Can you drink tap water in Bilbao? It is something that many people ask themselves. This doubt is common both for visitors who come on vacation and for citizens who do not know the origin of the water that comes out of their taps.
Today we are going to clarify the most common doubts about Bilbao tap water . Is it drinkable? Is its consumption recommended? How hard is Bilbao water? Let's go with the answers!
Is Bilbao water drinkable?
The first thing we must clarify is that yes, you can drink tap water in Bilbao . Bilbao's water is drinkable and, furthermore, of very good quality.
This is due both to its natural origin and to the exhaustive analyzes and controls carried out by the Bilbao Bizkaia Water Consortium.
Independent studies place Bilbao water as one of the highest quality in Spain.
We have even seen how initiatives have been developed to reduce the consumption of bottled water by using tap water in Bilbao to cook in the best restaurants in the city.
How hard is it?
Once the doubt has been resolved, we go into more technical specifications to analyze aspects such as its hardness.
The first thing you have to know is that water hardness is a parameter independent of quality or drinkability. The hardness of water is largely determined by the characteristics of the soil from which it comes.
In the case of water in Bilbao, its hardness level is one of the lowest compared to the municipalities of the province.
Where does your drinking water come from?
Now we will resolve the doubts about the origin of Bilbao's water.
Before we can drink water in Bilbao , the liquid travels through a 400-kilometer network of distribution pipes.
In the 1930s, Bilbao's water was collected directly from the Nervión River. Later, the Ordunte reservoir was built, which is located 30 kilometers from Bilbao and still today supplies drinking water to most of the city.
In addition to the supply provided by the Oruña reservoir, Bilbao's tap water reaches our homes from the Zadorra river reservoirs that reach Venta Alta (Arrigorriaga).
As for the distribution network, there are 400 kilometers of pipelines and several storage points such as Oiola, Artiba, Lekubaso, Zollo or San Cristóbal.
To further optimize the quality of water in Bilbao, you can use activated carbon tap water filters . These filters are capable of removing up to 100 different substances, including lime. This way you get the best and purest flavor of Bilbao water.