Cape Verde
Drink with caution. With a score of 50/100, drinkability varies enough that visitors usually filter the tap water or buy bottled. Between the treatment plant and the tap, the practical contamination risk runs medium.
Can you…
Source → Tap
Mixed network · aging mains in placesCan you drink the tap water in Cape Verde?
Last reviewed September 2026
Cape Verde scores 50/100 on our water-safety index — drink with caution. With a score of 50/100, drinkability varies enough that visitors usually filter the tap water or buy bottled. Between the treatment plant and the tap, the practical contamination risk runs medium. Scores above 70 mean tap water is generally safe to drink. 40–69 means treat it with caution — filtering or bottled water is wise. Below 40 means it’s best avoided straight from the tap.
Ice, brushing your teeth & cooking: what’s safe in Cape Verde?
- Drinkable?
- No — don’t drink it unfiltered. Boil, filter, or buy bottled.
- Brush teeth?
- Usually fine for brushing if you don’t swallow, though the cautious use filtered or bottled water.
- Ice?
- Ice is a gamble — fine in reputable hotels and restaurants, riskier from street vendors.
- Cooking?
- Yes — cooking and rinsing produce with tap water is safe.
Should you boil the tap water in Cape Verde?
Boiling is a reliable fallback in Cape Verde. A rolling boil for one minute kills bacteria, viruses, and parasites. It won't remove chemical contaminants or lead, though — for those you'd need a filter or bottled water. More on what boiling does and doesn’t remove.
Do you need bottled water or a filter in Cape Verde?
In Cape Verde, most travelers drink bottled rather than tap — look for an intact seal. If you'd rather not buy bottle after bottle, a reusable bottle with a certified filter does the same job.
A good filter — ideally certified for microbiological removal, not just taste — makes the tap water in Cape Verde safer to drink. For short stays, bottled water is still the simplest option.
Waterborne illness risk in Cape Verde
The main risk from untreated water in Cape Verde is travelers' diarrhea, typically from bacteria such as E. coli. Being a little careful with ice, unpeeled fruit, and salads rinsed in tap water is the sensible precaution. See CDC food & water precautions.
Worried about a specific tap? How to tell if your tap water is contaminated.
Water treatment & pipe infrastructure in Cape Verde
Cape Verde relies on ro desalination + remineralization, delivered through a mixed network — aging mains in places. That puts the practical contamination risk between source and tap at medium. Even where water leaves the plant clean, aging mains and rooftop storage are where quality most often slips.
Common questions about tap water in Cape Verde
Can you drink tap water in Cape Verde?+
Cape Verde scores 50/100 on our water-safety index — drink with caution. No — don’t drink it unfiltered. Boil, filter, or buy bottled.
Is it safe to brush your teeth with tap water in Cape Verde?+
Usually fine for brushing if you don’t swallow, though the cautious use filtered or bottled water.
Is ice safe to use in drinks in Cape Verde?+
Ice is a gamble — fine in reputable hotels and restaurants, riskier from street vendors.
Is tap water in Cape Verde safe for cooking?+
Yes — cooking and rinsing produce with tap water is safe.
Data & sources
WHO/UNICEF JMP doesn’t publish a safely-managed drinking water estimate for Cape Verde. This score is an editorial estimate informed by regional data and CDC traveler guidance.
- WHO/UNICEF JMP — safely managed drinking water
- World Bank · safely managed drinking water (SH.H2O.SMDW.ZS)
- CDC · food & water safety for travelers
Read the full methodology — how the 0–100 score is built and what it does (and doesn’t) mean.
More countries in Africa
See the full Africa ranking — all 54 countries, safest to least safe.