Tapwater in Norway: Can you drink it?

Q: Can you drink the Tapwater in Norway?

Yes, the Tapwater in Norway is safe to drink as it is known for its high quality. To be completely sure that it does not contain any harmful substances, you can also take a portable drinking water filter with you on vacation.

Q: What is the quality of drinking water in Norway?

Norway is known worldwide for its excellent drinking water quality . As a rule, the water here can be consumed straight from the tap.

Breathtaking landscapes, spectacular nature and lots of clean water: most people think of all this when Norway is mentioned. But what about the quality of drinking water in the Scandinavian kingdom? Is it safe to drink Tapwater in Norway? In this Guidebook , we get to the bottom of this question by summarizing for you ...

... whether you can drink Tapwater in Norway,
... where Norwegian drinking water comes from,
... the state of drinking water quality in Norway
... and whether you need a drinking water filter for Tapwater in Norway.

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Content of this article

Author: Patrick Leichtenstern
Position: Co-Founder Alb Filter
Updated on: 02.05.2024

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Can you drink Tapwater in Norway?

Basically, the answer to this question is yes. In Norway, water quality monitoring is taken very seriously. So it's no wonder that the Norwegian Tapwater is considered one of the safest and cleanest in the world. Thanks to strict environmental regulations and modern water treatment technologies, locals and visitors can drink the water straight from the tap in the land of the fjords.

But be careful!

The Tapwater in Norway - like the drinking water in Germany - may be of high quality and subject to regular controls. But that still doesn't make it completely safe. Because:

Not all pollutants can be checked and filtered out by the local waterworks.
Despite checks, contaminants can get into the water in individual cases, for example through leaks in pipes.
Particular care must be taken with small water supplies, e.g. from a private well.

You can find out more about this in the Guidebook on "Why filter water?".

High drinking water quality: Norway in detail

Norway is known worldwide for the high quality of its drinking water. But where exactly do the country's fresh water resources come from, how are they treated and how good is the water quality in Norway really? You will find the most important information below.

Where does the Tapwater in Norway come from?

Norway has an enormous wealth of freshwater resources. Every year, 377 billion cubic meters of water are available from lakes, glaciers, ponds, rivers and part of the groundwater. ¹ These natural water sources benefit from the low population density and the extensive nature reserves in the land of the fjords, which ensure a low environmental impact.

Good to know

According to a publication by the Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN University), Norway's freshwater resources could theoretically supply every person in the world with 150 liters of water every day. ¹

Drinking water quality in Norway

So there is more than enough drinking water available straight from the tap in the land of the fjords. But what about the quality of this water? In general, Tapwater in Norway is considered to be of very high quality worldwide - and many travel reports praise it for its taste. ² The quality of the water is based on several key factors: ²

Natural freshness: As already mentioned, most of the Tapwater in Norway comes from pristine sources such as glaciers and lakes. Many of these are protected from various forms of pollution due to their geographical location, which is why the water is very pure from the outset.
Low population density: Norway has a relatively low population density per km². ³ This in turn has an impact on water quality, as less pollution from human activity helps to maintain the purity of the water.
Strict environmental regulations: The Norwegian government is committed to preserving the country's natural water resources with strict environmental legislation, which keeps water quality at a high level.

Drinking water quality in Norway is also guaranteed by strict regulations and regular testing, and the treatment of drinking water in the local waterworks has improved considerably over the last 20 to 30 years. The Norwegian authorities also attach great importance to compliance with international and national standards that ensure high water quality. ⁴

In principle, it can therefore be said that the Tapwater in Norway is of very high quality by global standards. However, there are of course risks and challenges that you should be aware of before your trip.

Tapwater Norway: possible risks and contamination

Despite the generally high water quality, there are areas in Norway where drinking water can pose risks. Despite strict controls, it is of course always possible for contaminants such as microplastics, pesticides or other pollutants to affect the quality of drinking water. But what are the main risks in detail?

The risk of stagnant water

First of all, you should take note: No matter how high the water quality of a country is, you should definitely avoid drinking stagnant water. This is because if clean water stands in the tap for a long time, it may contain impurities and should never be drunk - even if it has modern plastic pipes.

In Norway, and especially in vacation accommodation, the following therefore also applies: let the tap water run for several minutes before you drink it.

Leaks in the water network threaten drinking water in Norway

There is also a challenge that is specific to Norway: the high number of leaks in the Norwegian water network. ⁵ In the Norwegian water supply network, around a third of the water is lost through leaks before it reaches consumers due to significant deficiencies in the water and wastewater system. ¹ The problem has been known since 2014, but unfortunately remediation has been slow to date.

But what does this mean for drinking water in Norway? The shortcomings are not just a waste of clean water. These leaks also pose a risk to the health of consumers: As drinking water pipes were often laid in the same trench as wastewater pipes, which can also leak, there is a high risk of contamination in the event of leaks or repairs. ⁶ If the pressure in the drinking water pipe drops, contaminated wastewater can get into the clean drinking water.

Between 2015 and 2021, only 0.7% of the municipal water pipe network in Norway was renewed each year due to a lack of financial resources - the target of reducing defects to less than 25% by 2020 therefore failed. Leaks in the water pipes are still a problem today. ⁵

Although drinking water in Norway is generally considered clean and safe , there are still potential risks. But what can you do to minimize these risks?

Make Tapwater your drinking water in Norway

Although the quality of drinking water in Norway is generally considered to be very high, it can still make sense to use a drinking water filter here. This is particularly true in rural areas and anywhere where old pipes could increase the risk of contamination.

Holidaymakers in particular who are planning to travel around the country should definitely consider a drinking water filter from Alb Filter. But also if you want to spend your entire vacation in the same place: To eliminate all risks, a water filter is the ideal solution, as it reliably removes a wide range of contaminants from your Tapwater. So you can enjoy the famous Tapwater from Norway and feel completely safe.

Enjoy the Tapwater in Norway

The Tapwater in Norway is not considered one of the best in the world for nothing. This is because a combination of high-quality natural resources, strict quality controls and an environmentally conscious approach ensures a high level of purity. Nevertheless, contaminants in drinking water cannot always be ruled out, even in Norway. With a water filter, however, you can counteract this fact.

FAQs: Tapwater Norway

Can you drink the Tapwater in Norway?

Yes, the Tapwater in Norway is safe to drink as it is known for its high quality. To be completely sure that it does not contain any harmful substances, you can also take a portable drinking water filter with you on vacation.

Where does drinking water come from in Bergen, Norway?

As in the rest of the country, the drinking water in Bergen is considered very pure and can be drunk from the tap. However, you don't have to switch to bottled water to avoid any harmful substances. These can be easily filtered out using a drinking water filter.

Can you drink seawater in Norway?

As a general rule, no matter how clear a lake may be, its water has not usually been treated as drinking water. Accordingly, lake water in Norway should also not be drunk, as it is untreated and may contain potential contaminants.