Drinking the Water in Barcelona?

[4774Papa]

"Personally, I'm of the school that believes a little challenge to your body's natural defenses is a good thing. It keeps your immune system functional and responsive (if you are a normal, healthy person). Of course this is not necessarily so for the very old, the very young, and anyone whose immune system is compromised. "

 

Again, I agree with Cynthia. While in Mexico, Morocco, Egypt, Thailand, Philippines, etc., I will drink bottled water and avoid washed salads, but Europe not a problem.

[wcook]

Our bodies are not used to the microbes in the tap water.

 

What microbes in Western European or American tap water are you talking about? I'm not aware of any microbes that are commonly found in these country's water supply that would make people sick.

[wcook]

Personally, a

We challenge our bodies in many ways when on vacation, especially overseas. However, drinking propertly treated tap water isn't one of them.

[keltic]

As in America I usually drank tap water, and despite being a different water than in Spain I never felt sick.

[Keith1010]

As in America I usually drank tap water, and despite being a different water than in Spain I never felt sick.

 

Just because you didn't get sick doesn't mean that others won't.

 

I know people who eat in India and don't have a problem. But I know others who did and ate at top restaurants and had a problem.

 

Keith

Edited June 6, 2011 by Keith1010

[cruisemom42]

I know people who eat in India and don't have a problem. But I know others who did and ate at top restaurants and had a problem.

 

Keith

 

There's a world of difference between Spain and India, no pun intended. No one's suggesting it's safe to drink the water in India.

[CruisinGerman]

I think the tone of surprise we are all experiencing in this thread is the fact that a question was even asked in the first place as to the safety of the water in Spain, which is an EU country.

 

When I read the question, it seemed somewhat ingenuous, a bit like a person from Los Angeles asking whether the water in New York was safe to drink.

 

However, in all fairness to the original poster, right there in her original question she said she thought the water was probably safe, but that her husband insisted on her asking.

 

I think for drinking purposes, bottled water is inexpensive enough and should be drunk everywhere -- Los Angeles, New York, Madrid, Barcelona, and Zimbabwe.

 

Even if the water is perfectly safe, we live in a world that is constantly being turned upside down with public works, construction, rodents, etc. all of which at some point or another find their way into the pipes. I would rather spend 23 cents on a 1.5 liter bottle of water than drink water from the tap because of the above reasons -- not necessarily because of the safety of the water itself.

 

How many times on cruises have we turned on the taps in our cabins to find that the water has a brownish color. Guest Services are always the first to say that it is a temporary problem but that the water is perfectly safe. Would you drink it?

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[4774Papa]

I think the tone of surprise we are all experiencing in this thread is the fact that a question was even asked in the first place as to the safety of the water in Spain, which is an EU country.

 

When I read the question, it seemed somewhat ingenuous, a bit like a person from Los Angeles asking whether the water in New York was safe to drink.

 

However, in all fairness to the original poster, right there in her original question she said she thought the water was probably safe, but that her husband insisted on her asking.

 

I think for drinking purposes, bottled water is inexpensive enough and should be drunk everywhere -- Los Angeles, New York, Madrid, Barcelona, and Zimbabwe.

 

Even if the water is perfectly safe, we live in a world that is constantly being turned upside down with public works, construction, rodents, etc. all of which at some point or another find their way into the pipes. I would rather spend 23 cents on a 1.5 liter bottle of water than drink water from the tap because of the above reasons -- not necessarily because of the safety of the water itself.

 

How many times on cruises have we turned on the taps in our cabins to find that the water has a brownish color. Guest Services are always the first to say that it is a temporary problem but that the water is perfectly safe. Would you drink it?

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

Never experienced the brown water on a cruise. What cruise line was that?

[wcook]

I think for drinking purposes, bottled water is inexpensive enough and should be drunk everywhere -- Los Angeles, New York, Madrid, Barcelona, and Zimbabwe.

 

Unless you have reason to believe that the bottled water is safer than tap water, you are throwing away money (however small) wasting resources and creating unnecessary plastic.

 

Given two choices - both equally safe and tasty - one of which is free... one of which costs money and puts stress on the environment... I'll take the free one.

Edited June 7, 2011 by wcook

[Keith1010]

Unless you have reason to believe that the bottled water is safer than tap water, you are throwing away money (however small) wasting resources and creating unnecessary plastic.

 

Given two choices - both equally safe and tasty - one of which is free... one of which costs money and puts stress on the environment... I'll take the free one.

 

The issue is that because we are not used to the water in another country it is not necessarily safe to drink. Nothing is wrong with the water but we are not used to it. The same would be reverse when others travel to say the USA.

 

Keith

[wcook]

The issue is that because we are not used to the water in another country it is not necessarily safe to drink.

