Tap water in Colombia
Not safe to drink
The WHO and UNICEF put safely managed drinking water within reach of 81% of people in Colombia. National figures describe a country, not the tap in front of you.
What the sources say
81% 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: 92% in urban areas against 40% in rural ones.
Advises travellers that tap water is generally not safe to drink in Colombia.
77.96/100 on the water drinkability and accessibility index, which Numbeo reads as “High”. This one is crowdsourced from residents rather than measured.
Colombia has excellent water resources and tap water in bigger cities and mountainous areas is usually safe to drink. In less developed lowland regions including the Amazon Basin, Chocó and parts of the Caribbean coast it's best to purchase water or treat tap water before use.
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 526$ a year in Colombia, and keep several hundred plastic bottles out of circulation.
Work out your own savingPlaces in Colombia
Water quality is local. These places have their own readings.