Is Rome's Tap Water Safe To Drink?

This article is part of the Rome Microposts Series.

Yes, Rome's tap water is safe to drink. 97% of Rome's tap water is spring water transported by the the Peschieria-Capore aqueduct.

One of Rome's many fountains that are always flowing.

Likewise, you might have seen all of the fountains around town that are about waist-high with a curved spout. These are called nasoni, named after the "nose" the water fountains have. These are also totally safe to drink from, as they are also fresh, spring water transported into the city.

The water that isn't used (as these fountains are perpetually flowing) is typically piped away for agricultural use.

I don't recommend drinking for Rome's larger fountains (like the Trevi Fountain). While this is also spring water, it's been recycled, so there's no telling what's in the water. The City of Rome discourages drinking from some of the more famous fountains with signs that read acqua non potabile. If the water is safe to drink, there's usually a sign that says acqua potabile.