The title compound, [Cu2(C8H7O 2)2(C6H14NO3) 2]·2H2O, contains a centrosymmetric binuclear [Cu2(H2tea)2]2+ fragment (H 3tea is triethanolamine), with two bound 4-methyl-benzoate anions. All O atoms of H2tea, one O atom of 4-methylbenzoate and two solvent water molecules are involved in O-H⋯O hydrogen bonding, providing additional stabilization of the binuclear molecular units and also linking them into one-dimensional hydrogen-bonded chains. © 2007 International Union of Crystallography All rights reserved.