Madrid Drinking Water

One of the main questions, especially if you have visited a typical beach holiday in the past and have succumbed to the sore stomachs and discomfort of drinking water of poor quality is, how is the water quality in Madrid? Is it safe to drink? Do you need to buy bottled water and how does the quality of the water in Madrid compare to your own country, Town or City?

Well, you will be pleased to know that the quality of the water in Madrid is very good indeed, in-fact, you should not need to buy bottled water at all. Madrid People rarely buy bottled water, and are very proud of the natural water supply they have here in Madrid.

Madrid is certainly one of the safest places to drink water in Spain, although you honestly can't really go wrong in any of the major cities. Taste varies, with some praising the clear, cool waters, and others preferring the option of mineral waters instead. The responsibility of providing good quality, clear natural tap water for Madrid lies with Canal de Isabel II.

Canal de Isabel II is the public company responsible for managing the water distribution in the Community of Madrid. 

The Company was founded in 1851, when the project was completed to supply water to the capital. The domestic distribution of water marked the entrance to the city of Madrid in modernity, with all that it meant: the growing population combined with all its industrial and commercial activities.

Currently, Canal de Isabel II caters to around 6 million inhabitants of the Community of Madrid. To provide the large volume of water necessary for this purpose, with contributions from seven rivers in the Sierra del Guadarrama: Alberche Guadarrama-Aulencia, Guadalix, Manzanares, Lozoya, Jarama and Sorbe.

Madrid Water Quality

The water supply to the Madrid managed by Canal de Isabel II is already in its origin, excellent quality, both surface water and in groundwater. To ensure excellent quality and increase the health and taste level, establishing a strict monitoring program, from origin to delivery to the consumer.

Treatment Stations

The supply system of the Community of Madrid, which manages the Canal de Isabel II, has 12 treatment stations with a nominal capacity to deal with 44.5 meters of water persecond in total, which can treat water from any source of supply. Entered service in 1967 the first of these, the plant Torrelaguna. The higher capacity is Colmenar reaching a rate of 16 cubic meters of water per second.

Canal de Isabel II has established a strict monitoring program from the source of supply to delivery to the consumer to always ensure quality. It is designed so that exceeds the provisions of the existing legislation on water intended for public consumption both European and Spanish and provides for two possible resources: surface water and groundwater. The more intensive monitoring, with the largestnumber of tests is carried out during the stay of the water distribution network.

To achieve its quality objectives Channel has a new central laboratory equipped with the latest technologies and thirty automatic monitoring stations, as well as additional peripheral laboratories.

In summary

Yes the tap water of Madrid is in very good condition indeed and safe to drink, Canal de Isabel II ensures that the strict legislation both for Europe and Spain is exceeded for both the requirements of Madrileños and visitors.