Post: #1

Can anyone vouch for drinking foreign tap water? I've only done it in Medellin, Colombia, and I can say that it's definitely safe to drink. Also I hear the water in Bogota is safe as well.

I'm curious about if the tap is safe to drink in Rio and Cordoba.

Post: #2

Cordoba def. Thats all the friends I stayed with drank and I had my fair share. Same as in Buenos Aires.

Post: #3

I just boiled a pot here in Rio. I don't know anyone who drinks there own water here but who knows.

Post: #4

if locals drink it , i drink it.

Post: #5

I had stomach disturbance my first several days in Rio. I don't know if it was water or what. I think you have to also be careful when swimming at the beach in Rio. I always swallow at least some water while body surfing. Maybe that was the cause. I would reckon that the ocean water in Rio has a lot of bacteria given that it rains frequently and you have runoff from all these favelas and stuff. Even in Los Angeles you're not allowed to swim in the water up to 3 days after it rains because of the elevated bacteria.

Post: #6

speaking of Rio, you coming down for Carnival/NYE?

Post: #7

(11-20-2009 03:52 PM)elguapo Wrote:  speaking of Rio, you coming down for Carnival/NYE?

Good question. Money is kinda tight right now. Work is pretty thin at the moment. Especially when everything gets super expensive around Carnival, hostels, hotels, flights and all. I'll see man!

Post: #8

You can not drink the tap water ANYWHERE in Brazil.

Unless you like frequent visits the the loo anyway.

Tap water is drinkable in all of Argentina.

Post: #9

(11-20-2009 05:41 PM)Lumiere Wrote:  You can not drink the tap water ANYWHERE in Brazil.

Unless you like frequent visits the the loo anyway.

Tap water is drinkable in all of Argentina.

It's hard to avoid getting tap water in your system. You go and get an acai or other juice and I'm sure it's been mixed with municipal water. Even if you go to McDonalds and get a coke, the syrup mixture for the drinks is in containers and it gets mixed with tap water. Then there's the lady mixing up your caipirinhas on her street cart. She sure as hell ain't using purified ice and water. You're going to drink it one way or the other. Guess you might as well just bite the bullet and expect to have a funny stomach for your first week.

Post: #10

Even street (almost all) carts use purified water. Everyone knows not to drink or use the tap water here. No way in hell McDs use it for coke.

Post: #11

(11-20-2009 05:58 PM)Lumiere Wrote:  Even street (almost all) carts use purified water. Everyone knows not to drink or use the tap water here. No way in hell McDs use it for coke.

Are you sure about that?? The McDonald's thing is believable, but I have a hard time thinking that some poor woman from a favela selling beers and caipirinia's from a push cart for $2 is all that concerned about hygiene standards. Besides, people who grow up in countries with dirty water are pretty much used to it and immune to the effects. Unless the water has cholera in it or something, but I don't think Brasil is that 3rd world.

As for McDonald's, I don't know dude, when you think about the sheer volume of water that gets used for soft drinks there(and I used to work in a McDonalds in high school so I saw this as well as the syrup tanks downstairs), I just don't see how they could purify that much water so quickly. I don't see trucks driving through the streets delivering purified water. And if they purifying the municipal water using some in-house method, they would have to be storing massive amounts of water in the store for the constant stream of customers, and the purification process can't be done on demand, like say filtering water where you just run it through some device and it's clean. I'm not sure how this would work.

Post: #12

(11-20-2009 05:41 PM)Lumiere Wrote:  You can not drink the tap water ANYWHERE in Brazil.

Unless you like frequent visits the the loo anyway.

Tap water is drinkable in all of Argentina.

I only drink tap water in Brazil and i never had a stomach issue once.

Post: #13

I wash all my fruits and what not in hotel bathrooms and haven't had any illness. Every now and then I have a bad day but I can't be certain what caused it.

Post: #14

I just realized I was using ice cubes made from tap water in my drinks....No issues.

Post: #15

(11-20-2009 09:00 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  like say filtering water where you just run it through some device and it's clean. I'm not sure how this would work.

There are filter devices that they fit to taps in brazil. Thats how I was able to drink tap water in my last hostel.

Post: #16

I remember a couple years ago I met a hippie gringa in Bolivia who bragged about drinking the tap water, which is literally full of parasites and bacteria. I wonder whatever happened to her...

Post: #17

(11-21-2009 04:38 PM)Roosh Wrote:  I remember a couple years ago I met a hippie gringa in Bolivia who bragged about drinking the tap water, which is literally full of parasites and bacteria. I wonder whatever happened to her...

She is probably still in the bathroom

Post: #18

(11-21-2009 04:38 PM)Roosh Wrote:  I remember a couple years ago I met a hippie gringa in Bolivia who bragged about drinking the tap water, which is literally full of parasites and bacteria. I wonder whatever happened to her...

WTF??? Wow...

Post: #19

I have a friend thats been traveling hardcore for about 20 years. He says hes developed an iron stomach. He used to get sick in the beginning, but has developed immunities.

Post: #20

Another way to tell if the tap water is ok is if the locals tend to use ice with their drinks.

Post: #21

Decided to revive this one for informational purposes. I remembered some overcautious BS on the internet about bogota.

The best tell I can say is, if theres an airport water fountain, you should be good. These are places where Ive actually tried the water.

Usa/Canada/Western Europe/Scandanavia - Yes
Poland - Yes
Bogota - Yes (rural áreas in colombia is a no)
México - Never, however some new hotels, buildings, might use purified water.
Panamá City - Yes
Buenos Aires - Yes
Cuba - Yes and No (I didnt have problems but apprantly its a no)

Post: #22

Its safe to drink in Ankara as well, but no one does it because water is dirt cheap in Turkey unlike North & South America.

Post: #23

Where I live in Mexico we don't drink the tap water. There are places all over where you can buy a 5 gallon drinking jug for 9 pesos. As a check, if you go to a new country and notice special places where they sell drinking water (large bottles for cheap, not the bottled stuff in stores) then don't drink the water. If the locals don't drink it, then neither should you.

Post: #24

New Zealand - Yes, although quality varies. The best can be found in Christchurch, the Auckland one tastes horrible in comparison (yet there won't be any problems for you when drinking it).
China (including Hong Kong) - No. I don't think Macau will be any different.

I found the tap water in Toronto undrinkable when I've been there a few years ago, but that's probably because European tap water doesn't have any chlorine in it.

Post: #25

I drank the tap water in Manila, Philippines and got sick with a horrible case of the runs for four days. Do NOT drink tap water in the Philippines, only distilled or bottled water! Also, avoid the ice cubes in restaurants, they may not have been distilled. Lastly, ask the waiter to bring the bottle to you directly so you can see them pour it, instead of wondering about the source.