Is Shenzhen Tap Water Safe To Drink?

No, tap water is not drinkable.

Tap Safe includes data from many publicly available sources, including the WHO (World Health Organization), CDC (Center for Disease Control), and user submitted databases, but unfortunately there's not enough data about Shenzhen.

To see user submitted ratings of the water quality for China, see the "User Submitted Ratings" box on this page.

Have you ever wondered why the Shenzhen tap water quality report is so different from the average Chinese tap water quality report? Well the city of Shenzhen lies in the same region of China as Fujian, but unlike most of the cities that sit between two Asian countries, it is in the southern hemisphere. So what does this mean for us? For us it means that the water that is sent to our homes in Shenzhen is significantly different than the water sent to homes elsewhere in China.

First and foremost, the tap water in Shenzhen are full of dangerous chemicals such as lead and mercury. These are things that we just don’t need in our drinking water, and yet there are people in this city who are selling them to us. Also, the water is full of pharmaceutical drugs such as anti-depressants and heart medicines. These are the type of things that should not be found in a “pure” water, yet the water that is piped into homes in China still ends up in our taps. So even if the tap water in your home has excellent water quality, the water that you end up drinking may not be completely safe from these contaminants.

Next, you may have noticed that in a lot of Chinese cities, they do not test their water for contamination before it is delivered to homes. This means that we could potentially be drinking very unsafe water every day without us knowing about it! In order to ensure that your home is not contaminated, you need to have a professional water testing lab to perform an analysis on your tap water. Once you get this report from the lab, then you will know exactly what kind of water you are drinking, which is very important if you want to be completely safe.

The tap water in Shenzhen, China, is not safe to drink unless boiled. 40% of the drinking water in the city failed to meet the quality safety standard. Thus, Shenzhen Water Group is implementing water pollution control and ensuring residents’ safe and quality drinking water. They suggested to either apply for a test by the water group or ask an authorized third-party organization for a water quality test.

There shouldn’t be an issue if you use tap water to take a shower, brush your teeth, or washing clothes. You can be at peace when doing such washing, just like what locals do. Also, you should always peel fruit even if you have cleaned it with tap water.

Drinking-Water in Hotels, some hotels have a facility like a water dispenser that produces both cold and hot potable water. Others are equipped with a heater or thermos. You can use the heater to boil water or use the boiled water directly from the thermos free of charge. Good hotels may supply high-quality bottled mineral water for a minimal fee.

Source of water in Shenzhen, China

The primary source of water in Shenzhen China comes from the surface water of Pearl River Delta(PRD) and Shenzhen lake. Shenzhen Reservoir is the biggest human-made lake in Shenzhen. It pertains to the first-grade water source protection area and is part of Shenzhen’s water supply network. River joined on Donghu Park and Fairy Lake Botanical Garden and surrounded by Mount Wutong. It covers a total surface area of 60.5 km2. Shenzhen Reservoir was constructed in March 1965 for watering and drinking water plans.

Shenzhen’s overall coastal water quality evaluated as “poorer than class four” – the most critical ranking in the mainland’s four-tier system – during the July-September analysis period.

The grade means the water is only suitable for ports and industrial operations. In contradiction, bathing, beaches and water sports are only allowed in coastal areas where water quality scored two or one.

Other links:

• Travel Guide in Shenzhen
• How safe is Shenzhen | Safety Tips & Crime Maps

Tap Water is safe to drink in the Meilin district and several nearby districts, but probably not in the area where you are staying. Use the free bottled water or distilled water provided by your hotel or buy some. It's easily available in all convenience stores. However, if you are buying water for 5 RMB a bottle, you are getting majorly ripped off.