Is tap water healthy? What to know (2026)

Reading time: ~11 minutes

Is tap water healthy? The short answer is yes: in the Netherlands, tap water is generally very healthy and safe to drink. Our mains water is tested continuously and meets one of the strictest sets of standards in the world. Yet the question keeps coming back, because terms such as PFAS, microplastics and lead in old pipework quite rightly make people curious about what exactly comes out of their tap.

In this guide we explain why tap water is healthy, which minerals it contains, when caution is nevertheless sensible, and whether you should filter your water at home. All of it supported by concrete figures and reliable sources such as the RIVM, Vewin and the Drinkwaterplatform.

1. What is tap water, exactly?

Dutch tap water is therefore not "ordinary" water but a carefully treated product. Unlike in many other countries, no chlorine is added to Dutch drinking water. The RIVM, the Dutch national institute for public health and the environment, confirms that the quality of our tap water is among the best in the world.

The ten drinking water companies in the Netherlands carry out hundreds of thousands of measurements every year. According to Vewin, the umbrella body of the water companies, more than half a million analyses are performed annually on well over sixty different substances. That makes tap water one of the most closely monitored foodstuffs you can buy, or in this case simply draw from the tap.

2. Is tap water healthy to drink?

Yes, tap water is healthy. For virtually everyone in the Netherlands it is safe to drink tap water every day without additional filtering. The water contains no added sugars, no calories and no artificial additives. What is more, according to the RIVM it is in many cases monitored more strictly than bottled water.

That reassurance comes from a rock-solid system of checks. Drinking water has to meet the standards in the Drinkwaterbesluit, which are based on European directives. Independent bodies such as the Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport (ILT), the Dutch human environment and transport inspectorate, supervise compliance. For healthy adults, children and older people, tap water in the Netherlands is an excellent, affordable and sustainable choice.

Worth knowing: "healthy" and "100% pure" are not the same thing. Tap water always contains traces of dissolved substances; that is part of the deal and is usually healthy in itself. What matters is whether those substances stay within the safe limits. And they almost always do.

When something does go wrong, it usually involves a microbiological finding after a burst main or maintenance work. What is going on in that case, and what you should and should not do at that moment, is explained in our blog about enterococci and E. coli in tap water.

3. The health benefits of tap water

Drinking water is the foundation of a healthy body. Tap water offers a few concrete advantages on top of that which go beyond hydration alone.

Optimum hydration

The human body is roughly 60% water. Drinking enough, on average 1.5 to 2 litres a day, supports your energy levels, your concentration, temperature regulation and the transport of nutrients to your cells. Dehydration of just 1% to 2% of your body weight can already lead to fatigue and reduced concentration.

A healthy alternative to soft drinks

If you replace soft drinks or sweetened juices with tap water, you quickly save hundreds of calories a day. A glass of soft drink contains 7 to 10 sugar cubes on average. Tap water contains none, which is good for your weight, your teeth and a stable blood sugar level.

Good digestion

Water helps digestion run smoothly and prevents constipation. It is needed to absorb nutrients in the intestines and to remove waste products through the kidneys.

Sustainable and affordable

Drinking tap water saves mountains of plastic. A single household that switches from bottled water to tap water quickly avoids hundreds of plastic bottles a year. And at a fraction of the cost.

4. Which minerals are in tap water?

Tap water naturally contains dissolved minerals that contribute to your daily intake. The exact amount differs by region, depending on the water source. These are the most important ones:

• Calcium: important for strong bones and teeth. The concentration varies considerably by region, from around 40 to 90 milligrams per litre.
• Magnesium: plays a part in muscles, nerves and your energy metabolism.
• Potassium: helps to regulate blood pressure and fluid balance.
• Sodium and bicarbonate: present in small amounts and contribute to the taste.

The amount of calcium and magnesium also determines the hardness of the water. Hard water is not unhealthy, but it does cause limescale in appliances. Soft water contains fewer minerals. Would you like to know how hard your water is? Then have a look at our page on water hardness by municipality.

5. Points to watch: when is caution sensible?

Tap water is healthy, but there are situations in which extra attention is wise. These points are not about panic; they are about being well informed.

