WATER is a highly recommended drink to have everyday, with many nutritionists suggesting 6-8 glasses daily to stay fit and healthy.
So it is important to know whether the water you drink is available for human consumption, particularly when travelling abroad.
Can you drink tap water in Portugal?
Whether you are planning on visiting Portugal on holiday, or hoping to move there, you might find yourself wondering whether you can drink the tap water there.
The good news is that you are able to drink tap water in Portugal.
You may find that the taste is not as great as water back home in Britain, but that does not mean it is any less safe to drink.
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The taste will have been affected by chlorination and minerals, making it taste different to the water you are used to drinking back home.
Many locals might opt to buy bottled water when out and about instead of consuming tap water as it generally tastes nicer, so you may choose to do that as well, or perhaps a combination of the two during your time there.
How clean is the tap water in Portugal?
Tap water in Portugal is clean and meets all EU safety standards.
However, during the First and Second World Wars water did become contaminated and many British and American soldiers complained about it being undrinkable.
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From that point, many believed (and continue to believe) that water from places like Portugal, Spain and France is unsafe to drink.
There is also the view that just because something tastes bad, it is bad to consume when that might not be true.
These widespread rumours have trickled down to young people, some of whom won’t even use tap water in Portugal to brush their teeth.
Water which contains a detectable amount of chlorine and hard water, might taste bad but still be safe to drink.
You may choose to install a water filter such as a reverse osmosis water filtration system to improve the taste.
Why can you not drink tap water in some countries?
You will discover that in some countries tap water is not safe to drink.
This is because it might have been contaminated with bacteria, nitrates, lead, fluoride, arsenic or even radium.
These would be dangerous to your body and that’s why it is best being avoided.
It could also be the case that in some places tap water is unsafe for travellers to drink as their body has not built up a tolerance to impurities in the same way that locals would have done.
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It is therefore best to refrain from drinking water there.
Most countries in Western Europe have tap water that is safe for all to drink whether that be tourists or residents.
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