Compared to Western Europe, Poland has a lot of natural areas – forests, lakes and rural areas. Except for southern Poland, where heavy industry is polluting the air. the quality of the environment is relatively good. But how does this apply to drinking water? Can you drink tap water in Poland?
Drinking water sourcing in Poland
Most, if not all, Polish cities get drinking water from the surface water – rivers or lakes. Water is then treated in Treating Stations before being delivered to our homes. In the outskirts of the cities and in the villages, where people live in small houses, they tend to drill their own dwells, as it is not economically justified to connect them to the water network.
The quality of tap water in Poland is generally considered safe and healthy for consumption. According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), the quality of drinking water in Poland meets the European Union’s standards and regulations for most of the parameters. The EEA reports that more than 98% of tap water samples from public water supplies in Poland meet the microbiological and chemical criteria of the Drinking Water Directive. Moreover, the Polish Ministry of Health monitors the quality of tap water regularly and provides guidelines for water treatment and distribution. However, some areas in Poland may have lower quality tap water due to various reasons, such as natural conditions, industrial pollution, or inadequate infrastructure.
Can you drink tap water in Poland?
The answer to the question “can you drink tap water in Poland” therefore depends on where you are staying. If you are staying in the centre of any large city, you may drink water straight from the tap. If you are staying on the outskirts, or in a small city or village, ask the host if the water is drinkable. It is also trendy to use devices to make sparkling water at home, using tap water. Poland has a long tradition in that, as during the communist era this was sometimes the only way to drink sparkling water. However, now the most popular brand of the device is Israel based Soda Stream.
Bottled water in Poland
If you prefer bottled water to tap water, Poland has a lot of options for you. The most popular brands of bottled water are Zywiec, Muszyna, Naleczowianka. They all offer bottled sparkling and still water, and they all source the water in the cleanest areas of Poland.