Key:drinking_water
 drinking_water
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| Description |
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Indication whether a feature provides drinking water. 
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| Group: water management |
| Used on these elements |
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| Documented values: 1 |
| Useful combination |
Status: approved
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| Tools for this tag |
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drinking_water=* indicates whether a feature provides drinking water, specifically whether water is drinkable for humans.
There are objects in the database which can provide drinking water. To indicate this feature you can use this tag. For example a public toilet may provide drinking water, but this is not the primary purpose, thus amenity=toilets + drinking_water=yes is more appropriate than amenity=drinking_water. The same applies to wells or mountain huts. As such this is one of the few OSM tags that can indicate the lack of a feature you might otherwise expect (for example the rare highway rest area that does not supply drinking water, or the rare mountain hut where you must carry water to).
It is also possible to mark each water source as a separate, dedicated feature with amenity=drinking_water.
In other cases you can subtag an existing object with the info that the water is drinkable; e.g., amenity=fountain + fountain=drinking.
How to map
drinking_water=* is used as additional tag for other elements.
| Value | Comment | Frequency of use |
|---|---|---|
| yes |
There exists drinking water. The water is drinkable for humans. There must be objective reasons that allow you to conclude that the water is pure. E.g. in alpine territory the source is above any inhabited areas. One can assume that the water is pure when many people drink it every day. There is no warranty for this tag. The circumstances can change every day. Everyone should use caution before drinking water from unknown sources. If the water is checked and approved by public authorities, you can tag additional drinking_water:legal=yes. If there is a label "No drinking water" because there is no official control, you can add the tag drinking_water:legal=no. |
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| no |
There is no drinking water. The water is not drinkable. It is obvious that the water is soiled or contaminated or flows through a circulating pump. In some countries a label "No drinking water" is not sufficient to tag no. It is possible that every source without official control gets this label, although the water is drinkable. You can add the tag drinking_water:legal=no. |
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| conditional |
The water seems drinkable. You can drink it at your own risk. If there is a label "No drinking water" because there is no official control, you can add the tag drinking_water:legal=no. |
Additional values
These additional values have been used, but were not approved as part of the original proposal and are not as common:
| Value | Comment | Frequency of use |
|---|---|---|
| treated | Water that has been disinfected in a water treatment facility, for example, with chlorine, ozone, etc. ... to kill potential pathogens germs. | |
| untreated | Water has not been treated; e.g. from a well in a village. | |
| boil | Water is suitable for drinking after boiling. |
yes
Additional tags
- drinking_water:legal=yes - The water is checked and approved by public authorities.
- drinking_water:legal=no - There is a label "No drinking water".
Proposed tag:
- drinking_water:seasonal=yes - Useful for features which appear or disappear with differing seasonal conditions.
Applies to (among other things)
- man_made=water_tap - water tap accessible to public or outdoor one
- man_made=water_well - A man made excavation in the ground to gain water from an aquifer.
- amenity=toilets - Public toilets
- amenity=shelter - Shelter
- tourism=wilderness_hut - A remote building with fireplace intended to provide shelter and sleeping accommodation.
- tourism=camp_site - Camping areas
- tourism=camp_pitch - Individual pitches within a campsite
- highway=rest_area - Place where drivers can leave the road to rest
- amenity=fountain - A fountain for cultural/decorative/recreational purposes.
- natural=spring - Water flowing out of the ground.
- waterway=stream - A naturally-formed small waterway.
- amenity=watering_place - A place where water is primarily accessible to animals.
and others
The key drinking_water=* doesn't apply to amenity=drinking_water because this feature already implies drinking water.
Potential tagging issues
See also
- Proposed features/drinking water - Proposal page for this key.
- amenity=drinking_water - For a feature that specifically provides drinking water.
- drinking_water:refill=* - For establishments (cafés, bars, etc.) participating in a water refill network to help combat single-use plastic.
- drink:*=* - For establishments with other drinkable liquids available.
- overpass turbo code to render springs with drinking_water=* as colour coded - black/missing, blue/yes, red/no, orange/conditional and for refitted=* as a text value (yes, no or missing)