Capital city, Russia
Can you drink tap water in Moscow?
Boil itFilter or boil
Can you drink the tap water in Moscow?
Tap water is treated, but filter or boil it. Treated but pipes are old; locals filter or boil. Drink bottled water when travelling.
Key facts
- In Moscow: Treated but pipes are old; locals filter or boil. Drink bottled water when travelling.
- Across Russia: City water is treated but pipes are old; locals boil or filter it. Drink bottled water outside big cities.
- Safely managed drinking water: 76% of people in Russia (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP).
Tap water across Russia
| Place | Tap water |
|---|---|
| Moscow | Filter or boil |
| Saint Petersburg | Filter or boil |
| Kazan | Filter or boil |
| Sochi | Filter or boil |
| Kaliningrad | Filter or boil |
| Irkutsk | Filter or boil |
| Yekaterinburg | Filter or boil |
| Vladivostok | Filter or boil |
| Murmansk | Filter or boil |
| Novosibirsk | Filter or boil |
| Nizhny Novgorod | Filter or boil |
| Olkhon Island | No, drink bottled |
| Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky | Filter or boil |
Quick answers
Is tap water safe to drink in Moscow?
Tap water is treated, but filter or boil it. Treated but pipes are old; locals filter or boil. Drink bottled water when travelling.
Can you drink tap water in Russia?
City water is treated but pipes are old; locals boil or filter it. Drink bottled water outside big cities.
More about Moscow
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Sources
- World Bank: safely managed drinking water (WHO/UNICEF)
- CDC: food and water safety for travelers
- Moscow Metro
- Sheremetyevo Airport
- Domodedovo Airport
- Aeroexpress
Verdicts reflect official utility statements and what locals actually do. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.