Drinking tap water in Portugal is considered safe in all regions and the water meets all EU standards.

Lisbon and Centre Region
Lisbon tap water is of a medium hardness, rich in minerals and has chlorine added during treatment.
It can have a strong taste, so most Lisbon residents drink bottled water and use tap water for most everything else.

Porto and North of Portugal
The tap water in Porto is safe to drink and conforms to all EU standards.
The water contains chlorine, that is added in treatment plants.
Due to its high mineral content and the added chlorine, the taste can be a little strange.

Algarve and South of Portugal
The Algarve, in the south of Portugal has hard water, high mineral content and added chlorine in the treatment stage. Most locals use bottled water for drinking and tap water for cooking, laundry, bathing, etc.

So, should you drink the tap water in Portugal?

Most residents, and tourists, prefer to use bottled water, even though the public water conforms to all EU standards.

When we asked local residents what’s the reason they are not drinking Portuguese tap water, the answers are as follows:

– They don’t trust the water that comes out of their tap because…
It travels hundreds of kilometres through pipes and some are more than 50 years old.
Many old abandoned buildings with led pipes connected to the water system, with water backflow.
The treatment of drinking water with chlorine gives it a strong taste and many people are suspicious of the health risks of consuming chlorine daily.

The solution for perfect drinking tap water in Portugal?

There are many kind of water filters on the market and it can be very confusing to know which one to buy.
The best and most advanced is a Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System with a built in mineral cartridge that adds minerals to the filtered water for a perfect PH.
The reverse osmosis filtration system removes 99,9% of all contaminants in the water, including all minerals. Hence the Mineral cartridge.
Now you can have the cleanest healthiest drinking water on tap in your own home, better than most bottled waters.
No more carrying plastic water bottles, no more plastic pollution, and a big cost saving.