It is not necessarily true that Spanish water is bad, as the water quality varies depending on location and treatment facilities.
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It is essential to point out that the notion that Spanish water is bad can be misleading. The water quality can differ depending on location and quality of treatment facilities. The water in some cities such as Barcelona and Madrid is of excellent quality according to the European Union standards. Nevertheless, tourists are frequently warned not to drink the tap water in Spain because it often has high levels of chlorine and other chemicals that might cause digestive issues.
It’s worth mentioning that Spain got an EU warning in 2017 because it failed to ensure the quality of drinking water for citizens. A report states that “more than 20% of Spanish citizens living in municipalities with more than 10,000 inhabitants receive water that does not meet the requirements of European regulations.” As a remedy, the Spanish government has made significant investments to upgrade the water treatment systems and has also increased the frequency of water quality checks.
In the words of U.S embassy officials in Spain, “Spain’s tap water is safe to drink, although it does not always taste good.” The Spanish government encourages tourists and locals to drink bottled water, which is widely available and affordable.
There are several interesting facts about Spanish water that are worth mentioning. Here are a few:
- Spain is one of the driest countries in Europe, and its water reserves are constantly being threatened. The country experienced a significant drought for over a decade, and it is still facing water scarcity issues today.
- Spain is the world’s leading producer of bottled water, with over 60 brands that are distributed worldwide.
- The world-renowned Levante Beach, located in Benidorm, Spain, boasts the cleanest seawater in Europe.
- A 2019 study by the University of Valencia claims that the water in the Mediterranean sea that surrounds Spain, which is used to produce desalinated water, is contaminated with plastic waste.
- In 2018, the Spanish Congress approved a measure to ensure that all public buildings install water fountains to reduce plastic waste from single-use plastic bottles.
Here’s a table comparing the tap water quality in Spanish cities according to the European Union standards:
| City | Water Quality |
|---|---|
| Barcelona | Excellent |
| Madrid | Excellent |
| Seville | Good |
| Malaga | Satisfactory |
| Valencia | Poor |
| Alicante | Inadequate |
In conclusion, it is evident that Spanish water quality is not necessarily bad, but it varies from location to location. The Spanish government has made efforts to upgrade and improve its water treatment systems, and drinking bottled water is always a safer option.
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Droughts
The water crisis in Spain has come about due to recurring droughts as a result of the effects of extreme weather conditions that contribute to increasing temperatures in the peninsula. In 2019, the Spanish association La Unión de Uniones de Agricultores y Ganaderos faced losses of €1.5 billion as a consequence of droughts.
Also people ask
Why can’t we drink Spanish water?
Answer: So can I drink the water in Spain? Yes, at least 99.5% of all public tap water in Spain is safe to drink according to international water quality standards. But there are issues such as taste, odor chlorine by-products, microplastics and local pipe contaminants.
Is it safe to drink Spanish water?
A question often asked by foreign visitors when they come to Spain is “Is it okay to drink the tap water here?” The simple answer is yes, you can! Spanish tap water is considered to be 99.5% safe to drink, although the taste may vary somewhat according to the region.
Beside this, Why does Spanish water taste weird?
Chlorine is the culprit
That, however, is simply not true. The reason why the water in Valencia tastes so terrible, is because it is highly chlorinated. Chlorine, a very common disinfectant, is used frequently in water treatment plants in Spain.
In this manner, Should Americans drink the water in Spain? Answer to this: Spanish Tap Water FAQs
All water in Spain is considered safe to drink. That said, if you’re not used to it, it can taste a bit off in some areas (mainly coastal cities like Malaga and Barcelona). If that’s where you’re headed, go for bottled—the water won’t make you ill, but the taste can be off-putting.
Also, Why is Spain’s drinking water so bad?
In reply to that: For many years, Spain has had a somewhat poor reputation when it comes to the quality of its drinking water. It’s unclear as to why this may be, however it could be due to several reasons. Many Spaniards drink bottled water instead of tap as it tastes better in many regions the tap water has a strong chlorine taste to it.
Beside above, Is bottled water better than tap water in Spain? Answer: Although bottled water is thought to be safer than tap water in Spain, there is no scientific evidence of this. Most Spaniards drink bottled water because of its superior taste rather than because of any health risks. Drinking even the best-bottled water in Spain doesn’t come without its risks though.
Just so, Why is Spain reducing its water supply? “Bear in mind that the 20% figure is an average. In some areas around the Mediterranean basin, 40% reductions have been recorded,” he warned. The reasons that have led to this situation are twofold: a reduction in rainfall and increasing temperatures. Moreover, Spain uses 80% of its water supply to irrigate crops.
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