Tap water in Bolivia
Not safe to drink
This reflects the CDC's travel health guidance for Bolivia; no WHO coverage figure is published for this country. National figures describe a country, not the tap in front of you.
What the sources say
Advises travellers that tap water is generally not safe to drink in Bolivia.
46.77/100 on the water drinkability and accessibility index, which Numbeo reads as “Moderate”. This one is crowdsourced from residents rather than measured.
Tap water is not safe to drink. Bottled mineral water is cheap and freely available. Use it for everything and if you are going anywhere remote take a good supply with you. Should you...
Tap water is not safe to drink. Bottled mineral water is cheap and freely available. Use it for everything and if you are going anywhere remote take a good supply with you.
Should you find yourself desperate, thirsty and with nowhere to buy water, then try the following.
Boiling Vigorous boiling for one minute is the most effective means of water purification. At altitudes greater than 2000m (6500ft), boil for three minutes.
Purification pills Disinfect water with purification tablets, available at most pharmacies.
Filters Filters with smaller pores (reverse osmosis filters) provide the broadest protection, but they are relatively large and are readily plugged by debris. Those with larger pores (microstrainer filters) are ineffective against viruses, although they remove other organisms. Manufacturers’ instructions must be carefully followed.
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 818$ a year in Bolivia, and keep several hundred plastic bottles out of circulation.
Work out your own savingPlaces in Bolivia
Water quality is local. These places have their own readings.