Summary

  • Frankfurt, Vienna, and Copenhagen are among the cities with the cleanest tap water, ensuring excellent taste and remarkable purity.
  • These cities prioritize water quality and have strict monitoring and treatment processes to eliminate harmful compounds or chemicals.
  • By opting for tap water in these cities, travelers can enjoy safe, free water while also reducing plastic waste.

Many cities feature beautiful buildings, clean paved streets, and a welcoming atmosphere. However, one important aspect that we often neglect to analyze on our travels is the city’s water quality. After all, it’s crucial to our health to ingest water free from harmful chemicals or pathogens!

Although it’s generally a good idea not to drink from the tap of an unfamiliar city, there are some places in the world where the water is sparkling clean and safe to drink. Now the question is "What city has the best tap water?" Keep reading for a list of cities with the cleanest tap water! If the city you’re visiting isn’t one of these, make sure you do thorough research before drinking anything that isn’t bottled!

UPDATE: 2023/08/07 15:22 EST BY REENA JAIN

More Of The Cities With The Cleanest Water

Considering that one of the main concerns for any traveler visiting a new location is drinking the tap water, this list has been expanded to include two more cities with the best tap water to give visitors confidence while drinking water from the tap.

15 Frankfurt (Germany)

financial district in Frankfurt
Shutterstock 

Summer panorama of the financial district in Frankfurt, Germany

While the German city of Munich is already on the list and boasts about the superior quality and taste of its tap water, which is obtained from the same source as that of mineral water, Frankfurt is also worth mentioning. The tap water treatment in Frankfurt is among the best in the world, ensuring water meets the highest conceivable standards. Following treatment, the water has an excellent taste as well as remarkable purity. As a result, Frankfurt’s tap water is far better than that of most surrounding cities. It is pure and devoid of any dangerous compounds or chemicals frequently found in the drinking water of other places.

  • Source of tap water in Frankfurt: Rhine River

14 Vienna (Austria)

Historic Buildings In The Evening In Vienna, Austria
Image by tookapic from Pixabay 
Historic Buildings In The Evening In Vienna, Austria 

The first thought that crosses a traveler's mind when in Vienna is, "Is it safe to drink tap water in Vienna?" The answer is, of course, yes. Vienna's tap water is of the highest quality, making it absolutely safe to drink. In fact, two straight pipelines from the Alps provide Vienna's water, the quality of which just can't be rivaled. In tourist places, there are several drinking fountains, saving visitors from having to purchase bottled water. In the summer, Vienna installs cooling stations all over the city to make it easier for visitors and locals to quench their thirst without any hassle or spending money on the bottled water.

  • Source of tap water in Vienna: Lower Austrian-Styrian Alps

13 Copenhagen (Denmark)

Copenhagen, Denmark
Photo by Febiyan on Unsplash
A pathway in Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen is a beautiful city in Denmark known for being home to the famous Tivoli Gardens as well as gorgeous canals and harbor. However, another amazing aspect of the city lies in its drinking water. In fact, the drinking water is so clean and good tasting that the city doesn’t add any amount of chlorine or other purifying chemicals!

The secret behind the water lies in strict daily quality controls to ensure perfectly safe H2O. Furthermore, Copenhagen is strictly against plastic waste and has put up a plethora of free public water fountains all over the city. If you visit the gorgeous capital of Denmark, be sure to toss the plastic bottles and opt for fresh, free water instead!

  • Source of tap water in Copenhagen: Groundwater from Chalk aquifer

RELATED: Wales: 10 Reasons Why It Should Be On Your Bucket List

12 Reykjavik (Iceland)

A view of Reykjavik, the capital city of Iceland, in the late winter season
Shutterstock
A view of Reykjavik, the capital city of Iceland, in the late winter season

Reykjavik is a historical gold mine featuring countless museums and natural sites focused on their Viking history. In addition to preserving ancient culture, the officials of Reykjavik also maintain very stringent quality control of their water in order to guarantee its residents' safety and health.

Additionally, 95 percent of the water comes from springs in the ground anyway, so there aren't any chances of pollution compared to river water. Tests have concluded that Icelandic water, in general, does not contain harmful amounts of chlorine, calcium, or nitrate. Even so, tap water is very well monitored to eliminate any possible chances of contamination. Bottoms up!

