Town in Uttarakhand, India
Can you drink tap water in Rishikesh?
Can you drink the tap water in Rishikesh?
Don't drink the tap water. Drink bottled or filtered water. Many cafés and guesthouses offer RO refills; the Ganges is sacred but not safe to drink.
Key facts
- In Rishikesh: Drink bottled or filtered water. Many cafés and guesthouses offer RO refills; the Ganges is sacred but not safe to drink.
- Across India: Drink bottled or RO-filtered water; many hotels and cafés offer refills. Avoid ice and raw salads at cheap places.
- Safely managed drinking water: 76% of people in India (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP).
Tap water across India
| Place | Tap water |
|---|---|
| Delhi | No, drink bottled |
| Goa | No, drink bottled |
| Mumbai | No, drink bottled |
| Jaipur | No, drink bottled |
| Agra | No, drink bottled |
| Varanasi | No, drink bottled |
| Rishikesh | No, drink bottled |
| Bangalore | No, drink bottled |
| Udaipur | No, drink bottled |
| Kochi | No, drink bottled |
| Kolkata | No, drink bottled |
| Hyderabad | No, drink bottled |
| Manali | No, drink bottled |
| Dharamshala | No, drink bottled |
| Leh | No, drink bottled |
| Chennai | No, drink bottled |
| Pondicherry | No, drink bottled |
| Varkala | No, drink bottled |
| Hampi | No, drink bottled |
| Amritsar | No, drink bottled |
| Jodhpur | No, drink bottled |
| Jaisalmer | No, drink bottled |
| Pushkar | No, drink bottled |
| Palolem | No, drink bottled |
| Anjuna | No, drink bottled |
| Darjeeling | No, drink bottled |
| Munnar | No, drink bottled |
| Alleppey | No, drink bottled |
| Andaman Islands | No, drink bottled |
| Shimla | No, drink bottled |
Quick answers
Is tap water safe to drink in Rishikesh?
Don't drink the tap water. Drink bottled or filtered water. Many cafés and guesthouses offer RO refills; the Ganges is sacred but not safe to drink.
Can you drink tap water in India?
Drink bottled or RO-filtered water; many hotels and cafés offer refills. Avoid ice and raw salads at cheap places.
More about Rishikesh
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Sources
- World Bank: safely managed drinking water (WHO/UNICEF)
- CDC: food and water safety for travelers
- Uttarakhand Tourism
- AIIMS Rishikesh
- Dehradun Airport (Airports Authority of India)
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 Spotted something out of date?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.