Lead in old pipework

Homes built before 1960 sometimes still have lead internal pipes. Water that stands still for a long time in such a pipe can take up lead. The EU limit for lead was tightened in 2023 from 10 to 5 micrograms per litre. According to the Drinkwaterplatform, the Dutch drinking water knowledge platform, this lead limit is exceeded in around 1.8% of samples taken at the tap, almost always because of pipework inside the home. Lead is particularly harmful to young children and pregnant women. You can read more about this in our guide on filtering lead out of tap water.

PFAS and microplastics

PFAS (the so-called "forever chemicals") and microplastics are substances that are attracting more and more attention. The concentrations in Dutch tap water are low and stay below the applicable limits, but the RIVM is still investigating the long-term effects. If you would rather avoid these substances altogether, a certified filter is the answer. Read our explanation of PFAS and forever chemicals and microplastics in tap water.

Pharmaceutical residues

Traces of pharmaceutical residues can end up in the source via surface water. The quantities are very small and, according to Milieu Centraal, the Dutch consumer information organisation for the environment, not harmful, but the trend is being watched closely. More about this in our article on pharmaceutical residues in tap water.

Vulnerable groups

People with a severely weakened immune system, and parents preparing formula milk for a baby, can benefit from extra precautions. For that, have a look at our guides on a water filter for baby food and a water filter during pregnancy.

6. Should you filter your tap water?

For most people filtering is not strictly necessary, since tap water is already safe. Even so, more and more households choose to do it, for three reasons: extra certainty, better taste and convenience.

A certified filter removes substances such as lead, PFAS, chlorine by-products and microplastics that can find their way into the water through old pipework or the source. It also improves the taste, which is noticeable above all in areas with hard water or a slight off-note. Filter at the source and you drink clean water without having to lug bottles around, too.

What does matter is choosing a filter that keeps the healthy minerals. A simple filter jug does little, and reverse osmosis takes out too much. The happy medium is a certified inline filter that removes contamination and adds minerals.

7. Comparison table: tap water and the alternatives

Want to know more about the differences? Read our comparison of tap water vs. bottled water, or have a look on the site at PureFilter vs. Brita and PureFilter vs. Berkey.

8. PureFilter Mineral+: healthy water that keeps its minerals

The PureFilter Mineral+ combines two things that rarely go together: it removes more than 100 contaminants and it adds calcium, magnesium and potassium back through the Swedish Mineral Rock™ technology. That gives you the safety of a filter without giving up the healthy minerals that make tap water so valuable in the first place.

The filter is independently certified to NSF 42, 53, 61 and 372, the international standards for taste, health claims, material safety and lead-free components. It connects directly under your worktop and filters all the water you drink and cook with.

• Capacity: 15,000 to 20,000 litres per cartridge, enough for about 12 months for 1 to 3 people and about 6 months for 4 to 6 people.
• Installation: 5 to 10 minutes, no plumber needed.
• Price: from 149.00 euro including one filter cartridge, replacement filter from 65.00 euro.
• Removes among other things: lead, PFAS, microplastics, chlorine by-products, pharmaceutical residues and nitrate.

9. Buying advice: do you need a filter?

The choice depends on your situation:

• Do you live in a modern home with good pipework? Then you can happily drink tap water unfiltered. A filter is then mainly a choice for taste and extra certainty.
• Do you live in a house built before 1960, or are you unsure about the pipework? Then choose an NSF 53-certified inline filter such as the PureFilter Mineral+, which removes lead and other heavy metals effectively.
• Would you rather avoid PFAS, microplastics and pharmaceutical residues altogether? A certified filter at the source is the most complete solution.
• Do you live in rented accommodation? Have a look at our guide on a water filter in rented accommodation for the options.

Still unsure which model suits you? Then have a look at our page on the best water filter, the under-sink water filter or the frequently asked questions.

10. Frequently asked questions about healthy tap water

11. Conclusion

Is tap water healthy? Without a doubt. Dutch tap water is among the most closely monitored and safest drinks in the world, contains useful minerals, no chlorine and no sugar, and on top of that it is remarkably affordable and sustainable. For virtually everyone it is perfectly fine to drink unfiltered tap water every day.

At the same time there are situations in which extra certainty is welcome: old pipework with a risk of lead, or the wish to avoid PFAS, microplastics and pharmaceutical residues. In those cases a certified filter at the source is the smartest choice. The PureFilter Mineral+ removes more than 100 contaminants and adds healthy minerals through Swedish Mineral Rock™, so that your water is not only clean but also tastes good. Installation takes 5 to 10 minutes. Want to know more? Visit purefilter.nl.