Europe
Can you drink tap water in United Kingdom?
YesYes, drinkable
Can you drink the tap water in United Kingdom?
Tap water is safe to drink. Safe everywhere. Pubs and restaurants serving alcohol must give free tap water on request; refill points are common in cities.
Key facts
- Safely managed drinking water: 100% of people (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP).
Tap water by place in United Kingdom
| Place | Verdict | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| London | Yes, drinkable | Safe from the tap; hard water, so kettles scale. Free refill points at many stations and parks. |
| Edinburgh | Yes, drinkable | Safe and soft, among the UK's best tap water. Free refills in cafés and pubs. |
| Manchester | Yes, drinkable | Safe and soft. Free refill points at stations and many cafés. |
| Liverpool | Yes, drinkable | Safe; Liverpool's water is soft and good. Free refills in many cafés. |
| Oxford | Yes, drinkable | Safe and hard (limescale). Free refills in many cafés and colleges. |
| Bath | Yes, drinkable | Safe. The spa's thermal water is not for drinking; use the Pump Room taps only for tasting. |
| Cambridge | Yes, drinkable | Safe but very hard (limescale). Free refills at cafés and colleges. |
| Glasgow | Yes, drinkable | Safe, soft and among the UK's best. Free refills at most cafés. |
| Brighton | Yes, drinkable | Safe but very hard (limescale). Free refills at many cafés and pubs. |
| Scottish Highlands | Yes, drinkable | Safe and soft, among the best in the UK. Burns and lochs should be filtered or boiled first. |
| Isle of Skye | Yes, drinkable | Safe and soft. Burns and lochs should be filtered or boiled first. |
| York | Yes, drinkable | Safe and pleasant; pubs must give free tap water on request. York's water is hard, so kettles scale up. |
| Bristol | Yes, drinkable | Safe and good; pubs give free tap water on request, and refill points are common in the center. |
| Lake District | Yes, drinkable | Safe and plentiful; fell streams still need treating. Pubs give tap water free, and many cafés refill bottles. |
| Cornwall | Yes, drinkable | Safe; South West Water supply. Pubs and cafés give free tap water on request. |
| Cotswolds | Yes, drinkable | Safe and good, though hard in limestone areas. Pubs give free tap water on request. |
| Belfast | Yes, drinkable | Safe and good; pubs and restaurants give free tap water. Water is soft, so kettles stay clean. |
| Cardiff | Yes, drinkable | Safe and good; Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water supply. Cafés and pubs give free tap water. |
| Birmingham | Yes, drinkable | Safe and good, from Welsh Elan Valley reservoirs. Pubs and cafés give free tap water. |
| Newcastle | Yes, drinkable | Safe and good from Kielder Water. Pubs and restaurants give free tap water. |
| Leeds | Yes, drinkable | Safe and good; Yorkshire Water supply. Pubs and restaurants give free tap water. |
| Snowdonia | Yes, drinkable | Safe everywhere. Carry a bottle on hikes; mountain streams are not guaranteed safe to drink. |
Tap water by place
Sources
- World Bank: safely managed drinking water
- US State Department travel advisory
- GOV.UK: Electronic travel authorisation (ETA)
- NHS: Visiting or moving to England
- GOV.UK: Driving in Great Britain on a non-GB licence
- Speedtest Global Index: United Kingdom
- World Bank open data
Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.