  • Source of tap water in Reykjavik: Groundwater

11 Nuuk (Greenland)

Nuuk, Greenland

Image by Corgijuana from Pixabay
Winter scenery of Nuuk, Greenland

In addition to featuring a gorgeous seaside landscape of colorful houses and amazing nature, Nuuk also provides clean, safe water for their residents. Although there are programs to provide clean water sourced from icebergs, the majority of the supply is collected from lakes and rivers with regular monitoring and controls.

The government of Greenland is overall very involved in not only quality control but regular inspection of the control plants to ensure that there’s no foul play. The result is a ready supply of fresh, clean water for both residents and visitors to enjoy! Although bars and alcohol, in general, are rare in Nuuk, you can bet that you’ll have access to a vast supply of safe, thirst-quenching water!

  • Source of tap water in Nuuk: Glaciers and springs

RELATED: 10 Most Romantic Places To Go For Your Honeymoon On A Budget

10 Helsinki (Finland)

Helsinki Cathedral, Finland
Photo by Tapio Haaja on Unsplash
Helsinki Cathedral in Finland

Known for clean air and beautiful, untouched nature, Helsinki is already an (albeit cold) paradise. However, they’ve also managed to provide extremely high-quality tap water to all of their residents. Collected from Lake Päijänne, the harvesting of the water is described as both ecological and cost-efficient, saving the city from mountains of plastic waste.

The Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority takes the subject of water very seriously and maintains daily monitoring of the water quality. Not only does tap water meet the strict standards for chemical and microbiological limits, but it also appeals to the senses as some of the freshest water in the world.

  • Source of tap water in Helsinki: Lake Päijänne

9 Munich (Germany)

Munich buildings and houses, Germany
Shutterstock
Munich buildings and houses, Germany

Aside from the infamous beer during Oktoberfest, Munich is also known for maintaining surprisingly clean tap water. In fact, according to the German Consumer Organization, the tap water found in Munich is actually much healthier than bottled water! It contains more minerals and, of course, is way more environmentally friendly.

Citizens are encouraged to fill their bottles from the tap instead of creating plastic waste, and you can rest assured of the water’s safety and quality. In fact, one known source of Munich’s water is from the Alps, where the mountain springs are known to be fresh and clear. Even so, the water goes through vigorous filtration processes to guarantee the removal of any harmful pathogens while keeping the minerals.

  • Source of tap water in Munich: Alpine foothills of Bavaria

8 Oslo (Norway)

Oslo Norway
Photo by Oscar Daniel Rangel on Unsplash
An aerial view of Oslo, Norway

Norway is already home to one of the popular higher-end water brands, Voss. However, Oslo (and other cities) also feature impressively clean tap water, as well. Due to the country’s focus on hydropower, tap water in the capital city of Oslo has been known to be always safe to drink.

In fact, one report ranked Oslo’s water cleanliness to be 94 out of 100, which is astonishingly high on the scale. The reason behind the safe and clean water in Oslo (and Norway) is that the government plays a huge role in constantly monitoring and maintaining water quality. If you’re in Oslo, make sure to bring a reusable water bottle to fill up instead of purchasing plastic bottles!

  • Source of tap water in Oslo: Maridalsvannet Lake

RELATED: 10 Weirdest Items You Can Find In A Vending Machine Around The World

7 Bern (Switzerland)

A river with houses and trees on both sides in Bern, Switzerland
Photo by Arvydas Venckus on Unsplash
A river with houses and trees on both sides in Bern, Switzerland

Aside from creating amazing inventions such as the Swiss Army Knife and Velcro, Switzerland is also home to cities such as Bern, which has some of the best water in the world. About 40 percent of the water comes from natural springs, such as ones found in the Alps.

These mountainous springs are self-purifying, seeping through layers of rock similar to groundwater. Even so, cities such as Bern practices further treatment of both spring water and groundwater. Several reservoirs can be found around the city that further purifies spring water as well as transfer it to all household pipes in a quick, cheap, and ecologically effective manner.

