Can You Drink Tap Water In Malaysia? And Safety Tips

Can you drink tap water in Malaysia? It is NOT advised to drink tap water in Malaysia. Generally the level and standard of food hygiene in Malaysia are good. Drinking tap water could easily ruin your trip to Malaysia and is definitely one of the things to avoid in Malaysia.

The Malaysian Ministry of Health has worked to improve the quality of water since 1983. The problem is like in many countries, water coming out of the treatment plant is safe but the state of the plumbing between the plant and homes is the problem.

Locals don’t drink straight out of a tap cause they claim that there is a bad taste and smell so they buy water or drink filtered water. Typically Malaysian homes will use tap water to drink but they boil the water first or have water filters installed to purify the water.

In this post, we will go through whether can you drink tap water in Malaysia. So let’s get started!

Learn More About Malaysia

• Fun Things To Do In Langkawi Malaysia
• Things To Do In Pahang Malaysia
• Things To Do In Selangor Malaysia
• Is There Any Elephant Sanctuary In Malaysia?
• Things To Do In Kota Bharu Malaysia
• Is Malaysia Expensive For Backpackers?

Is It Safe To Drink Tap Water In Malaysia?

No, drinking tap water in Malaysia is not safe. The locals don’t drink straight out of a tap cause they say that there is a bad smell, and taste, and sometimes the water is brown which is caused by old, dirty, and rusty pipes.

It is advised to drink bottled water or filtered water or boil the water before drinking.

What Are The Alternatives To Tap Water In Malaysia?

Again, it is NOT advised to drink tap water in Malaysia. This applies to locals and foreigners who visit and live in Malaysia. Simply it is not worth the risk of getting sick.

Here is a list of tap water alternatives in Malaysia.

• Bottled water.
• Filtered water.
• Boiled water.

Can You Drink Tap Water In Kuala Lumpur?

No, tap water is NOT safe in Kuala Lumpur. It is safer to drink bottled water or filtered water before drinking. Or you can boil the water before drinking.

Typically, the locals don’t drink straight out of a tap cause they claim that there is a bad taste and a terrible smell.

Read more about things to do in Kuala Lumpur here.

Is It OK To Drink Boiled Water In Malaysia?

Yes, boiling the tap water, kills off bacteria and other organisms that might be in the water. Making it safe to drink.

This is the best way of purification when a person does not have access to drinkable water.

Is Malaysia Water Hard Or Soft?

According to Wikipedia, water is classified as soft water when the hardness is below 60 mg/L.

As a result, Malaysian water is predominantly considered soft with low levels of mineral content. Soft water also makes it easier on the plumbing and appliances.

Can You Drink Tap Water In Penang?

No, when anywhere in Malaysia always keep in mind that it is not advisable to drink tap water directly. Most people including locals boil water or filter the water with nearly all visitors sticking to bottled water.

Like in many countries around the world, water coming out of the treatment plant is safe but the state of the plumbing between the plant and the accommodation is the problem.

Read more about things to do in Penang here.

Is It Safe To Brush Teeth With Tap Water In Malaysia?

Tap water is NOT safe in Malaysia therefore you are advised to buy bottled water for brushing your teeth. Simply it is not worth the risk of getting sick.

Is Bottled Water Safe In Malaysia?

Yes. Bottled water is the best choice for visitors to Malaysia. It is clean and safe to drink.

Here is a list of the popular bottled water in Malaysia.

• Nescafe Pure Life.
• Ocean.
• Cactus.
• Spritzer.
• Dasani.
• Evian.

1 liter of bottled water can cost around 2 RM to 3 RM. The price depends on the brand with the local water being the cheapest.

How Safe Is It To Drink Filtered Water In Malaysia?

Yes, assuming that the filter for the filtered water is replaced and maintained regularly. This sometimes can be healthier than bottled water.

Although tap water is considered safe to drink in Malaysia, it is advised that people don’t drink from their taps.

What Is Wrong With The Tap Water In Malaysia?

The tap water in Malaysia would be ok to drink with the water at the treatment plant meeting WHO standards. The problem is the transport of the water between the treatment plants to houses and businesses.

To get it to people’s houses and businesses the water goes through the water pipe system. A lot of the pipes are old, dirty, and rusty, so the water gets contaminated.

Then you need to consider the following.

• Has the building got water filters?
• How often are the filters changed?
• Do they check and maintain their water tanks?
• Do they do regular tests on the water tank?

After that, the water will pass through the building’s water tanks to taps, bathrooms, and the kitchen. Then, if it is an old building, they may not have switched from GI metal pipes to uPVC pipes.

To summarise, the water quality at the treatment plant is at a good standard or even at the entry point to the hotel, restaurant, or home. There are a lot of factors that can contaminate the water through its transportation from the plant to the tap.

I suggest playing safe and drinking bottled water.

Wrapping Up

Finally, it is NOT advised to drink tap water in Malaysia. Remember that the locals don’t drink directly from the tap they drink bottled water or drink filtered water. Simply it is not worth the risk of getting sick while visiting Malaysia.

And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on can you drink tap water in Malaysia has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.

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