If tap water we aren't used to is "not necessarily safe to drink," why it bottled water - which we also aren't used to - safe to drink?

 

In many cases, bottled water is just muncipal water in a bottle. Is *that* safe to drink, or will it make us sick since we aren't used to it?

 

It other cases, bottled water comes from a spring and has minerals and other things we aren't used to than tap wter. Is *that* safe to drink?

 

Granted, there are many places in the world were we have good reason to believe the bottled water has fewer harmful microrganisms than tap water. But not in Spain.

 

In Spain, what is in the tap water that isn't in the bottled water that makes it unsafe? Or is there something about wrapping the water in plastic that makes it safer?

[Keith1010]

If tap water we aren't used to is "not necessarily safe to drink," why it bottled water - which we also aren't used to - safe to drink?

 

In many cases, bottled water is just muncipal water in a bottle. Is *that* safe to drink, or will it make us sick since we aren't used to it?

 

It other cases, bottled water comes from a spring and has minerals and other things we aren't used to than tap wter. Is *that* safe to drink?

 

Granted, there are many places in the world were we have good reason to believe the bottled water has fewer harmful microrganisms than tap water. But not in Spain.

 

In Spain, what is in the tap water that isn't in the bottled water that makes it unsafe? Or is there something about wrapping the water in plastic that makes it safer?

 

I have been following this practice for over 30 years and it has worked.

 

And this practice was re-enforced by a travel medical professional who advised us not to drink tap water anywhere outside of our country because we are not used to the microorganisms.

 

For me, it's simple. Why take the chance?

 

Keith

[H2Otstr]

Tap water in Barcelona is chlorinated and tested by their local health department. The article that I read did not indicate the level of chlorine in the water. Too much chlorine can give some people diarrhea (usually above 4 ppm). Most drinking water has levels of chlorine between 0.4 and 1.0 mg/L, which is high enough to kill coliform bacteria.

 

MOST bottled water is purified before bottling. The water is usually filtered and then is ozonated or purified by reverse osmosis.

 

I drank the tap water when we were in Barcelona.

[cruisemom42]

I have been following this practice for over 30 years and it has worked.

 

And this practice was re-enforced by a travel medical professional who advised us not to drink tap water anywhere outside of our country because we are not used to the microorganisms.

 

For me, it's simple. Why take the chance?

 

Keith

 

And I have been following my practice for 40 years. Does that trump yours? Of course not. Any scientist will tell you that you can't draw any conclusions from an "n of 1" study. It would be pretty difficult to design a valid test, but at a minimum it would involve you trying it both ways, while eating exactly the same food, touching the same surfaces, breathing the same air -- well, hopefully you get the point that it's always difficult to pinpoint exactly what made someone sick....

 

I have worked at CDC and with physicians in other roles. Many of them will tell you things that are strictly their opinion, based on their observations and experiences, which may or may not be proven true (and they'll admit it), just like anyone else. If you can show me some valid reports or studies, I'd be a heck of a lot more likely to believe it. I have looked over several well-regarded travel medicine websites, and I can find no mention of this "recommended practice".

 

You're right -- if you are convinced it works for you, why take a chance? You're of course entitled to your opinion on the matter. But it is an opinion backed up by the opinion of one doctor.

 

P.S. How exactly do you ensure that your bottled water comes from the US, and more specifically from your own water system? Because it sounds like you are suggesting that anything else could possibly make you ill....

[4774Papa]

I only made one major mistake in drinking the tap water. On a trip to Poland in 1989. I drank some tap water at a Warsaw hotel. I discovered that Montezuma had relatives in Poland.

[keltic]

When we refer generally to water in Spain do we mean all cities of Spain, or just the Barcelona one?. Water composition and treatment varies according to the city as it happens in any other developed country. I wouldn´t drink some brands of water, since it tastes horrible, and I am not sure the origin.

[Keith1010]

And I have been following my practice for 40 years. Does that trump yours? Of course not. Any scientist will tell you that you can't draw any conclusions from an "n of 1" study. It would be pretty difficult to design a valid test, but at a minimum it would involve you trying it both ways, while eating exactly the same food, touching the same surfaces, breathing the same air -- well, hopefully you get the point that it's always difficult to pinpoint exactly what made someone sick....

 

I have worked at CDC and with physicians in other roles. Many of them will tell you things that are strictly their opinion, based on their observations and experiences, which may or may not be proven true (and they'll admit it), just like anyone else. If you can show me some valid reports or studies, I'd be a heck of a lot more likely to believe it. I have looked over several well-regarded travel medicine websites, and I can find no mention of this "recommended practice".

 

You're right -- if you are convinced it works for you, why take a chance? You're of course entitled to your opinion on the matter. But it is an opinion backed up by the opinion of one doctor.

