In Denmark people take their drinking water for granted. Danes don’t think twice before grabbing a glass and sticking it underneath a tap.However, for many tourists it will seem completely unnatural to put the glass under the tap. For many visitors drinking water is something you buy in the supermarket.
The water suppliers are obligated to monitor the quality of the drinking water
In Denmark approximately 99% of the drinking water supply is based on groundwater. The water is drawn from aquifers located below the Danish subsoil and is so clean that it is not necessary to add chlorine to purify it.
In the recent years groundwater surveillance tests have found that drinking water in some areas of Denmark are contaminated with pesticides. About 30 wells are annually being closed by the authorities due to pollution problems. The municipal council must inform consumers if the drinking water does not meet the quality requirements. The water suppliers are obligated to monitor the quality of the drinking water and secure surveillance tests continuously.
To protect the ground water ressources some Danish water companies plants trees in the areas where ground water is extracted, in partnership with the Danish Nature Agency. Agreements are also entered with local farmers who undertake to cultivate their fields in an environmentally friendly way.
You can safely drink tap water.
The Danish drinking water supply is based entirely on groundwater and the Danish government’s official position is that drinking water should be based on pure groundwater which only needs simple treatment with aeration, pH adjustment and filtration before it is distributed to the consumers. A protected groundwater resource free of contaminants and attractive to drink is considered essential to the general health of the entire population.
As a visitor or tourist in Denmark you can safely drink tap water.
Source: eng.ecoinnovation.dk, danishwaterforum.dk, mst.dk. Featured image: Bigandt, Dreamstime.com.
