Kyoto Promotes High-Quality Kyoto Tap Water

Copyright Waterworks Bureau of Kyoto City All Rights Reserved.

The Waterworks Bureau of Kyoto City, Japan, conducted in summer 2013 a campaign to inform Kyoto citizens and visitors about the excellent taste and high quality of tap water in Kyoto and to spread awareness on importance of tap water use. The number of quality test items tap water needs to pass in Kyoto is 50, about three times more, on average, than that for mineral water. Only water passing this strict quality testing is delivered to users.

As part of the campaign, a coffee shop serving drinks and sweets made with Kyoto tap water was set up on certain weekends in July and August 2013 in the Teramachi Shopping Mall. A cup of green tea with gold leaf made with tap water was served for 100 yen (about U.S.$1.02), a cup of iced coffee and tea for 50 yen (about U.S.$0.51) and a cup of shaved ice for 100 yen (about U.S.$1.02).

In blind tastings, visitors drank Kyoto tap water, domestic mineral water, and foreign mineral water without being told which was which. The tastings were held 23 times during July and August, and many of the participants responded that Kyoto tap water tasted the best.

All coffee shop sales and other raised money were donated to a UNICEF water and sanitation fund to help establish water supplies and toilet facilities and provide hygiene education in developing countries.