Can You Drink Tap Water in Sharm el-Sheikh?

Tap water in Sharm el-Sheikh is not safe to drink. Located on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, Sharm el-Sheikh is one of Egypt's premier resort destinations but sits in an extremely arid environment with no natural surface water sources. The city is entirely dependent on desalination of Red Sea water and water trucked or piped from distant treatment facilities. While desalination produces water that starts out treated, the distribution network across Sharm's sprawling resort developments is old in some areas and inconsistent in quality by the time water reaches the tap.

Egyptian health authorities do not certify tap water in Sharm el-Sheikh as safe for drinking. The distribution system, storage tanks, and pipe infrastructure in many hotels and residential buildings can introduce bacterial contamination and other impurities after the water leaves the treatment plant. This is a structural issue common to many rapidly developed resort cities in the region and is not unique to Sharm el-Sheikh. International travel health bodies including the CDC, WHO, and country-specific travel advisories uniformly advise visitors against drinking tap water in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Sharm el-Sheikh became internationally notable for a significant gastrointestinal illness outbreak among tourists in 2023 and 2024, attributed to a combination of factors including water quality and food hygiene at some resorts. The Egyptian government and resort operators have taken steps to improve oversight, but the baseline recommendation for visitors remains unchanged: drink sealed bottled water only.

Within reputable all-inclusive resorts, water filtration systems are often in place for food preparation, and ice is generally produced from purified water. However, even in these environments, visitors are advised to use bottled water for drinking and teeth brushing rather than relying on tap water. The small additional caution is well worth taking given the stomach illness risk that tap water consumption represents in Sharm.

Bottled water is very cheap in Sharm el-Sheikh relative to European or North American standards, and there is no practical reason to risk tap water consumption. Visitors should also be mindful of ice at venues outside established resorts, unpeeled fruits and vegetables washed in tap water, and reconstituted juices that may be made with tap water at budget establishments. Remaining vigilant about these common vectors for illness is important for a comfortable and healthy stay.