Tap Water Rankings
Four lists that sort the 205 countries and territories and 268 cities we cover by how far you can trust the tap. Every destination carries one of four ratings — Safe, Generally Safe, Caution, or Not Safe — and the rankings group destinations by that rating.
Best Tap Water Worldwide
Countries where tap water is safest and best-tasting.
Countries to Avoid Tap Water
Where to stick to bottled or filtered water.
Best US City Water
Which American cities have the cleanest tap water.
Best Tap Water Cities Worldwide
World cities with the purest, best-tasting tap water.
How the Rankings Are Made
The rating tier is the part that matters for a decision: it tells you whether to drink from the tap, and it follows the criteria set out in our methodology. Of the 205 countries covered, 40 are rated Safe, 44 Generally Safe, 51 Caution, and 70 Not Safe.
The numbered order inside each “top” list is an editorial judgement, not a measurement. No international body scores tap water country by country, so we weigh source protection, how much treatment the water needs, the condition of the distribution network, and reputation for taste. Two destinations a few places apart on a list are, for practical purposes, equally safe to drink from.
A rating describes the public supply in normal conditions. Building plumbing, storage tanks, private wells, and events such as floods or pipe breaks can make the water at a particular tap better or worse than the rating suggests, so check local advisories when you arrive.