Short answer. In Denmark, waterworks are responsible for drinking-water quality and the kommune is the supervising authority 1. Current notices about drinking-water contamination are posted on your kommune's website 2. If you find your water is contaminated, stop using it and tell the kommune and the local waterworks 2. Danish authorities advise storing 3 litres of drinking water per person per day, enough for three days 3.
How do I know if my tap water is unsafe?
The waterworks (vandværker) are responsible for making sure drinking water meets the quality requirements, with limit values for substances such as iron, nitrate, pesticides and bacteria 1. The kommuner are the authority for water supply: they approve each supplier's control programme and supervise whether it meets the requirements 1. You can see the latest drinking-water quality records for your waterworks with the borger.dk self-service "Tjek din vandkvalitet" 1.
Phaenyx found no national list of boil-water notices (kogeanbefalinger). The official advice is to follow current messages about drinking-water contamination on your kommune's website 2. If you discover that your drinking water is contaminated, the instruction is to stop using it immediately and inform the kommune and the local waterworks 2. Contamination can also come from the building's own pipes 1.
If you are told to boil water or not to drink it, follow the local instruction. See What to do during a boil-water notice and Do-not-drink notices. For how national warnings reach you, see our Denmark alerts page.
How much water should I store?
Danish authorities recommend that every household be able to manage on its own for three days, and the official checklist starts with 3 litres of drinking water per person per day 3. That is 9 litres per person, or 36 litres for a family of four. Full figures are on our Denmark emergency supplies page; for storage and rotation, see How much water to store per person per day? and Water storage containers.
Is Denmark short of water?
Not on average, but drought is a real risk. In WRI's Aqueduct 4.0 model, the population-weighted median of Danish cities falls in the "low to medium" category for current water stress and stays "low to medium" in the 2050 business-as-usual projection, but is "medium to high" for drought risk 4. These are city medians: a given town or catchment can sit higher or lower.
The Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) monitors drought with several indicators, including rainfall status, soil-water status, plant activity and a satellite-based drought index 5. Phaenyx found no national system of water-use restrictions. For household steps, see Drought preparedness.
What if I have a private well?
If a well or borehole supplies only one household, with no public or commercial activity, the owner is not obliged to test the water and is responsible for keeping it clean 1. Every five years the kommune must tell such owners that testing the water is worthwhile; the owner orders and pays for the analysis 1. See Private well emergencies.
What should I do after a flood?
Follow your kommune's messages on drinking water 2, and see Water safety after a flood. A household plan can keep your water stock and local contacts in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find boil-water notices in Denmark?
On your kommune's website, where current messages about drinking-water contamination are published 2. Phaenyx found no national list.
Who is responsible for tap water quality in Denmark?
The waterworks are responsible for quality; the kommune approves their control programme and supervises them 1.
How much water does Denmark recommend per person?
3 litres per person per day, for three days: 9 litres per person 3.
Who do I complain to about my drinking water?
Contact the waterworks first; if that does not help, or you suspect something serious, go to the kommune 1.
Sources
- borger.dk — Drikkevand og vandforbrug — https://www.borger.dk/miljoe-og-energi/Drikkevand-og-vandforbrug (accessed 2026-10-27)
- borger.dk (written by Beredskabsstyrelsen) — Akut forurening — https://www.borger.dk/miljoe-og-energi/Forurening/akut-forurening (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Styrelsen for Samfundssikkerhed — Forberedt på kriser – sådan klarer du dig selv i tre døgn under en krise — https://samsik.dk/forberedt/ (accessed 2026-10-27)
- World Resources Institute (WRI) — Aqueduct 4.0 (water stress, 2050 projection and drought risk) — https://www.wri.org/aqueduct (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Danmarks Meteorologiske Institut (DMI) — Tørke – Overvågning af tørke — https://www.dmi.dk/toerke (accessed 2026-10-27)
Turn this into action
Your plan for Denmark, worked out for your household.
- Water, food and equipment counted for each person and pet
- The nuclear plants and zones around your home
- Phaenyx Safe: one tap to tell your people you are safe
Sources
- borger.dk · Drikkevand og vandforbrug checked 2026-10-27
- borger.dk (written by Beredskabsstyrelsen) · Akut forurening checked 2026-10-27
- Styrelsen for Samfundssikkerhed · Forberedt på kriser – sådan klarer du dig selv i tre døgn under en krise checked 2026-10-27
- World Resources Institute (WRI) · Aqueduct 4.0 (water stress, 2050 projection and drought risk) checked 2026-10-27
- Danmarks Meteorologiske Institut (DMI) · Tørke – Overvågning af tørke checked 2026-10-27