Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in Bucharest?
Yes, tap water in Bucharest is generally safe to drink, treated to EU standards by Apa Nova (Veolia) with daily monitoring at over 49 testing points, though the chlorinated taste is strong and older buildings may have aging pipes.
Water Source
Apa Nova (operated by Veolia) supplies Bucharest primarily from the Argeş river system, treated at modern facilities using coagulation, sand filtration, ozonation, and chlorination to meet EU Drinking Water Directive standards.
Contaminants & Concerns
No significant contamination concerns in the treated supply. Heavier chlorination is used to maintain safety through the distribution network. Older buildings may have aging internal plumbing that can affect water quality at the tap.
Tips
- •Run the tap briefly before drinking in older buildings to flush any standing water from aging internal pipes
- •A filter pitcher is recommended to reduce the strong chlorine taste
- •Bucharest’s water quality has improved significantly since Veolia took over treatment operations
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