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Is Melbourne Tap Water Safe To Drink?

Yes! Generally Safe to Drink*

LAST UPDATED: 5:58 pm, December 28, 2021
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Table of Contents

Can You Drink Tap Water in Melbourne?

Yes, tap water is drinkable.

Tap Safe includes data from many publicly available sources, including the WHO (World Health Organization), CDC (Center for Disease Control), and user submitted databases, but unfortunately there's not enough data about Melbourne.

To see user submitted ratings of the water quality for Australia, see the "User Submitted Ratings" box on this page.

Tap water in Melbourne, Australia, is one of the safest fluids to drink. Melbourne Water tests the water frequently to ensure it meets the strict water quality standard. They also check the color, taste, and smell of water. The water is treated and disinfect before it leaves the reservoirs and enters the water supply system.

If you stay in a hotel, it is your right to ask hotel employees if you can drink tap directly. There are old structures that may create contamination to the water coming from the tap. If found safe, feel free to drink potable water. As the study shows, tap water is healthier than bottled water. And there may be some bottled water that came from the tap.

A small amount of fluoride is added to water to keep your teeth healthy. The first municipality to fluoridate the water supply in Australia was Beaconsfield, Tasmania, in 1953. Although all public water supplies in Tasmania do fluoridate, around 15% of the residents do not have access to local water supplies.

Melbourne Tap Water

Is it true that your tap water in Melbourne has bad quality? You may have come across many claims stating that your water has some hazardous chemicals and bacteria, which are probably true. If this is so, how come people are willing to spend money to get rid of such contaminated water? The answer lies with the fact that the quality of the water is determined by several factors, including the supply of raw materials, the filtration methods applied to the water, and other operational aspects. However, in recent times, Melbourne water has been able to win several prestigious awards for its quality, thanks to a lot of hard work by the water delivery companies.

Yes, Melbourne tap water is still very safe to drink. It is easily one of the best quality tap water worldwide and even earned the second position in top municipal water ranking at the prestigious International Water Tasting Competition held annually from mid-2019 to late-2019! In this competition, participants are offered opportunities to taste the different types of bottled water from other countries, along with bottled water and tap water samples from Melbourne itself. After all, as any resident can testify, drinking tap water tastes good, but there are many other advantages of opting for bottled water over tap water.

Moreover, the Australian government is taking active measures to ensure that the quality of our water supply remains excellent. For this reason, they have started inviting companies that provide water supply services to submit proof of their ability to deliver clean and healthy water to residences and businesses. These proofs will then be subjected to various quality control checks and audits, allowing us to have peace of mind that our precious water supply is indeed safe and pure. So, while you may be spending a few extra bucks on bottled water, remember that what you are paying for is pure health. After all, we all know that we should not settle more for less!

Melbourne Drinking Water

When you are considering living in Melbourne, you might as well take the time to check out the quality of the drinking water in your area. Yes, you read that right–the drinking water in Melbourne is safe to consume! It has received second place at the prestigious International Water Tasting Competition for either 2021! And you thought it was only the Great Barrier Reef and other beaches around Australia that were unsafe to consume! The purest water in the entire world is found in Melbourne, and the water in Melbourne has been certified as the healthiest water on the planet by various international agencies.

As if this isn’t enough to let you worry, there is another major reason why you should take note of the quality of your drinking water, and that is because of the damaging winds that usually come with an Australian Summer. Okay, so, I admit that I am a bit biased towards this Australian city and its glorious weather, but I have to point this out because I believe it’s important enough to mention. As the wind blows, dust particles are created. These dust particles and other small particles from the surrounding air are carried into our lungs, which can have serious consequences on our overall health. The wind does indeed help clean the air in Melbourne, but it isn’t the best way to purify our drinking water!

Luckily, there are many measures that you can take to protect yourself against these dangerous Australian summertime winds. As the weather gets warmer, you need to make sure that you have efficient air-conditioning units, you have plenty of fans to run during those blazing Australian summer months, and that you install as many storm shutters as you possibly can on your home. You can also invest in a water filter, such as the Brita Maxtra XP, and install it in your kitchen. A water filter will help you protect yourself from harmful bacteria and particles that can find their way into your drinking water supply. In the end, as long as you are willing to make an effort to protect yourself, you’ll be glad that you took precautions in the first place.

