Is Tap Water Drinkable in Alicante?

Short answer: yes. You can safely drink water from the tap anywhere in Spain. If the water is not drinkable, it will be properly indicated with a sign. In case of rare and really extreme weather conditions, there might be temporary restrictions on tap water, announced by the city hall and the press. But let’s go into more details about drinkable tap water in Alicante.

Should I Drink Tap Water in Alicante?

Tap water in Alicante is safe and potable. Its quality is regulated by European and Spanish laws as in all European countries (in Spain, Real Decreto 3/2023). The company that provides the water is called Aguas de Alicante. It is a mixed company owned by the city council and Hidraqua (Veolia group), and it has been around in its current legal shape since 1953. Their laboratory is accredited under the ISO/IEC 17025 standard. The results of the water analyses are published on the Spanish Ministry of Health’s SINAC website.

The places where the water is not drinkable are announced by a “forbidden to drink” sign. The Spanish translation of “non-drinking water” is Agua no potable. Always look for it if you are drinking water from a public space, like a fountain.

In case of rare and extreme weather conditions, some towns and areas might have forbidden the use of tap water for drinking or cooking during a period of time. That is very extreme and unusual and the media will make the population aware of the situation.

Where is the Drinking Water Coming from in Alicante?

Alicante is situated in one of the aridest zones in Spain. Alicantinians have been very imaginative about how to get water since they started living in the area 7000 years ago. Santa Barbara Castle, for example, has several water facilities such as ancient water tanks. Today’s water comes from different sources:

• Rivers
• Subterranean water
• Seawater after being treated in a desalination plant

All this water is cleaned and treated before coming to your tap. The mix of water is different depending on aspects like the season and the needs of the network. Usually, in summer there is a higher percentage of water coming from the sea than in winter.

Drinking-Water Flavour in Alicante

The flavour of the water can be very different from one city to another in Spain. Chances are that it will be very different from your country of origin. One of the reasons for this strong flavour is the different sources of water that reach the tap and the chlorine used to clean it. The season and the amount of rain during the year will affect the mix. For example, winter waters will have a softer flavour than mid-August liquid.

A local -kind of- popular trick for people who mind the flavour is using a filtering jar like, for example, this one. Let’s be honest, Alicante has chalky and hard water. The filtering jar will soften the flavour a little bit and remove some of the mineral salts in it.

Related Questions

I hope I have answered the question Is Tap Water Drinkable in Alicante? If you have an opinion about water in Alicante or you have any other questions about this topic, please leave a comment below!