 

P.S. How exactly do you ensure that your bottled water comes from the US, and more specifically from your own water system? Because it sounds like you are suggesting that anything else could possibly make you ill....

 

 

Three points.

 

I never said my approach was the only approach and I never implied that my approach trumped someone else.................What I have done is offered an alternative approach based on my own experiences. Not sure why that is such a problem. In the end, people will do as they please and I respect that.

 

The same recommendation from the Travel Doctor was the same recommendation that was made to us at my company by the medical team that advised us.

 

As to the bottled water. That is a good point as well and in some countries (not Spain but this happens often in places such as India) locals will empty the bottled water and fill the bottles with tap water.

 

When I traveled for business often it was on corporate jets and we brought the bottled water with us.

 

When on a cruise ship, we take bottled water with us from the ship.

 

I am not implying that my way is the only way. All I am doing is sharing my own experience on this. And over the years I have traveled with others who did what they pleased and I have seen some (on both cruise ships and during business travel) who got sick. Not scientific but this is my experience.

 

P.S.

 

Most things in life are option. And that includes medicine. Not everyone who smokes will get cancer but many will. Not all obese people will get diabetes but many will.

 

Likewise, not everyone who runs a red light will get stopped by the police or get into a fatal accident but many will.

 

Keith

Edited June 7, 2011 by Keith1010

[wcook]

IFor me, it's simple. Why take the chance?

If drinking bottled water works for you, absolutely keep doing it. And I think it's great for you to share what works for you.

 

But you seem to be taking it to the next level and stating as fact that there are things in tap water in Spain that will make Americans sick. And stating as fact that Americans can avoid these things by drinking bottled water. I do not believe there is any science to back up those claims. Nor do I see logically how that can be true. If people really are getting sick from Spaish water because it is "different," why is bottled water better?

[Keith1010]

If drinking bottled water works for you, absolutely keep doing it. And I think it's great for you to share what works for you.

 

But you seem to be taking it to the next level and stating as fact that there are things in tap water in Spain that will make Americans sick. And stating as fact that Americans can avoid these things by drinking bottled water. I do not believe there is any science to back up those claims. Nor do I see logically how that can be true. If people really are getting sick from Spaish water because it is "different," why is bottled water better?

 

What I am saying is that I recommend that no matter where you travel that when one travels outside their country it has been recommended to me by several people over the years and I have done such to not drink tap water. I also avoid uncooked vegetable and fruits unless they have a skin that you can remove.

 

I am not selectively picking on Spanish water. :D

 

I also don't drink out of glasses in Hotel rooms (even in the USA) unless they are the kind that are in plastic wrap and are throwaways and we could have a great discussion about how many hotels clean the real glasses but let's leave that for another time.

 

Each person can do as they please.

 

Keith

Edited June 8, 2011 by Keith1010

[lisiamc]

I also don't drink out of glasses in Hotel rooms (even in the USA) unless they are the kind that are in plastic wrap and are throwaways

 

I definitely agree with this point! And it's almost related to the water question, isn't it? :)

[Keith1010]

I definitely agree with this point! And it's almost related to the water question, isn't it? :)

 

Oh yes. We just don't want to think what they use to clean the glasses. Ugh. :D

 

Keith

[iancal]

We have never had an issue drinking tapwater in Europe, specifically any of the Eurpean Union countries-and in many that are not in the EU. And this is from many years of travel thoughout Europe prior to and post EU.

Perhaps we have iron digestive systems.

 

It has always seemed strange to me that people in, or people visiting, countries where drinking water is quite safe, complain about the price of gasoline but are often more than willing to pay the same price or more by volume for a bottle of water.

[UKBayern]

Oh yes. We just don't want to think what they use to clean the glasses. Ugh. :D

 

Keith

 

Absolutely right: glasses in hotel rooms, especially in large hotels, are potentially more dangerous infection-wise than the liquids you pour in to them.

We own a small hotel and WE wash the glasses in the machine with professional detergents at temperatures sure to kill off any bugs: but we do know some, even 5-star, establishments where that does not happen, because housekeeping never switches the glasses, just rinses them after which they are dried with a paper towel. Ugh.....

 

Getting back to Barcelona and water, the only reason we personally found which might induce one to choose bottled water is the chlorinated taste that the tap water has.

[Fran Record]

If the water was truly unsafe, do you really think there would be anyone still living in Barcelona?

 

The only negative about their water quality is that it is saturated in minerals and that makes water VERY hard. You will have a difficult time in any shower attempting to make suds. Otherwise, it is very safe, but if in doubt, buy some bottled water.....

 

People from Mexico get sick in the states because difference. Asking about water isn't insulting but your answer was.

[scottbee]

If the water was truly unsafe, do you really think there would be anyone still living in Barcelona

 

Agreed, and I could see how the OP's question could be quite insulting to someone from a first world country like Spain.