Is this water safe to drink?

[albatross710]

What is your personal policy on drinking tap water when travelling?

Coming from Australia I'm comfortable with drinking tap water and generally have always laughed at the sale of bottled water. But when I travel I know it is a different story with some countries having potable tap water and others not so. Here's my summary from experience:

Philippines : A definite no drinking of tap water - got caught once . I dont brush teeth with tap water or even rinse my toothbrush with that water.
Singapore : So far OK for drinking hotel tap water
Vietnam : No drinking of tap water. I recall a report that even the smaller brand bottled water not even that good. Stick to the Pepsi & Coke owned bottled waters

Dubai : ?? Tap water looked OK, but I wasn't sure so used bottled
Bahrain : ?? Tap water looked OK, but I wasn't sure so used bottled. Locals said they preferred bottled water as too much chlorine taste in the tas.

Sri Lanka : Didn't touch tap water

So fellow travellers, what countries have proved ot be OK to drink and which waters are definitely a no go?

Alby

 

[Boca68]

I can add a couple to the list...

Peru: Tap water is ok in most larger cities (Lima, Cusco, Arequipa etc..) But in the more remote areas, (Iquitos, Huancayo, Puerto Maldonado) I'd avoid it. Tourist areas such as Pisco, Mancora are generally fine, but it does look awful.

Cuba: The water was good and potable everywhere. No issues.

Colombia: Again, perfectly fine just about everywhere. Only exception I found was in the North-east at Cucuta. Just be careful.

Venezuala: Errr...no, no, no. did I say no! It is supposed to be ok in Caracas and most larger cities, but it stunk and looked like dishwater. Avoid it!

Bren

 

[opusman]

AFAIK it's still advised to avoid the tap water in big cities in Peru (at least in Lima). Even the locals don't drink it.

 

[Boca68]

AFAIK it's still advised to avoid the tap water in big cities in Peru (at least in Lima). Even the locals don't drink it.

Have visited Lima 3 times, drank it every time(or least brushed my teeth), no issues. Not the nicest tasting, but certainly potable. Perhaps in some of the outlying areas of the city, I wouldn't. But Miraflores, Surquillo, San Isidro no problem.

 

[BAM1748]

Have visited Lima 3 times, drank it every time(or least brushed my teeth), no issues. Not the nicest tasting, but certainly potable. Perhaps in some of the outlying areas of the city, I wouldn't. But Miraflores, Surquillo, San Isidro no problem.

I think it can depend on the hotel as well, I've stayed at the Swisshotel and although they said it was filtered and ok to drink they still supplied a bottle for me.

 

[opusman]

Why risk it to save a few dollars on bottled water (which is often provided free by the hotel anyway).

 

[gaz0303]

Why risk it to save a few dollars on bottled water (which is often provided free by the hotel anyway).

Because travelling around some developing countries, one of the most appalling sites are the piles of discarded water bottles and other plastics. I don't want to add to it. Some water bottles are even 300ml sizes. Not a potable water dispenser in site to refill bottles.

 

[BAM1748]

Because travelling around some developing countries, one of the most appalling sites are the piles of discarded water bottles and other plastics. I don't want to add to it. Some water bottles are even 300ml sizes. Not a potable water dispenser in site to refill bottles.

Agree, but worst case death is not worth not doing it.


Matt

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland and Holland are four countries where I will drink the tap water no question. Other European cities - seek local advice.

USA - depends where and how the water is sourced. Always ask friends or the hotel front desk. In LA I only drink bottled water.

London - definitely only bottled water for regular drinking, although can use tap water for making tea and coffee (does horrible things to your kettle though!)

Japan - can drink tap water, but I prefer bottled.

Rest of Asia including the indian-subcontinent - bottled water only.

All of Africa - bottled water only.

 

[GarrettM]

Solomon Islands - pretty much bottled water everywhere. They also do rainwater storage tanks, which require a good boil but is otherwise ok.
There isn't a lot of tap water in general, but we only used it for showering and laundry.

