Can I Drink Tap Water in Lisbon?

Lisbon's tap water is perfectly safe to drink and fully complies with EU Drinking Water Directive standards. EPAL conducts over 300,000 quality tests annually across more than 25,000 water samples to ensure safety. The water is moderately hard with moderate chlorine content from the disinfection process, which is harmless but noticeable to some.

Lisbon's water supply is managed by EPAL (Empresa Portuguesa das Águas Livres), Portugal's largest and oldest water utility serving one-third of the national population. The water comes from mixed sources including surface water from Castelo de Bode reservoir and the Tagus River, treated at two main Water Treatment Plants (Asseiceira and Vale da Pedra), plus groundwater from the Alenquer well. EPAL implements stringent quality control, monitoring 100+ sites with 265 collection points throughout the distribution network. The company conducts over 300,000 tests annually, analyzing more than 25,000 water samples per year from the Lisbon distribution system. Portugal's drinking water infrastructure complies with the EU's revised 2020 Drinking Water Directive, and mainland Portugal achieved excellent tap water quality for the 10th consecutive year in 2024, with a Safe Water indicator of 98.86%. The treatment process involves filtration, flocculation, and chlorination to eliminate bacteria and microorganisms. Residual chlorine is maintained in the network up to the tap, which causes a noticeable but harmless taste and smell. The water is moderately hard (approximately 13-17 dH) due to dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals from natural sources, making it safe for all uses including drinking, cooking, and hygiene.

Drink tap water freely throughout Lisbon without concern. It's safe, high-quality, and saves significant money compared to bottled water. Most Lisbon residents choose bottled water due to taste preference, not safety concerns.