Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in Amman?
Generally yes, tap water in Amman is safe to drink when it first arrives. Miyahuna, Amman’s water utility, treats the supply to WHO-aligned Jordanian standards, but water is delivered intermittently and stored in rooftop tanks, where quality can degrade.
Water Source
Amman’s water comes from a mix of groundwater (Azraq and Disi aquifer via the Disi Water Conveyance), surface water from the King Abdullah Canal fed by the Yarmouk River, and the Zai and Zara–Ma’in treatment plants. Miyahuna distributes the supply on a rationing schedule, typically once or twice per week per neighbourhood.
Contaminants & Concerns
Water quality at the treatment plant meets Jordanian and WHO standards. The main risk is storage: because supply is rationed, nearly all buildings store water in rooftop tanks that can accumulate sediment, algae, and bacteria if not regularly cleaned. Fresh-from-the-main water is significantly better than water that has sat in a tank for days.
Tips
- •If you drink tap water, do so right after your neighbourhood’s scheduled delivery day when tanks are freshest
- •A simple carbon or ceramic filter at the kitchen tap greatly improves taste and reduces any tank-related contamination
- •Bottled water is inexpensive and sold everywhere — local brand Mist is popular, and many residents also use filtered water dispensers at home
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
The safety rating and guidance on this page draw on the following sources. See our full methodology.
- •WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality
- •CDC Travelers' Health destination pages
- •The municipal water utility's published quality data