In the UK, the tapwater is fine to drink, and if you ask for tapwater in a pub etc, you should not be charged for it. There is a legal obligation to provide it free. Unless you make it very clear that it is not bottled water you want, you will get bottled water, and so be charged for it.


The mineral content varies enough to really worry some people, and many towns draw their supplies from peat covered hills, so the water often has the distinctive colour of tannins. Variety is good though.

In many parts of europe, the tapwater is not safe, but bottled water is actually a reasonable price as a result.