Is Tap Water Safe to Drink in Syria?

Syria historically drew drinking water from the Euphrates River, the Barada River (supplying Damascus), the Orontes River, and extensive groundwater wells. The Tishreen and Tabqa dams on the Euphrates were major sources. However, much of this infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed during the conflict.

Destruction of treatment plants and deliberate targeting of water infrastructure during the conflict have left much of Syria's water supply untreated or minimally treated. Sewage contamination of water sources is widespread, and waterborne diseases including cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis A have been reported. Chemical contamination from conflict-related pollution compounds the risk.

Damascus has partially restored water supply from the Ain al-Fijeh spring and Barada River, but reliability and treatment quality fluctuate. Aleppo's water infrastructure was extensively damaged and only partially rehabilitated. Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, and Idlib have severely compromised or nonfunctional municipal water systems. No region should be considered reliably safe.

Variable and poorly monitored under current conditions; historically moderate to hard, 200–350 mg/L, but not a meaningful metric given contamination risks..

Most Syrians in urban areas rely on bottled water, private water trucking, or NGO-distributed treated water. Tap water, where available, is generally not trusted for direct consumption.

• •Use only sealed bottled water or water purified with a certified portable filter and chemical treatment
• •Carry water purification tablets as a backup at all times
• •Do not use tap water for brushing teeth, washing produce, or making ice
• •Confirm water source and treatment at any accommodation before consuming

• •Drink only sealed bottled water or water you have purified yourself
• •Do not use tap water for brushing teeth or washing food
• •Carry water purification tablets or a portable filter system
• •Avoid ice entirely unless confirmed to be from a purified source