Tap water in Austria

Generally safe to drink

The WHO and UNICEF put safely managed drinking water within reach of 99% of people in Austria. National figures describe a country, not the tap in front of you.

What the sources say

WHO / UNICEF JMP

99% of the population has safely managed drinking water, meaning it is free from contamination at the point of use.

US CDC Travelers' Health

Advises travellers that tap water is generally safe to drink in Austria.

Numbeo

92.49/100 on the water drinkability and accessibility index, which Numbeo reads as “Very high”. This one is crowdsourced from residents rather than measured.

European Union

As an EU member state, Austria is bound by the Drinking Water Directive, which sets minimum quality standards and requires regular testing by suppliers.

Lonely Planet

Tap water in Austria is perfectly safe to drink – and it's actually of a very high standard in many mountainous parts of the country. Don't expect it to be free in restaurants, however; bottled water (either still or sparkling) is the norm.

Safe nationally still means ask locally. Older buildings can carry lead or copper pipework, and a single street can differ from the network feeding it. If you are staying somewhere old, ask your host.

What bottled water costs you here

Drinking tap water instead of bottled would save one adult about 460$ a year in Austria, and keep several hundred plastic bottles out of circulation.

Work out your own saving

Places in Austria

Water quality is local. These places have their own readings.

Elsewhere in Europe