In the linear coordination polymer catena-poly[[[aqua(1,10-phenanthroline-κ(2)N,N')copper(II)]-μ-pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylato-κ(4)O(2):O(2'),N,O(6)-[(nitrato-κ(2)O,O')bismuth(III)]-μ-pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylato-κ(4)O(2),N,O(6):O(6')] dihydrate], {[Bi(III)Cu(II)(C7H3NO4)2(NO3)(C12H8N2)(H2O)]·2H2O}n, the Bi(III) cation is O,N,O'-chelated by the two pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate ligands and O,O'-chelated by the nitrate anion, the nine coordinating atoms conferring a tricapped trigonal prismatic environment on the metal centre. Each pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate ligand uses one of its carboxylate O atoms to bind to an aqua(1,10-phenanthroline)copper(II) unit, the Cu-O dative bonds giving rise to the formation of a ribbon motif. The Cu(II) cation exhibits a square-pyramidal geometry. The ribbon motif propagates along the shortest axis of the triclinic unit cell and the solvent water molecules are hydrogen bonded to the same ribbon.