Water-quality information checked: 2026-09-10
Seoul supplies drinking water under the name Arisu.
Arisu (아리수) is the name of Seoul’s public tap water supply. Seoul Water explains its testing programme: the city checks 172 measures of water quality. These include 60 checks required by Korea’s national drinking-water standards and 112 additional checks selected by Seoul. A water-quality check may measure a chemical or look for bacteria; “172 checks” does not mean that the water contains 172 contaminants.
Check whether your building’s tap water is suitable for drinking.
Water can pass through a building’s pipes and storage tanks after leaving the public supply. Their condition can affect the water at the tap. Seoul offers free household water-quality testing for this reason. Ask your accommodation whether its tap water is suitable for drinking. If you cannot confirm this, use bottled drinking water. The age of a building alone does not tell you whether its water is safe.
Restaurants commonly provide free drinking water.
You may find a jug on the table or a dispenser where you can fill a cup. Some restaurants serve roasted barley tea (보리차) instead of plain water. Ask for plain water if that is what you want.
You can buy bottled drinking water if you prefer it.
Convenience stores and supermarkets sell bottled drinking water. It is also an option when you are unsure about the water in your accommodation. People may choose filtered or bottled water for different reasons; their choice alone does not establish whether the tap water is unsafe.
