North America
Can you drink tap water in United States?
YesYes, drinkable
Can you drink the tap water in United States?
Tap water is safe to drink. Tap water is safe almost everywhere. Local boil-water notices happen occasionally after storms or pipe breaks and are announced by the city.
Key facts
- Safely managed drinking water: 98% of people (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP).
Tap water by place in United States
| Place | Verdict | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | Yes, drinkable | Famously good tap water from upstate reservoirs; free refill fountains in parks. Building water tanks are fine too. |
| Las Vegas | Yes, drinkable | Tap water from Lake Mead is treated and safe but hard and mineral-tasting; most locals filter it. |
| Los Angeles | Yes, drinkable | Tap water is safe but hard and often chlorinated; many residents filter it. Refill stations are common. |
| Orlando | Yes, drinkable | Tap water is safe but can taste of sulphur from groundwater; many visitors prefer bottled or filtered. |
| Miami | Yes, drinkable | Tap water from the Biscayne Aquifer is treated and safe; some find it hard and chlorinated, and many use filters. |
| San Francisco | Yes, drinkable | Tap water comes from Hetch Hetchy in Yosemite and is excellent; refill stations are common. |
| Honolulu | Yes, drinkable | Tap water is safe and comes from an aquifer; refill stations are common on beaches and in parks. |
| Washington, D.C. | Yes, drinkable | Tap water is safe; DC Water treats it from the Potomac River. Lead pipes exist in some older buildings, so use filters if you stay long. |
| Chicago | Yes, drinkable | Tap water from Lake Michigan is safe; lead service lines remain in many older buildings, so use a filter for long stays. |
| Boston | Yes, drinkable | Tap water comes from Quabbin Reservoir and is excellent; refill fountains are common in parks. |
| New Orleans | Yes, drinkable | Tap water from the Mississippi River is treated and safe; it can taste of chlorine, so many residents filter it. |
| San Diego | Yes, drinkable | Tap water is treated and safe, though hard and mineral-tasting; refill stations are common on the waterfront. |
| Seattle | Yes, drinkable | Tap water comes from Cedar River and Tolt watersheds and is excellent; refill stations are common. |
| Maui | Yes, drinkable | Tap water is safe and comes from aquifers and mountain streams; avoid drinking stream water on hikes. |
| Nashville | Yes, drinkable | Tap water from the Cumberland River is treated and safe; refill stations are common downtown. |
| Austin | Yes, drinkable | Tap water from the Colorado River is treated and safe; hard and mineral-tasting, so many locals filter it. |
| Miami Beach | Yes, drinkable | Tap water is treated and safe; it can taste of chlorine, so many locals use filters. |
| Key West | Yes, drinkable | Safe; it is piped in from the mainland through a Florida Keys Aqueduct pipeline. Some people filter it for taste. |
| Denver | Yes, drinkable | Safe and good-tasting snowmelt from Rocky Mountain reservoirs. Water is soft, so it may taste unusual. |
| Philadelphia | Yes, drinkable | Safe; Philadelphia Water Department tests regularly. Some people filter for taste and chlorine. |
| Portland | Yes, drinkable | Safe and very good, from the Bull Run watershed. Rarely needs filtering. |
| Atlanta | Yes, drinkable | Safe; Atlanta Watershed Management tests regularly. Boil-water advisories after main breaks are announced by the city. |
| San Antonio | Yes, drinkable | Safe; San Antonio Water System draws from the Edwards Aquifer. Hard water, so many people filter for taste. |
| Charleston | Yes, drinkable | Safe; Charleston Water System supplies chlorinated water that some find salty or chlorinated in taste. Filter if you prefer. |
| Savannah | Yes, drinkable | Safe; Savannah's water is chlorinated and some find it tastes strongly of it. Filter for taste if you prefer. |
| Fort Lauderdale | Yes, drinkable | Safe; the city's treated water is potable, though some find it tastes strongly of chlorine. Filter for taste. |
