Can You Drink Tap Water In Spain?
Water is the basic building block for a healthy life. And clean water devoid of all contaminants is necessary for every community to thrive. This article will help you discover where tap water comes from in Spain and whether it is safe to drink water straight out of the tap.
Where Does Tap Water In Spain Come From?
Before it joined the European Union in 1986, Spain was still facing the aftermath of its civil war and was not investing much in the infrastructure in the country. This meant that the water supply system was also heavily affected by these policies. However, since that time, Spain has received a large amount of aid which has gone towards the improvement of these systems. Today, there are numerous autonomous regions that have been defined and where local agencies are responsible for the supply of water.
The tap water in Spain comes from the rainwater in mountains and rivers as well as public wells in a lot of the villages. For instance, Madrid gets most of its supply from the Guadarrama Mountains while Barcelona gets it from the Ter and Llobregat rivers. The majority of Spain’s water supply comes from surface water i.e. sources of saltwater like the sea and ocean and freshwater from rivers, lakes and streams. This is a total of 63 to 74% of the total supply. Surface water and ground water are closely connected. Water from the surface can seep in and become a part of groundwater whereas groundwater also replenishes surface water sources. Therefore, the two are closely connected. Surface water and ground water levels are lower in the South of Spain, which is dry and has occasional droughts. This is also a result of the global climate change which entails that the south gets lesser precipitation hence affecting water supply.
Some water comes in from man-made reservoirs like the Sau reservoir. These collect water throughout the year that is treated before it reaches out homes. There are also desalination plants in place in many locations to remove the salty taste of much of the water coming from natural sources like the sea. Some places even treat waste water to make it suitable for use in some sectors. However, desalination and waste water treatment contribute to a very small percentage of the total supply; estimates suggest somewhere from 4 to 7%.
Quality Of Tap Water In Spain
For many years in the past, Spain’s regulation of the water quality has been lax which has led to a poor reputation of tap water. People have mostly been consuming bottled water as a result.
Today, however, the country has one of the most advanced systems for public water filtration and management in the world. The Spanish Health Ministry reports that 99.5% of the water supply in the country is perfectly safe for drinking directly according to international standards. They have also reiterated time and again that the supply systems are regularly and rigorously monitored and there are a number of purification and sanitation methods that are used to ensure that the drinking water people get in their homes is safe for consumption. Burgos, Madrid and San Sebastian are known to have the best quality of water in the country whereas Barcelona and Huelva have the worst quality.
Tap water is generally safe to drink in Spain. But the taste of water might differ a great deal depending on where you are living. The water providers use chlorine to clean the water since it kills any bacteria that may be present. While the amount used is not harmful to people in any way, it has a strong smell to it which might be hard to get used to. The exact amount of chlorine added will depend on your provider, the time of the year and the source and temperature of the water.
Similarly in coastal areas like Barcelona, Valencia, Malaga and Cadiz there are minerals and fine sediment and sand usually present in the water. This again is not enough to cause harm to anyone but the water will definitely have a distinctive taste which can be borderline unpleasant for a lot of people.
There is also a difference in soft and hard water. The two differ in the amount of lime and minerals present in them, especially magnesium. Hard water has these deposits in a more concentrated ratio which makes its taste more unpleasant and the water less suitable for uses like cooking. Soft water tastes better and is less damaging to kitchen equipment in that it does not cause lime scale buildup. If you live in an area with hard water, you can install a filter in your home to treat the water.
In order to ensure accountability, the water companies are required to give out frequent alerts to customers regarding any non-compliance of quality standards. Each provider will have to undergo mandatory testing every six months, which means that they are regularly monitored. Therefore, you do not run the risk of contracting any infection if you drink from the taps. If you are concerned about the tap water in a specific location, when it was tested and where it originates, you can always consult the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality. Specifically, the National Drinking Water Information System deals in this information for a number of locations. You can even request a report from your water company or consult an accredited laboratory to test the quality of water at your home.
In a bid to encourage environmentally responsible behavior and a reduction in the use of plastics, recent legislation in April 2022 called the Law on Waste and Contaminated Soil for a Circular Economy has made all bars and restaurants offer tap water for free to their customers. Local municipalities are also required to have public drinking spaces like fountains in place to encourage a shift away from bottled water.
Final Thoughts On Tap Water In Spain
Generally, it is safe to consume tap water in Spain unless the local water company has specifically sent out an alert stating otherwise. But in case you find the taste unpleasant, you always have the option of installing a water filter at your home to get rid of any impurities. And in any case it is the more environmentally responsible option compared to bottled water (which adds to the volume of plastic which is not bio-degradable). So go ahead and drink water straight out of the tap, knowing that it is stringently monitored by Spanish authorities for quality.