Africa
Can you drink tap water in South Africa?
YesYes, drinkable
Can you drink the tap water in South Africa?
Tap water is safe to drink. Safe to drink in Cape Town, Johannesburg and most cities; some small-town supplies fail quality tests, and Gauteng has frequent water outages.
Key facts
- Safely managed drinking water: 68% of people (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP).
Tap water by place in South Africa
| Place | Verdict | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cape Town | Yes, drinkable | Tap water is safe to drink and of good quality. Dams and drought rules have been eased, but check restrictions. |
| Johannesburg | Yes, drinkable | Treated tap water is drinkable, but Johannesburg Water has frequent outages and dirty-water spells. Carry bottled water and use filters if the supply fails. |
| Kruger National Park | Filter or boil | Tap water in rest camps is generally safe; Hazyview and small towns vary, so use bottled or filtered water. |
| Durban | Yes, drinkable | Tap water is treated and safe, but supply interruptions and boil notices follow storms and pipe failures; keep bottled water. |
| Stellenbosch | Yes, drinkable | Municipal tap water is safe to drink. Farms with their own boreholes vary; ask your host. |
| Pretoria | Yes, drinkable | Treated water in Pretoria's main suburbs is drinkable; outages and boil notices occur, and Hammanskraal's supply has been unsafe. Keep bottled water. |
| Hermanus | Yes, drinkable | Municipal tap water is safe to drink. Check for local restrictions during dry spells. |
| Knysna | Yes, drinkable | Municipal tap water is drinkable. Knysna has had drought restrictions and occasional discoloured water; keep bottled water. |
| Plettenberg Bay | Yes, drinkable | Municipal tap water is drinkable. Drought restrictions and brief outages occur; bottled water is a safe backup. |
| Port Elizabeth | Filter or boil | Nelson Mandela Bay had severe water shortages and quality problems; check local notices and use bottled or filtered water. |
| Franschhoek | Yes, drinkable | Municipal tap water is safe to drink. Farm stays on boreholes may differ; ask your host. |
| Umhlanga | Yes, drinkable | Tap water is treated and safe, but storms and pipe failures bring outages and boil notices; keep bottled water. |
| Jeffreys Bay | Yes, drinkable | Municipal tap water is generally drinkable. Occasional boil notices and brackish taste after drought; check with your host. |
Tap water by place
Sources
- World Bank: safely managed drinking water
- US State Department travel advisory
- UK FCDO travel advice: South Africa
- SARS Customs online traveller declaration
- Department of Home Affairs: Remote Work Visa requirements
- Speedtest Global Index: South Africa
- World Bank open data
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