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Is Rome Tap Water Safe To Drink?

Yes! Generally Safe to Drink*

LAST UPDATED: 11:35 am, May 28, 2021
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Can You Drink Tap Water in Rome?

Yes, tap water is drinkable.

Tap Safe includes data from many publicly available sources, including the WHO (World Health Organization), CDC (Center for Disease Control), and user submitted databases, but unfortunately there's not enough data about Rome.

To see user submitted ratings of the water quality for Italy, see the "User Submitted Ratings" box on this page.

The tap water in Rome, Italy, is drinkable without boiling.

In the city of Rome, potable water is broadly available everywhere. Thousands of public drinking fountains spread throughout the city that offer fresh tap water at no cost to the consumer. The water is controlled continuously by devices located along with the water systems and also through daily sampling within the distribution network.

Law in Italy controls the quality of water and measures synthetic benchmarks that the water must adhere before distributing to the public by the tap. Purification plants were eliminating unwanted elements to the degree that they fall well within national health standards.

The water quality test outcomes show that the drinking water in Rome is fit for human consumption that passes all the potable water parameters.

Rome Tap Water

Are you worried about the water in your Rome? Do you feel that it is not clean enough for drinking? Well, you are not alone as millions of people all over the world are concerned about the quality of the water they use for drinking and cooking. There have been reports of various contaminants like pesticides and bacteria in various water sources around the world, but when it comes to Rome tap water there has been a lot of concern because of the high number of tourists who come to Rome each year. Of course, there are quite a number of reasons why this is the case, but the most important one is contamination from the surrounding environs.

Tap water is used in so many restaurants that it is very likely that the water that is piped in from the taps will have been contaminated somewhere along the way. Of course, since it is not always the local municipality that supplies the tap water, but rather a private company that has its own pipes distributing the water. This means that they might have left something behind. In some cases it is just not feasible to find out where exactly the contamination is coming from – this is when people start to worry about the purity of their water.

Fortunately, there are options for you to consider. If you want to buy official bottled water in Rome, there are plenty of them to be found in quite a number of tourist attractions around the city. Of course, the cheapest way to go would be to use the tap water and drink it straight away. However, even though this might be the cheapest way to get the water you need, it still does not compare to the quality that you can get in bottled water from the municipality. It is also a good idea to get a few bottles of this water for your friends and family so that you can continue using them in the future, should you find that your water tastes funny or strange in any way.

Rome Water Quality

Rome’s drinking water is considered to be of high quality, however, because the water flow from the city’s tap cannot always be trusted and is sometimes not even safe to drink. In addition, the system was installed by a previous government which might have influenced the quality as the utilities were privatized. It is therefore important for anyone living in the area to make sure that the water they use is indeed from a reliable source. If you do happen to live in Rome and have bought one of the new prefabricated systems, then there are a number of things you should check on to ensure that you enjoy clean water all the time. One of the most basic checks is that the connection to the main power supply should be unplugged before using the machine, or it might create problems.

Another important thing to check is the level of chlorine in the water, as this can vary quite significantly. A good way to test this would be to add some chlorine to the water, let it stand for a while and then see if there are any adverse effects. Of course, if you were to do this outside, then you might find yourself with some skin irritation. Rome has a large number of Roman Catholic Church buildings that make use of chlorinated water, so this could well be a reason for your levels becoming unbalanced.

A third and more serious check that you should carry out would be to check on the quality of the water in the pipes, as Rome has many underground storage tanks and pipes, which can experience major problems over the years. Rome has been hit by a number of natural disasters over the years, such as strong storms and earthquakes which can cause damps in the pipes and can affect the quality of the water. If you suspect that your water is contaminated, then it is time to get hold of a quality device and carry out this type of check more often. It is important to understand that Rome has to spend a lot of money each year on improving its sewage system, as it does need to eliminate all forms of waste and pollution. Rome is constantly working to improve its water quality and the surroundings, so make sure you check it out at least once in a while.

Source of Water in Rome, Italy

Tap water from Rome, Italy, comes from springs and wells. Almost 97 percent originates from springs and 3 percent from wells. Lake is also used as an alternative source during the prolonged dry season.

Considering most of the water is drawn from natural springs, Rome is seen in the sustainability record as one of the few cities in all the world to possess a public water supply system that it barely needs pretreatment.

One of the significant sources of water in Rome is the Peschiera-Capore pipeline, that transport water from springs. This aqueduct is big enough to satisfy 80 percent of Rome’s water needs.

Rome gets 60 percent of its water, particularly of the Peschiera springs. You can find the springs within the beautiful Velino River valley.

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Wikitravel

Water is free at designated water fountains, called nasoni (big noses) or simply fontanelle (small fountains). Not only the water's very fresh and good, but it comes from the famous springs scattered throughout the Lazio region - it is perfectly safe to drink. If you carry an empty bottle, fill it up for the rest of the day; look for the drinking fountain with constant running water, plug the bottom hole, and cool water will shoot up from a smaller hole on top of the tap. Don't put your lips round the hole at the bottom, as stray dogs tend to like to get a drink.

Is Rome Tap Water Safe To Drink? Tap water & safety quality

The estimated price of bottled water

$0.47 in USD (1.5-liter)

USER SUBMITTED RATINGS

Rome tap water
  • Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility 22% Low
  • Water Pollution 36% Low
  • Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility 78% High
  • Water Quality 64% High

The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in Rome, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).

Related FAQS

Reminder

Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.

Sources and Resources

Current Weather in Rome

ROME WEATHER

Source of Water in Rome, Italy

Tap water from Rome, Italy, comes from springs and wells. Almost 97 percent originates from springs and 3 percent from wells. Lake is also used as an alternative source during the prolonged dry season.

Considering most of the water is drawn from natural springs, Rome is seen in the sustainability record as one of the few cities in all the world to possess a public water supply system that it barely needs pretreatment.

One of the significant sources of water in Rome is the Peschiera-Capore pipeline, that transport water from springs. This aqueduct is big enough to satisfy 80 percent of Rome’s water needs.

Rome gets 60 percent of its water, particularly of the Peschiera springs. You can find the springs within the beautiful Velino River valley.

Some of the Convenience Stores in Rome

Pam Local
  • Coop
  • Punto SImpley
  • Despar Express
  • Pam Local
  • Tigre Amico
  • Via Vittoria
  • Market24h
  • Carrefour
  • Celidoc
  • Vatican Supermart
  • Americaland
  • Terra Mia
  • 360 Gradi Sud

Estimated Price of Bottled Water

VolumeUSDEURGBP
1.5 liter$0.47€0.44£0.38
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