  • Source of tap water in Bern: Aare River

6 Stockholm (Sweden)

Stockholm, Sweden
Image by brightfreak from Pixabay
A view of trees, water bodies, and structures in Stockholm Sweden

Although the lakes in Sweden had been the victim of acidification, the country has made advancements since then to purify the water. The water supply in the city of Stockholm is the result of all the hard work, receiving a certification of quality by the ISO in 2017, stating that the water is of high and consistent quality.

The secret lies in purifying the lake water through several stages, incorporating both mechanical and chemical methods to remove any pollutants and improve the overall taste of the water. Don’t be concerned if it’s slightly salty, though; it could mean that the water is rich in minerals.

  • Source of tap water in Stockholm: Surrounding lakes

5 Toronto (Canada)

Toronto in lights, Toronto Canada
Photo by Conor Samuel on Unsplash
Toronto in lights, Toronto Canada

Toronto is a beautiful city in Ontario, Canada, home to the infamous CN Tower and plenty of other attractions. In addition to maintaining a beautiful city, the officials also keep a tight grip on the quality of the tap water. In fact, tests are run on drinking water once every 6 hours to guarantee safety and taste!

Even without constant inspections, the water collected from Lake Ontario must pass through a rigorous test of mechanical and chemical filters in order to be admitted to the supply. The result is totally safe tap water that tastes clean and remains abundant. Since the water is thoroughly tested for chemical debris and bacteria, you can rest assured about drinking Toronto’s water.

  • Source of tap water in Toronto: Lake Ontario

RELATED: 10 Intriguing Questions We All Have About Canada

4 Des Moines (USA)

Iowa State Capitol, Des Moines, Iowa
Photo by Jasmeet Singh on Unsplash
Iowa State Capitol, Des Moines, Iowa, USA

Des Moines, known for its iconic dishes and food scene, is ranked by Forbes as the top clean water city of the United States. It surpasses the Environmental Protection Agency’s standards by far, with extremely low levels of bacteria, lead, haloacetic acid, and turbidity in comparison to its competitors. The secret is simply a rigid, tightly run filtration system from the second the water is harvested from the Raccoon River and Des Moines River. In fact, automatic nitrate detectors are installed within the rivers to allow constant monitoring of mineral levels. The website is updated every few days so that everyday citizens can be in the know for various chemical readings!

  • Source of tap water in Des Moines: Raccoon River

3 Austin, Texas

Aerial view of Austin, Texas
Shutterstock
Aerial view of Austin, Texas

Also, according to Forbes, the second-best city in the United States is the capital of Texas. Note that this information could be out of date as the report was released in 2008, and a lot can change in 14 years. But still, go to the Lone Star State's "Live Music Capital of the World," and one should be greeted with some of the best potable water in the country. In the 2000s, Austin was noted for being among the top 10 metropolitan statistical areas for the lowest levels of lead, turbidity, and haloacetic acid.

  • Source of tap water in Austin: Colorado River

2 New Zealand

Queenstown Hill, Queenstown, New Zealand
Photo by Ömer Faruk Bekdemir on Unsplash
Queenstown Hill, Queenstown, New Zealand

Yes, New Zealand is a country and not a city, but as a unity state, it can exercise very strict and uniform regulations for its drinking water. This means anyone can rest assured no matter what city in New Zealand one is visiting. The stunning country has plentiful water resources to draw from. The drinking water regulations in New Zealand are some of the strictest in the world. No one needs to bother buying bottled water in New Zealand (bottled water is surprisingly expensive there, anyway).

  • Source of tap water in New Zealand: Surface water, ground water, and rain water

1 Finland

aurora above igloo house in Finland
Shutterstock
Green powerful bright aurora above igloo house in Finland

Finland is also not a city and its capital city, Helsinki, has already been listed. But Finland as a whole gets a special mention here as it is ranked by waterdefense.org as the best tap water in the world. This means that people can relax as they travel anywhere in Finland with the confidence that the water will be great. Most of the drinking water in Finland comes from the country's 168,000 lakes (with the rest coming from tributaries and rivers).

  • Source of tap water in Finland: Lake Päijänne (major part) and groundwater