Can you drink tap water in Denmark and Copenhagen?
Short answer
Yes, you can normally drink cold tap water in Denmark, including Copenhagen. Drinking water is monitored, and Danish supplies mainly use groundwater. Choose the cold tap and follow any local notice from the water supplier or municipality. Information checked on 11 November 2026.
Copenhagen: refill from the tap
You do not normally need bottled water to obtain drinking water in Copenhagen. At a hotel or holiday apartment, you can fill a clean drinking bottle from an ordinary cold-water tap.
HOFOR is a major water supplier in the capital region. Its website provides water information and service updates. If a problem concerns only your building, the hotel reception, landlord or building manager may have the relevant notice.
An outdoor public tap should be intended for drinking water. Do not treat decorative fountains or taps marked “ikke drikkevand”, meaning not drinking water, as refill points. General advice about Danish tap water does not certify every water outlet.
Choose cold water
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency recommends cold tap water for drinking and cooking. If water has been standing in the installation, let it run until cold. Use a clean container intended for food.
Hot water passes through the building's hot-water system. Looking clear does not make it the equivalent of fresh cold drinking water.
Tap water may taste different from the water at home. Mineral content and hardness vary between areas. Limescale in a kettle does not itself indicate contamination.
White or brown water
Small air bubbles can make water look white. Frederiksberg Municipality explains that this water typically clears from the bottom upwards when left in a glass. Brownish water can occur when deposits are disturbed after work on pipes.
Appearance alone cannot establish safety. For an unusual change, check the supplier's service notices and contact the responsible organisation if the problem persists. Local instructions take precedence over general tap-water advice.
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Questions and answers
Yes, normally. Follow any local warning from the supplier, municipality or accommodation.
Normally not when ordinary monitored tap water is available.
Choose the cold tap for drinking and cooking, letting the water become cold.
No. Limescale does not itself indicate contamination, and hardness varies locally.
No. Advice about monitored tap water does not apply to natural lakes and streams.
Check the supplier's service information. If only your building is affected, contact reception, the landlord or building manager.
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