| Kauai | Yes, drinkable | Safe. Some people filter for taste; refill bottles from taps and avoid stream water. |
| Big Island | Yes, drinkable | Safe. Some rural homes use rainwater catchment tanks; ask before drinking from them. |
| Sedona | Yes, drinkable | Safe. Water is hard and may taste mineral; carry plenty of water for hiking. |
| Scottsdale | Yes, drinkable | Safe; City of Scottsdale water is treated and tested. It is hard, so many people filter for taste. |
| Lake Tahoe | Yes, drinkable | Safe; Tahoe's tap water is clean and treated. Do not drink untreated lake or stream water. |
| Napa Valley | Yes, drinkable | Safe. Water is treated and tested; some find it chlorinated and filter it. |
| Aspen | Yes, drinkable | Safe, from mountain snowmelt. Carry water at altitude and avoid untreated streams. |
| Palm Springs | Yes, drinkable | Safe. Groundwater is hard and may taste mineral; many people filter. Drink lots of water in the heat. |
| Dallas | Yes, drinkable | Dallas Water Utilities tap water is safe; it can taste of chlorine, and many people use a filter. |
| Houston | Yes, drinkable | City tap water is safe; chlorine taste is noticeable in summer. Boil-water notices follow major storms. |
| Phoenix | Yes, drinkable | City water is safe. It is hard and tastes of minerals, so many residents filter it. |
| Tampa | Yes, drinkable | City tap water is safe, though it can taste of chlorine and minerals; many people use a filter. |
| Santa Fe | Yes, drinkable | City water is safe and clean; the climate is dry, so drink extra at altitude. |
| Jackson Hole | Yes, drinkable | Tap water is safe and clean. Treat stream water on trails: giardia is present. |
| Salt Lake City | Yes, drinkable | City tap water from mountain streams is safe and well-regarded. Treat stream water on trails. |
| Grand Canyon | Yes, drinkable | Tap water in the village is safe; refill at the filling stations near the visitor center and trailheads. Carry at least 3 L when hiking. |
| Yosemite | Yes, drinkable | Valley tap water is treated and safe; refill at spigots. Treat any stream water before drinking. |
| Park City | Yes, drinkable | Tap water is safe and clean. Treat stream water on trails. |
| Asheville | Yes, drinkable | City water is safe. After Helene in 2024, the system was repaired; boil-water notices after storms are announced by the city. |
| Santa Barbara | Yes, drinkable | City water is safe but hard; a desalination plant supplements drought supplies. Many residents use filters. |
| Vail | Yes, drinkable | Tap water is safe and clean. Treat stream water on trails. |
| Boulder | Yes, drinkable | City tap water from mountain snowmelt is safe and good; treat stream water on trails. |
| Anchorage | Yes, drinkable | City water from glacier-fed sources is safe and clean. Treat stream water on trails. |
| St. Petersburg | Yes, drinkable | City tap water is safe, though it can taste of chlorine; some people use a filter. |
| Minneapolis | Yes, drinkable | City tap water from the Mississippi is safe and well-regarded. |
| Pittsburgh | Yes, drinkable | Tap water is safe. Some older homes have lead pipes, so run the tap or use a filter for long stays. |
| San Jose | Yes, drinkable | Tap water is safe and good; it is hard in some areas, and many people use filters. |
| Memphis | Yes, drinkable | Memphis tap water is drawn from deep wells and is safe to drink. |
| Detroit | Yes, drinkable | Detroit tap water is treated and meets safety standards; lead pipes exist in some older homes, so use filters if you rent long term. |
| Moab | Yes, drinkable | Moab tap water is safe, if hard; carry water bottles for hikes. |
| Charlotte | Yes, drinkable | Charlotte Water supplies safe tap water. |
Tap water by place
Sources
- World Bank: safely managed drinking water
- ESTA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- U.S. Department of State, travel
- Speedtest Global Index: United States
- World Bank open data
Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.