Melbourne Water Quality

Have you ever wondered about the quality of Melbourne water? Do you know enough about it to make a good choice? Water quality is something that everyone should be aware of. There have been many problems with the water quality in major Australian cities like Sydney and Melbourne. Many smaller cities have had issues with the water quality, including Brisbane, Perth, and Hobart.

This is because of different factors: the dumping of industrial waste into the water. Another one is the mixing of raw materials, which can adversely affect both aquatic and plant life. When it comes to Melbourne water quality, there are many issues. Firstly, there are low levels of cleanliness, which is alarming because if this is not taken care of, then the water can become contaminated, which can have serious consequences on the health of those living in the area. Other issues include surface water and groundwater that are not treated adequately. Other chemicals can come from factories around the city that can pollute the water as well.

You need to do something about this. Many water treatment plants around the city are providing this type of service. Melbourne water quality is better than most places, but this does not mean that it is the best that is available. This means that there is still work to be done on the water quality, but if you want to take advantage of something free of charge, you can get online and find out more about the treatment plants that can provide you with top-quality water to drink and use.

Melbourne’s Water

Water is a scarce commodity throughout the world, and Victoria is no exception. In the mid-1990s, Melbourne’s water was under serious strain because of drought. To combat this, the City of Melbourne implemented a program that seeks to conserve water. This program has helped the City of Melbourne to reduce its water usage and improve water quality throughout the City.

In recognition of its importance as a natural resource, the state of Victoria requires all municipalities to take action to protect its water supply system. The state also works closely with regional cities to improve management, planning, and water restrictions, and conservation programs. Victoria’s water supply system, including water reservoirs around the state, has also been subject to substantial changes. From 1995 to 2021, Melbourne’s rainfall and that within the catchment areas decreased by 75%, likely due to climate change.

Today, the state of Victoria is undertaking a comprehensive review of its water supply system, which it expects will be completed by 2021. The study seeks to implement long-term strategies for improving water quality, quantity, and quality of the water used. The review also seeks to mitigate future threats to water quality in both reservoirs and catchment areas. These actions are part of the government’s broader effort to improve the protection and management of the natural environment. The goal is to strengthen the state’s natural resource base, protect and preserve the “networks” of ecosystems, improve the ecological functioning of ecosystems, and improve water quality, particularly in catchment areas and reservoirs.

Source of Water in Melbourne, Australia

The primary source of tap water in Melbourne is from rainfall. Water catchment zones have sponge-like soils that filter and keep rainwater. Then gently release it into the rivers that serve the water storage reservoirs. Most of these catchments have restricted public access, delivering pure water that needs little treatment. In terms of crucial need, they can also use water of the Victorian Desalination Plant and North-South Pipeline.

Around 80% of Melbourne’s water originates from isolated forests in the Yarra Ranges and Central Highlands. In the margin of 1,570 square kilometers is held for water catchment. These forests initially consist of Mountain Ash. For more than 100 years, catchment areas are blocked to the public.

Is Melbourne Tap Water Safe To Drink? Tap water & safety quality

The estimated price of bottled water

$1.72 in USD (1.5-liter)

USER SUBMITTED RATINGS

Melbourne tap water
  • Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility 12% Very Low
  • Water Pollution 28% Low
  • Drinking Water Quality and Accessibility 88% Very High
  • Water Quality 72% High

The above data is comprised of subjective, user submitted opinions about the water quality and pollution in Melbourne, measured on a scale from 0% (lowest) to 100% (highest).

Related FAQS

Reminder

Always take extra precautions, the water may be safe to drink when it leaves the sewage treatment plant but it may pick up pollutants during its way to your tap. We advise that you ask locals or hotel staff about the water quality. Also, note that different cities have different water mineral contents.

Sources and Resources

Current Weather in Melbourne

MELBOURNE WEATHER

Some of the Local Convenience Stores in Melbourne

CT Mart Convenience Store
CT Mart Convenience Store
  • City Convenience
  • Gold Convenience Store
  • Urban Express Mini Supermarket
  • Walkers Stop Convenience Indian grocery
  • 7-Eleven
  • Simply Express Convenience Store
  • CBW Express
  • Lucky7 Convenience & Coffee
  • EzyMart
  • Local Express South Melbourne
  • CT MART
  • 24 Seven
  • Quick 7
  • Select 7
  • MINI STOP
  • O2shop
  • FD Express

Estimated Price of Bottled Water

VolumeAUDUSDEURGBP
1.5-literA$1.98$1.35€1.22£1.05
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