Tapwater Turkey: Quality & Ingredients

Q: Ist das Wasser in der Türkei für Babynahrung geeignet?

Due to numerous impurities in the water in Turkey, it is not recommended to simply use it for baby food. It is best to boil the water beforehand or use a high-quality drinking water filter .

Q: Kann man in der Türkei mit Leitungswasser Zähne putzen?

According to the German Foreign Office, you should not use Tapwater to brush your teeth in Turkey unless it is clean drinking water. If you are not sure whether the water coming out of the tap is really clean, you should use more suitable alternatives.

Q: Kann man in der Türkei Eiswürfel trinken?

If the ice cubes are made from Tapwater , they pose the same risk as Tapwater itself . So if you are not sure that the water used to make the ice cubes is really drinking water, you should not consume any ice cubes.

Are you planning a vacation in Turkey? Then it's high time you found out about the quality of drinking water and the local water supply! Here you will find all the important information about Tapwater in Turkey.

In this article you will learn...

... whether you are allowed to drink Tapwater in Turkey,
... what problems there are with water quality,
... where the drinking water in Turkey comes from,
... what regional differences there are,
... why and to what extent Turkey is fighting for water
... and whether you need a water filter for Tapwater in Turkey.

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Updated on: 17.10.2023

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Can you drink Tapwater in Turkey?

Tapwater in Turkey is not safe to drink anywhere in the country! Safe alternatives are water bottles from the supermarket, boiled water and the use of water filters.

In principle, the standards for drinking water in Turkey are based on the European Drinking Water Directive ¹. Nevertheless, some parameters are occasionally exceeded in certain regions. According to the OECD Better Life Index, just 62% of the population in Turkey say they are satisfied with the quality of their water ². The OECD average is 84%. Here are some further comparative figures:

Country	Satisfaction with the water quality
Austria	92 %
Germany	91 %
Netherlands	91%
France	78 %
Italy	77 %

Diarrhea from Tapwater in Turkey?

Diarrhea is a common travel illness that can be caused by contaminated drinking water, among other things. The Federal Foreign Office therefore recommends that tourists in Turkey ³:

Do not drink Tapwater .
Instead, drink bottled, filtered, disinfected or boiled water.
Only use safe drinking water when washing dishes and brushing teeth.

Water quality in Turkey: these are the problems

Turkey obtains its drinking water from 25 river basins whose water quality is increasingly deteriorating. A study on the quality of surface water based on 287 water sources in the period 2016-2017 revealed deviations from the standard for the following parameters ⁴:

Turbidity
Aluminum
Manganese
Nickel
Coliform bacteria

Further investigations show that in Turkey, on the one hand by man caused deterioration in water quality and, on the other hand Natural impurities due to geological processes ⁵.

Human-induced pollution results primarily from the excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, the mining industry, the disposal of industrial waste and wastewater treatment.

The consequences of this are increased values for parameters such as:

Nitrate
Arsenic
Boron
Copper
Zinc

On the natural side, in some regions of Turkey, for example, there are discharges of geological substances and geothermal fluids. These contaminants are detected in groundwater, surface water and drinking water and in some places increase the risk of dental problems, Alzheimer's disease and iodine deficiency, among others.

Drinking water Turkey: Where does it come from?

Turkey is divided into 25 river basins ⁶. These generally consist of a main river and several side streams and groundwater sources. Drinking water is obtained from these areas. The majority comes from surface water and only a small proportion from groundwater.

Most of these 25 river basins are located entirely in Turkey. However, there are also some cross-border areas. One example of such a river basin is that of the two rivers Euphrates and Tigris, from which ⅓ of Turkey's surface water originates. Turkey shares this area with its neighboring countries Syria, Iraq and Iran.

Turkey: Tap water throughout the country?

Water sources in Turkey are not evenly distributed throughout the country - both in terms of geographical location and availability. In principle, it can be observed that the water supply and water quality in the metropolitan areas is better than in the rural regions.

According to the Turkish Statistics Institute, 98.7% of the Turkish population living in municipalities are supplied with Tapwater via the water network ⁷. Of these, 61.3% receive their drinking water from water treatment plants.

Example: Drinking water in Istanbul

In Istanbul, the utility company ISKI is responsible for the water supply ⁸. 60 % of the drinking water in the metropolis comes from water sources on the Asian side of the city and 40 % from the European side.

According to the company, the Tapwater in Istanbul is of the best quality. Samples from 350-400 different water sources are tested daily and summarized in a monthly report on water quality. The parameters are usually far below the specified limits.

The only problem for end consumers are old and dilapidated pipes in the house, which can contaminate the drinking water.

Turkey and the fight for water

Turkey is not a water-rich country ⁹. On the contrary, the country is even on the verge of being classified as "water scarce". It is severely affected by climate change and the annual increase in water demand. Model studies assume that the water potential in Turkey will be reduced by 27 % by 2075.

The Turks face several challenges in managing and developing limited water sources while maintaining water quality and protecting the environment. For this reason, there are already several programs and projects in place to counteract water scarcity.

The greatest attention is paid to agriculture, as a great deal of water is lost here due to inefficient cultivation. A full 74% of the fresh water used each year currently flows into agriculture!

At the same time, there are repeated reports in the media that Turkey is using water as a kind of weapon in the war against Syria ¹⁰. In the meantime, not even half as much water is reaching Syria through the Euphrates as it should.

It is unclear exactly why this is the case, but Turkey is suspected of deliberately withholding water and using it as a means of exerting pressure. As a result, animals and people in Syria are falling ill and even dying due to a lack of water and contaminated drinking water, and harvests are down by 75% in some places.

Drink Tapwater in Turkey? Better only with a water filter!

Tapwater in Turkey cannot be used as drinking water without problems! Only in metropolitan areas such as Istanbul is it assumed to be of good quality. But even here, there are dangers lurking in the sometimes old house pipes for the otherwise supposedly clean water.

To avoid taking any risks here, a drinking water filter is recommended. This reliably purifies the water and eliminates all your worries about contaminated Tapwater . This means you can drink water from the tap and use it for brushing your teeth and the like without any worries, even on vacation.

Are you looking for a drinking water filter for your vacation in Turkey?

Then Alb Filter® is the right place for you!

Buy a water filter now

Tapwater Turkey: Hands off?

You should always be very careful when drinking Tapwater in Turkey. This is because the water quality varies from region to region and can sometimes cause diarrhea and other ailments. It is therefore better to use suitable alternatives, especially high-quality water filters. This way, you can enjoy your vacation in Turkey worry-free when it comes to Tapwater .

FAQs on Tapwater in Turkey

Why does the water in Turkey stink?

There can be several reasons for an unpleasant smell in the water. Firstly, the chlorine used for disinfection usually leaves an unpleasant smell and taste in the water for holidaymakers in Turkey. Secondly, germs and bacteria as well as other impurities can cause the water to stink.

Is the water in Turkey suitable for baby food?

Due to numerous impurities in the water in Turkey, it is not recommended to simply use it for baby food. It is best to boil the water beforehand or use a high-quality drinking water filter.

Can you brush your teeth with Tapwater in Turkey?

According to the German Foreign Office, you should not use Tapwater to brush your teeth in Turkey unless it is clean drinking water. If you are not sure whether the water coming out of the tap is really clean, you should use more suitable alternatives.

Can you drink ice cubes in Turkey?

If the ice cubes are made from Tapwater , they pose the same risk as Tapwater itself. So if you are not sure that the water used to make the ice cubes is really drinking water, you should not consume any ice cubes.