Birmingham   -  Brighton   -  Glasgow   -  Bristol   -  Edinburgh   -  Cardiff   -  Manchester   -  Plymouth   -  Cambridge   -  Oxford   -  Sheffield   -  Liverpool   -  Newcastle upon Tyne   -  Nottingham   -  Southampton   -  Exeter   -  Hove   -  Aberdeen   -  Portsmouth   -  Norwich   -  York   -  Coventry   -  Croydon   -  Reading   -  

Other resources



Is TAP water safe to drink here in london?? - London Forum ...   - Mar 3, 2012 ... I dont know what londoners do , bottled or tap water ? ... Is TAP water safe to drink here in london?? ... England forums · London forum. London ...

Tap water in London: OK to drink? - TAPP Water   - Feb 24, 2018 ... Is the tap water safe to drink in london? Living in or traveling to the UK? We got you covered. Find out about the tap water in the British capital ...

Drinking water in London? - London Forum - TripAdvisor   - Mar 22, 2009 ... The water in the UK and most of Western Europe is perfectly safe to drink. .... Since all the posts firmly averred that tap water in London is safe, ...

drinking water - London Message Board - TripAdvisor   - Is there any advise to safe budget on drinking water and where can I buy them? ... cold water in England,at a kitchen sink comes from the mains and is perfectly ...

Can I Drink London Tap Water? - Is it Safe?   - Mar 8, 2017 ... Question: Is London Tap Water Safe to Drink? Have you ... The DWI (Drinking Water Inspectorate) says yes, all UK tap water is safe to drink.

Is it safe to drink tap water in London after boiling it? - London ...   - I've heard that tap water from kitchen taps are safe while tap water from the ... England isn't quite like places like India, where it is recommended to drink bottled  ...

Is it safe to drink tap water in London after boiling it? - London Forum ...   - I've heard that tap water from kitchen taps are safe while tap water from the ... England isn't quite like places like India, where it is recommended to drink bottled  ...

Is it safe to drink tap water in London after boiling it? - London ...   - I've heard that tap water from kitchen taps are safe while tap water from the ... You can ask for tap water in restaurants or pubs in the UK and they must provide it.

uk - Is tap water in Ireland and England drinkable? - Travel Stack ...   - When I moved to London for a few years, almost all my friends had filters. The trace calcium / limescale in the water will result in some people telling you it's ...

Is London tap water OK to drink? - London Message Board ...   - Answer 1 of 30: I usually drink bottled water (buy the 2 litre bottles off the shelf) but surprise surprise, when I went to my local supermarket ... London, England.

Is TAP water safe to drink here in london?? - London Message Board   - Answer 1 of 53: Helloo, i have just came to london . I dont know what londoners do , bottled or tap water ?? Thx inadvance. ... Vancouver, Canada. What's this?

Comparison of heavy water to standard tap water. - Picture of ...   - Canada House, London Picture: Comparison of heavy water to standard tap water. - Check out TripAdvisor members' 50776 candid photos and videos.

Tap water in London: OK to drink? - TAPP Water   - Feb 24, 2018 ... Is the tap water safe to drink in london? Living in or traveling to the UK? We got you covered. Find out about the tap water in the British capital ...

Hard water - Wikipedia   - Hard water is water that has high mineral content Hard water is formed when water percolates through deposits of limestone and chalk which are largely made up of calcium and magnesium carbonates. Hard drinking water may have moderate health benefits, but can pose critical ..... Water in London, for example, is mostly obtained from the River Thames and ...

Where in the world is it safe to drink tap water? - Quora   - You have asked if the tap water is safe to drink in the following locations (each time in ... London and Paris; UK (continuously - which would lead to certain death )) ... and Canada and nearly all of western and northern Europe, tap water is fine.

Is it safe to drink tap water in Canada? - Quora   - If you are visiting rural Canada and staying somewhere, It's as simple as asking. Rural Canada covers a lot of real estate. As Thomas William ...

Drinking water in London? - London Forum - TripAdvisor   - Mar 22, 2009 ... Vancouver, Canada .... Since all the posts firmly averred that tap water in London is safe, I felt bad about reporting my experience, until I came ...

History of water supply and sanitation - Wikipedia   - The history of water supply and sanitation is one of a logistical challenge to provide clean water ... Furthermore, treatment processes to purify drinking water and to treat wastewater have been .... In London, the contents of the city's outhouses were collected every night by ..... Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists.

Fluoridation by country - Wikipedia   - Water fluoridation is the controlled addition of fluoride to a public water supply to reduce tooth ... Typically a fluoridated compound is added to drinking water, a process that in the U.S. costs an average of about ... water in about 24 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ireland, Malaysia, the U.S., and Vietnam.

Dasani - Wikipedia   - Dasani is a brand of bottled water from the Coca-Cola company, launched in 1999, after the ... The first source of Dasani water in Canada was Calgary, Alberta . ... was treated tap water from Sidcup, a suburban area on the outskirts of London.

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Is it safe to drink tap water in London? : r/AskLondon   - May 14, 2023 ... I always thought that London had one of the best water purifying systems in the world?

Tap Water- UK Visitor : r/newhaven   - Jul 28, 2024 ... I've drunk tap water in London, Belfast, Edinburgh and Dublin with no problems. ... All municipal water in the United States is potable. Upvote 3

Safe drinking water as a foreigner? : r/uktravel   - Jun 9, 2022 ... More than 99.9% of the public water supply in the UK meets regulatory standards (in the US, it's 91%). You might find it has a stronger taste ...

Reasons for not drinking tap water in London? : r/london   - Jan 4, 2024 ... I have a Brita at home that we use (bought as a gift for us) but definitely if I'm too lazy to get it from the fridge I'll use the tap. Wondered ...

Is tap water safe to drink in European cities?   - Apr 3, 2025 ... We visited London, Paris, Rome, and many other cities. Our paranoid parents wouldn't let us drink tap water and insisted that we drink mineral ...

Question for native speakers: how do you call "carbonated water ...   - Dec 11, 2023 ... "In the United States, plain carbonated water was generally known ... UK (London): sparkling water in a restaurant, fizzy water at home.

Visualization of Tap water usage across Canada using the dataset ...   - Apr 11, 2018 ... Take for example Northwest Territories: 50% say it's not safe to drink tapwater but looking into the data there are a total of only two votes: ...

Is tap water actually unsafe to drink, or are Redditors just uninformed ...   - Oct 18, 2024 ... 214 votes, 98 comments. Apologies if this post is not appropriate for this subreddit, but is tap water in the United States really as bad as ...

Can I drink tap water in Athens? : r/GreeceTravel   - Sep 6, 2023 ... Food and water standards in Greece are similar to those in the United States. Most travelers do not need to take special food or water ...

Are we not supposed to be drinking our tap water? : r/southafrica   - Dec 24, 2021 ... Drinking water quality in the United States is generally safe. In ... East London water out of the tap is definitely not suitable for ...

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Why drink tap water?



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