🇮🇪 City — Ireland

Can I Drink Tap Water in Dublin?

Safe
4.1/5
Quick Answer
Dublin tap water is generally safe to drink in normal conditions, with oversight by Uisce Eireann and EPA Ireland. The main caution for travelers is older building plumbing and checking local notices.
Dublin tap water is generally safe for drinking, brushing teeth, and ice, and Ireland publishes water quality oversight and utility information. Travelers usually do not need bottled water for health reasons, but checking local advisories is sensible because occasional boil-water notices can occur in specific supply zones. Older property plumbing is the main practical caveat.
Water Quality Details
Dublin is served by Uisce Eireann (Irish Water), which provides consumer information about water quality and local water notices, while EPA Ireland provides national drinking-water compliance oversight. This supports a generally safe rating for travelers under normal conditions. In most hotels and restaurants in Dublin, tap water is suitable for drinking, brushing teeth, and ice. The main traveler caveats are local and building-specific: temporary boil-water notices in particular zones, maintenance-related water quality changes, and older internal plumbing that may affect taste or increase lead risk. For most short stays, simply checking utility notices and flushing cold water in older properties is enough. A filter is optional and mostly useful for taste or extra reassurance.
Water sourceSurface water
TreatmentFlocculation, Filtration, Chlorination
HardnessModerate
TDS180 ppm
Taste rating3/5
Taste noteschlorine taste may be noticeable · taste varies by area and mains work · older properties may affect taste
Contaminant Data
Contaminant Measured Limit Status
Lead (old internal plumbing, localized) — — OK
Trihalomethanes (DBPs, monitored) — — OK
Residual chlorine — — OK
Turbidity (incident-related/localized) — — OK
Practical Tips
🧊 Ice is safe 🪧 Brushing teeth safe 🍽 Restaurant water safe 🔥 Boiling effective 💧 Filter recommended
  1. Dublin tap water is generally safe in normal conditions
  2. Check Uisce Eireann notices for local boil-water advisories
  3. In older properties, flush cold water before drinking and cooking
  4. Use a lead-reduction filter if you are concerned about old plumbing
  5. Ice and restaurant water are generally safe in reputable venues
Bottled water~$1.2 USD (Everywhere)
Traveler Advice
Risk level: Low Diarrhea risk: Low
Dublin is generally a low-risk tap-water city for travelers, and most visitors can use tap water for drinking, ice, and brushing teeth. The best precaution is practical: check local utility notices and be a little more careful in older buildings by flushing the tap and using a filter if you want extra reassurance.
Dublin tap water is generally low risk; traveler concerns usually involve taste, temporary local notices, or old-building plumbing rather than citywide water safety.
  • Dublin tap water is generally safe in normal conditions
  • Check Irish Water (Uisce Eireann) notices for local boil-water advisories
  • If staying in an older property, flush cold water and consider a lead-reduction filter
  • Use only cold tap water for drinking and cooking
Sources & References
Data confidence: High Last updated: 2026-02-23