Can You Drink Tap Water In Copenhagen? (2024)
Wondering whether you can drink tap water in Copenhagen?
You’ve come to the right place as I visit Copenhagen multiple times each year, and I travel on a budget so I always look for ways of saving money, including drinking tap water.
Whether you too want to save money or want to save the planet, you’re here to find the answer to whether or not you can drink tap water in Copenhagen.
So I’ll just get straight to the answer.
Can You Drink Tap Water In Copenhagen?
Yes, you can drink tap water in Copenhagen.
Tap water in Copenhagen and all of Denmark is completely safe to drink. And not only is it safe, but it’s actually very refreshing and tastes nice. I love drinking the water every time I go back to Copenhagen.
All of Scandinavia is renowned for its clean, pure, refreshing tap water, and Copenhagen is no different.
In fact, the water in Copenhagen is ranked as some of the cleanest in the world. And from my experience, I agree. I’ve never had any issues with the tap water in the Danish capital.
It’s good news as visiting Copenhagen is expensive, so it’s nice to be able to save money on bottled water, which can get expensive quickly if you need to buy multiple bottles per day.
And it’s better for our planet too, and Copenhagen is a very eco-friendly city, so it makes sense that you are able to drink the tap water. In fact, it’s been named the most sustainable city on our planet.
How Clean Is The Water In Copenhagen?
The water in Copenhagen is extremely clean and safe.
Copenhagen’s tap water comes from groundwater extracted outside the city. If you aren’t familiar, groundwater is basically water that is underground, which means it is usually very clean.
For example, tap water in Iceland comes from glaciers that have melted and it takes 100 years to reach the taps, and through this time, it’s been naturally filtered to become very pure, and Copenhagen is similar.
In Copenhagen, the groundwater is just oxygenated and filtered, there are no additional chemicals such as chlorine or anything else added, which means the water is good for you, and that’s why it tastes so nice too.
The only water you can’t drink in Copenhagen is from the canals and harbour- but who would want to drink that anyway?!
Locals in Copenhagen pay one of the highest water rates in Europe, which is partly down to Denmark being an expensive country to live in, but also down to the quality of the water being so high.
But because water is expensive, you won’t find any Copenhageners drinking from their own taps. Instead, they’ll use public taps to get their drinking water.
Denmark also has one of the lowest water-loss rates in the world, so pretty much every statistic and figure about water in Copenhagen is positive.
To summarise, yes, you can drink tap water and yes, it is very clean.
Can You Drink Bathroom Tap Water In Copenhagen?
If you’re visiting Copenhagen on a budget like I do, you’ll probably find yourself needing to fill up your water bottle from a bathroom tap either in a hostel or McDonalds or something like that.
The good news is that you are safe to drink water from bathroom taps in Copenhagen. All of the water comes from the same source, so you can drink from any tap in the city.
I’ve filled my water bottle from bathroom taps countless times and it tastes just as good as from any tap. As I said, the only water you can’t drink in Copenhagen is from the canals!
Do You Have To Pay For Water In Restaurants In Copenhagen?
No, you do not have to pay for water in restauarants in Copenhagen because it will be tap water as it is safe to drink and tastes very refreshing.
It’s pretty rare for restaurants to serve bottled water in Copenhagen, as there isn’t really a need for it. That being said, it can be worthwhile clarifying that you want tap water when ordering to ensure you don’t end up with an unwanted charge on your bill.
Most restaurants will bring a large glass jug filled with water which you can refill your cup with throughout your meal.
How Much Is Bottled Water In Copenhagen?
Bottled water in Copenhagen is pretty expensive, but so is the city in general. To be honest, there isn’t really a need to buy bottled water as all of the tap water is safe to drink, even from bathroom taps.
To give a rough price estimate, you can expect to pay around 20 DKK for a bottle of water throughout Copenhagen. This is the equivalent of $2.93/£2.32/€2.68, so it’s pretty expensive.
That being said, you can find water cheaper than this, and more expensive than this too. If you want to find some cheap water, go to one of Copenhagen’s budget supermarkets such as Lidl and you can find water for as low as 10 DKK, but it will take some looking.
And if you want to find more expensive water for some reason, head straight to Tivoli Gardens where you’ll be able to pay an overpriced amount.
The only drinks worth paying for in Copenhagen in my opinion are gløgg and a hot chocolate from Lagkagehuset– they’re delicious!
Copenhagen Tap Water: FAQ
Below are some questions related to drinking tap water in Copenhagen along with my answers to each question
Yes, Brits can drink tap water in Denmark. Anyone can drink tap water in Denmark as it is safe to drink. The water is very pure and refreshing, as it comes from groundwater and there are no added chemicals.
Yes, you can drink water at Copenhagen Airport. All tap water in Copenhagen is safe to drink, including in the airport. You can drink from any of the bathroom taps, or in some of the bathrooms, there is a designated tap for cold drinking water.
There aren’t many drinking fountains in Copenhagen because you can drink from any tap, including bathroom taps. Tap water in the city is very pure and refreshing, and it is completely safe to drink.
Tap Water In Copenhagen: Conclusion
And there you have it, a complete and in-depth answer to “Can you drink tap water in Copenhagen?”
You are able to drink the water in Copenhagen. It’s completely safe and tastes refreshing, as it’s so pure.
Now that you know you are safe to drink Copenhagen’s water, you might be interested in whether Copenhagen is safe in general.
Read more about Copenhagen:
- Is Copenhagen Worth Visiting? Things To Do & Reasons To Visit
- Copenhagen In January: Ultimate Guide & Travel Tips
- Does it snow in Copenhagen? Copenhagen in Winter
- How Many Days In Copenhagen Is Enough?
- Is There Uber In Copenhagen?
- How to get from Copenhagen Airport to City Centre
- Is Denmark Expensive To Visit?
