Tap water in Croatia: can you drink it?
Short answer: yes, water from the public supply is drinkable. Here is what the Croatian Institute of Public Health says and what to watch for.
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Short answer
| Answer | Yes, in most places you can drink tap water from the public water supply. The HZJZ calls public drinking water safe from a health point of view, also for tourists. |
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| Source and date | HZJZ: Zdravstvena ispravnost vode u Hrvatskoj (page last changed in 2018) and the HZJZ report for 2025 (page last changed on 30 June 2026). Checked on 31 October 2026. |
What the HZJZ says
| Who drinks it? | According to the HZJZ, more than 87% of the population uses the public water supply and drinks tap water. |
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| Checks in 2025 | The HZJZ report for 2025 counts 8,877 samples from the public supply (7,983 in group A and 894 in group B). Of these, 221 did not meet the standard, which is 2.5%. Water suppliers also analysed about 72,000 chemical and over 58,000 microbiological samples. |
| Islands | Brač, Krk and Korčula fall under the same rules and the same monitoring as the mainland, says the HZJZ. |
| Note: local waterworks | Local waterworks (lokalni vodovodi) are not part of the public supply. They fail the standards more often: 56.4% of samples in 2017, against 3.1% for the public supply. |
| Note: private wells | Private wells and rainwater cisterns are not monitored. |
Our own tips (not official advice)
- Ask at the campsite or accommodation reception whether the water comes from the public supply.
- Refill your bottles at home or at a tap instead of buying bottled water every day.
- If in doubt, use bottled water, for example with a private well, a rainwater cistern or in a small village with a local waterworks.
- Fill your camper’s water tank at a campsite filling point and ask whether it is drinking water.
With children
The source does not distinguish between adults and children. If you have questions about your children’s health, ask your doctor. More about water, ticks and health on the road is on our page Health, water and ticks.
Sources
- HZJZ: Zdravstvena ispravnost vode u Hrvatskoj
- HZJZ: report on the health safety of drinking water in Croatia, 2025
Checked on 31 October 2026.
Read more
- Everything about travelling to Croatia
- Camper rules in Croatia: wild camping, fines and what is allowed
- Croatia in the pre-season: what is open and what does it cost?
- Campsites in Croatia
- Camping rules in Eastern Europe
- Health, water and ticks
- Vignette and toll guide for Eastern Europe
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