Safe
Iceland
·
Last reviewed:
Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in Reykjavik?
Yes, tap water in Reykjavik is safe to drink and among the purest in the world, sourced from natural springs filtered through ancient volcanic rock with no chlorination needed.
Hardness
Very soft
Country
Iceland
Rating
Safe
Soft
Moderate
Hard
Very Hard
Water Source
Veitur supplies Reykjavik from natural springs where glacial and rain water filters through porous volcanic lava rock over decades before emerging at spring sources. The cold water supply requires no chemical treatment or chlorination.
Contaminants & Concerns
No significant health concerns. The volcanic rock filtration produces exceptionally pure water. Note: hot tap water may have a sulfur smell from geothermal heating, but cold tap water is clean and odorless.
Tips
- •Always use the cold tap for drinking — hot water comes from geothermal sources and may smell of sulfur
- •Reykjavik’s cold tap water is among the world’s purest; bottled water is a waste of money here
- •Let the cold tap run briefly before drinking if it has been sitting, to clear any residual warmth from pipes
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