 

[AIRwin]

Rest of Asia including the indian-subcontinent - bottled water only.

Tap water in SIN is safe to drink

 

[RooFlyer]

Good heavens! I'm really surprised at some of the caution expressed here.

I'd drink (and have drunk) the hotel tap water anywhere in EU countries, all USA & Canada, most of east Asia#. Maybe its because of my lassaize faire attitude to imbibing that my gut has been 'conditioned' to the odd strange bug.

South America recently - it was free bottled water.

# Thailand, Vietnam ... stick to beer.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Tap water in SIN is safe to drink

Ah... yes... I guess that's an important distinction. The water might be 'safe' to drink... as it is indeed in London. Just I wouldn't. IIRC Singapore water is heavily treated?

 

[A330]

Most Western European cities have perfectly safe tap water but it may not taste as pleasant as water in Australian cities. I've even drunk from the public aquifers in Rome. Tasted better than the treated water from the hotel tap.

Tap water in HK, Japan & Taiwan is palatable unless you're in a poorly maintained building.

Tap water in Bangkok is fine for brushing teeth but wouldn't recommend drinking. It's supposed to be clean when it leaves the plant but by the time it arrives in the city it's passed through pipes of varying quality.

 

[ajd]

Singapore, Japan and some metropolitan areas of South Korea - yes.

Everywhere else in Asia - boiled or bottled.

I'm not too fussy about water "taste" in most cases, so safety is my main concern.

 

[Milboo]

AFAIK it's still advised to avoid the tap water in big cities in Peru (at least in Lima). Even the locals don't drink it.

Agree - 5 star hotel in Miraflores recommended bottled water only - which was provided free.

 

[JohnK]

I try to avoid tap water no matter where I visit.

It is only the last 12 months or so I have started drinking tap water at home in Sydney. I forget how many years I have been drinking boiled water. In Brisbane it is bottled water only in apartment and I drink the filtered water at work.

 

[Alanslegal]

When I go to Broken Hill NSW I would not recommend drinking tap water there. I was there in July and October for work and never drank any of it, and taking showers made my skin worse the people who I work with and live in the silver city also advised not to drink tap water.

 

[marki]

When I go to Broken Hill NSW I would not recommend drinking tap water there. I was there in July and October for work and never drank any of it, and taking showers made my skin worse the people who I work with and live in the silver city also advised not to drink tap water.

Richmond Queensland was similar and was very hard blocking showers fittings very quickly and water had bad egg smell reflecting the large amounts of Sulphur in it!

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

This is a very interesting thread (to me)... but maybe we need to get the background on the people making comment... such as do they drink tap water where they live.. why or why not? In Australia and lots of "first world" countries we (water authorities/ governments) spend a lot of money in making water safe to drink (even though less than 1% is drunk) because we can afford it... yet a lot of people don't like the taste so they will buy bottled water/ filtered water anyway...

My advice... Drs are better qualified to comment but since everyone else is having a go...
Brush your teeth and shower and wash your dishes in tap water anywhere that has a hotel.. To most (non immunocompromised people) you will have no problem as the amount of possible bacteria you are exposed to is minimal and not digested.

To give you a profile of my personal risk assessment...
I drink tap water in Japan... particularly Tokyo.. I don't think there is a better tap water on earth??
Also in Scandinavia (where there is no residual disinfectant in a lot of cases)
Melbourne (where there is no filtration in a lot of cases)
Tank water in regional Australia (where there is typically no filtration or disinfection)
and Paris (where I got the worst food poisoning in my life and I think I was vulnerable for about 8 years afterwards from seafood.. all good now )

I generally don't drink tap water in Perth, Brisbane or Sydney (I don't like the taste)
Or SE Asia.. At this stage I don't think their economies can afford to maintain treatment and distribution systems in the tropics for the <1%

Another piece of advice... don't drink too much alcohol... this weakens your resilience and can make you more susceptible to bacteria.

So the next time you are thinking you feel queasy don't necessarily blame the tap water... maybe look at what else you have consumed