Tap water vs bottled

I have always drank the tap water in Spain. It is perfectly fine. You can even ask for it at restaurants with your meals.

Yes, the water is perfectly safe and you'll be doing your part to cut down on plastic waste. Seville water tastes better than our local water.

Northern Spain offers great tap water, as well as most central areas, and drinking bottled water is quite a nonsense. It´s more calcareous in the Mediterranean, but always drinkable and totally safe.

All of Europe's water is fine.

All of Europe's water is fine.

This is true, but Europeans' own avoidance of drinking it could easily lead people to believe otherwise.

This data is 20 years old, but illustrative, nonetheless... https://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Lifestyle/Food-and-drink/Bottled-water/Consumption

Reported outbreaks of waterborne diseases associated with drinking water and bodies of water used for recreational purposes in 19 European countries, 1986-96.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1116025/

Spain: Gastroenteritis (97), bacterial dysentery (47), hepatitis A (28), typhoid fever (27), giardiasis (7), cryptosporidiosis (1), unspecified (1) 208 outbreaks and an average of 220 people (range 2-3500) were involved in each outbreak.

Compared to the rest of Europe ot the US? I have absolutely no idea. I would suggest bottled water when available, just like the locals do, and tap when there is no bottled water.

In northern and central Spain everybody drinks tap water, actually. I live in Bilbao and our water quality is simply extraordinary. The city has 300 public fountains on the streets that are widely used by local population.

All the locals in Spain drink tap water.

Safe it is.
But if you prefer bottled water (even sparkling), compared to the US, it is very inexpensive to purchase at the grocery stores,

Reported outbreaks of waterborne diseases associated with drinking water and bodies of water used for recreational purposes in 19 European countries, 1986-96.

I would not rely on that data, this is when Spain was still transitioning in democracy after several decades of rule by the Franco dictatorship. Since then and it's ascension into the EU, the infrastructure in Spain has become some of the best on the continent, including drinking water.

It’s fine. We didn’t even have trouble with Spain’s tap water in the late 70s just after Franco’s death and it was questionable back then.

Since we get a rental car, we will buy a couple 2L bottles or a 5L bottle to keep in the car for when we are thirsty out in the middle nowhere.

In southern Spain it’s not that usual to drink the tap water. It’s safe but it’s not considered to have a good taste. You will never see tap water served at a restaurant.

The Spanish drink less bottled water than the Italians, more than the Germans and more than most of Eastern Europe. No idea what that means. Could be an economic indicator as it's not among the wealthier nations. https://naturalmineralwaterseurope.org/statistics/

https://www.healthplanspain.com/blog/expat-tips/945-drinking-water-spain.html

I've removed some snippiness in this thread. Stating your own opinion without commenting on that of others will suffice.

Also I removed the duplicate posting re drinking water in Portugal. Answers are the same.

For what it's worth, two cents from a local:

First and foremost, it's essential to highlight that tap water in Spain fully complies with all European safety standards, and it is entirely safe to drink from a health perspective.

A lot of people do indeed drink tap water at home.

Now, let's talk about soft water vs hard water. When we turn on the tap, it’s not magic. It comes from somewhere. The quality and the taste of the tap water depends on that somewhere including the source of the water treatment. In theory water treatment plants can change the content of the water completely. But to turn hard water into soft water is expensive, a waste of healthy minerals and bad for the environment.

Hard water contains a high concentration of minerals, typically resulting from the water passing through deposits of limestone, chalk, or gypsum, which primarily consist of calcium and magnesium carbonates, bicarbonates, and sulfates. These minerals are essential for human health, making hard tap water fortunate in that regard.

Seawater is known for its extreme hardness, typically measuring between 5000-7000 ppm (parts per million). In contrast, drinking water hardness in Spain varies from 15 to 1000 ppm. For instance, Barcelona, where I reside, has relatively hard water with a measurement of 600 ppm (measured in mg CaNO3/L or ppm), which can fluctuate throughout the year, sometimes increasing. This hardness contributes to the presence of limescale, which can affect the taste of water. Limescale is the white residue that accumulates in appliances like tea kettles, coffee makers, dishwashers, washing machines, and around faucets, among other places. While limescale isn't scientifically harmful to your health, it can be quite bothersome. Nevertheless, there are several misconceptions linking hard water and limescale to issues such as kidney stones and other health-related problems.

Water with high levels of hardness can be frustrating when washing hands, as it inhibits the formation of a soapy lather. Hard water can also have adverse effects on hair. The high mineral content in hard water, particularly calcium and magnesium, can lead to several issues for hair, including dryness and dullness. To mitigate the effects of hard water on your hair, you can consider using clarifying shampoos designed to remove mineral buildup. Very hard water may also impart a slightly salty taste.

Additionally, hard water can lead to other concerns, including an unusual flavor in tea and the buildup of mineral deposits in hot water appliances and water pipes. Another issue is that when hard water combines with chlorine, typically for treating water for human consumption, it can result in poor-tasting tap water, a concern particularly noticeable in coastal areas like Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, Murcia, and Malaga.

Enjoy!

Ah yes, as per serving tap water in restaurants.... https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2022/04/17/restaurants-and-bars-across-spain-are-now-required-by-law-to-offer-free-tap-water/

Following Enric´s detailed post...water is mainly "hard" in the Mediterranean area, and quite "soft" in the rest of Spain, mainly in the center and rainy north, where it´s excellent water.

In Spain this past spring, as my stomach is rather prissy with the best of water (chemicals, minerals, whatever), I brought a Brita water bottle with filter from home. My stomach was happy. It certainly was a luxury item in my pack, but it worked like a charm.

I did the same as Wray only I bought mine in Vienna. Different filter system than the US version.

I now take it everywhere I go.

I also find that some of the bottled mineral waters give me an unhappy tummy.