Tap water in Bhutan

Not safe to drink

The WHO and UNICEF put safely managed drinking water within reach of 36% of people in Bhutan. National figures describe a country, not the tap in front of you.

What the sources say

WHO / UNICEF JMP

36% of the population has safely managed drinking water, meaning it is free from contamination at the point of use.

Coverage splits by where you are: 49% in urban areas against 28% in rural ones.

US CDC Travelers' Health

Advises travellers that tap water is generally not safe to drink in Bhutan.

Numbeo

64.29/100 on the water drinkability and accessibility index, which Numbeo reads as “High”. This one is crowdsourced from residents rather than measured.

Lonely Planet

Never drink tap water in Bhutan. Bottled water is generally safe – check the seal is intact at purchase. Most hotels provide purified water for guests. Avoid ice. Avoid fresh juices – they may have been watered down.

This is a national picture, and it varies. Some cities treat their water to a standard the country as a whole does not reach. Where the water is not safe, boiling, filtering or sealed bottles are the usual options, and ice and raw salad washed in tap water carry the same risk as the water itself.

What bottled water costs you here

Drinking tap water instead of bottled would save one adult about 226$ a year in Bhutan, and keep several hundred plastic bottles out of circulation.

Work out your own saving

Places in Bhutan

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

Elsewhere in Asia