Portugal’s water regulating authority (ERSAR) has released its annual water quality report, stressing that the quality of tap water in the country is “nearly perfect”.
“We can continue to drink tap water in Portugal safely,” said Luís Simas, the head of water quality at ERSAR.
Simas revealed that 98.4% of Portugal’s tap water is safe to drink, while only 1.5% is still not up to par.
Some of the lower quality water was found to have coliform bacteria, which does not always affect humans but can lead to gastrointestinal sicknesses and general flu-like symptoms such as fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea.
“It is normal for these problems to occur, but they are quickly solved,” he stressed.
The goal for next year, says Simas, is for the quality of water in Portugal to reach the 99% level of excellence”.
