Safe water in Norway: notices, drought and what to store

Short answer. In Norway, the waterworks (vannverk) advises boiling tap water when water quality is uncertain, and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) publishes what households should do ¹. In Bergen, the threshold is deliberately very low: a pipe break or pressure drop is enough ². The Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB) advises about 20 litres of drinking water per person for one week ³.

How do I know if my tap water is unsafe?

The source is your waterworks. If water quality becomes uncertain, the waterworks can send out a recommendation to boil drinking water, and FHI says you should follow it ¹. Phaenyx found no national list of boil-water notices: they come from each municipality or waterworks.

Bergen is an example of how this works. Bergen Vann follows FHI advice and recommends boiling when drinking water may be contaminated ². The threshold is very low, on the precautionary principle: a pipe break, a pressure drop or any sign of contamination leads to a boil notice, and analysing water samples takes about a day ². Check your own municipality's website for how it sends notices. How public warnings reach your phone is explained on our Norway alerts page.

During a boil notice, FHI's advice is to bring water to a rolling boil for a few seconds, in a kettle, a pan or a microwave ¹. Use boiled water for drinking, squash and baby porridge, coffee makers, rinsing fruit and salad, brushing teeth, ice cubes and washing dishes by hand ¹. Unboiled tap water is fine for cooking food, hand washing, showers (avoid swallowing), laundry and cleaning ¹. Run the dishwasher on its hottest, longest programme ¹. Freezing or refrigeration does not kill microorganisms ¹.

See What to do during a boil-water notice and Do-not-drink notices.

How much water should I store?

DSB advises about 20 litres of drinking water per person, as part of being able to manage on your own for one week ³. If boiling enough water is hard during a notice, FHI names bottled water or the emergency stock recommended by DSB as alternatives; boiled water keeps for a long time if the container is clean before storage ¹. Full figures are on our Norway emergency supplies page; see also How much water to store per person per day? and Water storage containers.

Is Norway short of water?

Not on current national data. In WRI's Aqueduct 4.0 model, the population-weighted median of Norwegian cities is in the "low" category for water stress today, in the 2050 business-as-usual projection, and for drought risk ⁶. These are city medians: a given place can differ, and a local supply can still fail after a pipe break or contamination ².

What if I have my own well or cabin water?

If your own supply serves only your household or cabin, you are responsible for making sure the water is safe; the same can apply if you run a small shared supply with neighbours ⁴. FHI's brochure Drikkevann i spredt bebyggelse og på hytta gives practical tips, and FHI advises contacting firms or specialists in water treatment if you are unsure whether the water is safe ⁴. FHI also publishes advice on drinking water straight from nature ⁵. See Private well emergencies and How to make water safe to drink.

What should I do after a flood?

Follow your waterworks or municipality, and see Water safety after a flood. A household plan can keep your water stock and your municipality's warning channels in one place.

Frequently asked questions

Who issues boil-water notices in Norway?

The waterworks recommends boiling when water quality is uncertain ¹².

How long should I boil the water?

FHI says a rolling boil for a few seconds ¹; Bergen Vann says one minute, and that a kettle is normally enough ².

Can I shower during a boil notice?

Yes, according to FHI, but avoid swallowing the water ¹.

How much water for one week?

About 20 litres per person, according to DSB ³.

Sources

1. Folkehelseinstituttet (FHI, Norwegian Institute of Public Health) — Hva bør du gjøre hvis du får beskjed om å koke drikkevannet? — https://www.fhi.no/sm/drikkevann/rad/kokevarsel/ (accessed 2026-10-27)
2. Bergen kommune (Bergen Vann) — Kokeråd — https://www.bergen.kommune.no/hvaskjer/tema/meldinger-fra-vaktsentralen/kokerad (accessed 2026-10-27)
3. Direktoratet for samfunnssikkerhet og beredskap (DSB) — How you can play your part in Norway's emergency preparedness – Advice on emergency preparedness — https://www.dsb.no/siteassets/sikkerhverdag/egenberedskap/brosjyren/dsb-egenberedskap-engelsk-web.pdf (accessed 2026-10-27)
4. Folkehelseinstituttet (FHI) — Drikkevann i spredt bebyggelse og på hytta — https://www.fhi.no/publ/brosjyrer/drikkevann-i-spredt-bebyggelse-og-pa-hytta/ (accessed 2026-10-27)
5. Folkehelseinstituttet (FHI) — Drikkevann — https://www.fhi.no/sm/drikkevann/ (accessed 2026-10-27)
6. World Resources Institute (WRI) — Aqueduct 4.0 (water stress, 2050 projection and drought risk) — https://www.wri.org/aqueduct (accessed 2026-10-27)