Can You Drink Tap Water in Iceland?

Tap water in Iceland is not only safe to drink but is considered among the purest and best-tasting water in the entire world. Throughout Reykjavík, Akureyri, and all areas of Iceland, tap water comes directly from pristine glaciers, springs, and geothermal sources requiring virtually no treatment. Icelandic tap water is so pure that it's better than almost any bottled water available anywhere. In Reykjavík, tap water is drawn from boreholes tapping into ancient groundwater that has been naturally filtered through lava rock for decades.

The water is completely untreated except for minimal processing and has no chlorine, no fluoride, and no chemicals. Throughout Iceland including the Golden Circle, South Coast, North Iceland, Westfjords, and all regions, water comes from pristine natural sources. Every tap in Iceland provides pure glacier or spring water. Some geothermal areas have hot water that smells of sulfur (from natural hydrogen sulfide), but this is only in the hot water tap and is harmless though unpleasant for drinking. Cold tap water never has sulfur smell and is pure.

Public taps, hostel sinks, hotel rooms, restaurants, gas stations - every tap in Iceland provides world-class drinking water. Filling reusable water bottles from any Icelandic tap is not only safe but recommended. Buying bottled water in Iceland is considered wasteful and unnecessary by Icelanders. Throughout Iceland, tap water can be used for all purposes with complete confidence.

Iceland's water purity is so famous that locals are often puzzled when tourists buy bottled water. The combination of young volcanic geology, low population, no agriculture runoff, and glacier sources creates perfect conditions for naturally pure water.