drinking Tap water in Europe

Tap water is fine. Probably better than some US cities.

I drink tap water wherever I go in Europe and I've never had a problem. Europe is not third world.

It never occurred to me not to drink the water, its not Mexico or Africa now is it,,LOL I have not been to Spain, but eveyrwhere else you mentioned I have had the water and lived to tell the tale.

In Paris and Rome they have street fountains with drinking water , locals and tourists alike refill their water bottles at them.

Dale,

I haven't had any problems with tap water yet, but usually take bottled water when out touring.

The one exception to that is that some of the street fountains in Italy will be labelled "non potabile", which means the water is not fit for drinking. Since you won't be in Italy, you should be fine.

Happy travels!

Thank you much for the replies. I will be in Morocco so the information is helpfull. Thanks!

Dale: You're going to Morocco so I copied Nate's post from another topic thread, this is his description of what happened to him and a travel companion when they didn't observe recommended precautions while eating and drinking in Morocco: "Well, the whole e. coli/hospital incident seems to be a hot topic, so I'll elaborate a little more. We got e. coli from our last meal in Morocco. We ate undercooked chicken (I actually remember commenting on how tender it was...lol)and my buddy drank what turned out to be tap water they put in a bottle. I didn't drink it because I noticed the seal was broken when they served it, and instead settled for about 3-4 ounces I had left in my Nalgene from Spain. Either way, it hit me like a train in the middle of the night. I ended up sleeping on the bathroom floor, and it hit my buddy in the early morning as we were leaving. We had to endure an un-airconditioned train from Fes back to the coast (about 5 hours) and then the "Super-Fast Ferry" back to Tarifa. The ferry actually takes almost two hours for the whole process...not that fast if you ask me! Anyway, when we pulled into port, my friend Jim was unable to leave the bathroom. There happened to be some other Americans on the boat who had an ambulance called, and they took him to Algeciras, Spain. By this time, he was having cold chills, his arms were numbing, and all the other grand things that come with severe food poisoning... I was suffering everything minus the chills and numbness. We had to wait in the hospital for two hours before they saw him (although he was hooked up to an IV already), and during this time we took turns occupying the bathroom. Since I wasn't as severe as him, they didn't even know I was having a problem, and didn't admit me 'til the next day. He ended up staying for three nights, and I was only in for one whole day. * * * At the time, it was the most miserable I've been in my life, BUT viva adventure, right?"

And for those areas where tap water is not okay...remember ice is made from tap water, and if you order a bottle of water in a restaurant, make sure the seal hasn't been broken. Some unscrupulous restaurants will fill an empty bottle of water with tap water and sell it as bottled.

You can buy portable water bottles with built in filters. They take up little room and you can't tell the difference between them and regular water bottles except when unscrewing the lid. Here's an example:

Katadyn Micro Filter 21 oz Water Bottle

And this is what Rick says (quoted from an older edition of his Spain book) about eating, drinking and staying healthy in Morocco, it's not the same as western European countries in this regard, hopefully you've already gotten the word but if not, read on: "Morocco is much more hazardous to your health than Spain or Portugal. Eat in clean--not cheap--places. Peel fruit, eat only cooked vegetables, and drink reliably bottled water (Sidi Harazem or Sidi Ali). When you do get diarrhea--and you should plan on it...."I omitted the full quote but you'll want to read the whole thing, it's in Rick's Spain book and probably the Portugal book.

The following does NOT apply to western Europe.

Bad tap water and poor sanitation is quite common in many parts of the world (most of it, actually), and is hardly limited to Morocco. In Mexico, parts of South America, much of Asia, etc., you let one drop of contaminated water touch your tongue, and you'll soon be getting aquainted with the exotic local bathrooms.

Here's a few things I've learned (sometimes the hard way)...

Food: Remember the old mantra: "Boil it, peel it, or forget it." Be especially wary of any uncooked veggies, since they are often ferttilized with...well, it doesn't come in plastic sacks from Monsanto. Sadly, this puts salads and so many wonderful (and otherwise healthy) things off limits. There's also the dilemma of "street food": it's cheap, looks and smells yummy, and the locals (and many fellow travelers) often swear by it, but it can be hit-or-miss due to sanitation problems. This is true for both street food and small restaurants.

Before you open wide, take a look around and check out how sanitary things appear. How exactly are they washing dishes? I've seen street food vendors (and a few restaurants) that merely dunked their used dishes in a bucket of cold, murky water before reusing them - the "rinse" job was brief, and it barely removed the food scraps, no soap, no scrubbing - no thanks! The water's origin looked pretty questionable, and I saw no evidence that anybody washed anything...looked like a perfect place to get sick.

Bad water can get you even if you're not eating or drinking it. Going to take a shower while you're on your trip? Keep your mouth shut while you're doing that (and don't let any water run into your nose, either). Thinking about brushing your teeth? Better use bottled water for that (if no bottled water is available, either don't use any water, or use something else - I can attest that it's possible to brush your teeth using toothpaste and beer...).

It's a bug-filled world out there...be careful.

Also, if you make your way as far east as Romania, don't drink tap water there, either. I spent a good bit of time in Eastern Europe this summer, and everywhere was safe (or so we were told) but most of Romania and parts of Bulgaria. And NEVER drink the tap water on trains! Be very careful in Morocco when you get bottled water. Check the seal to make sure it hasn't been filled since it's first use...this is the voice of experience talking! :)

I just briefly skimmed this one, but are y'all worried about the limestone content of water in Europe and specifically Germany????

That's why I keep Gerolsteiner by my bed and in my room. I wash with it, but I never drink it.

Don't wanna get..... you know...... constipated and stuff.

B~

Immodium has a special seat, er- I mean, place in my travel kit...

Also- don't overlook the importance of hand washing, as not everything that will make you ill is going to be in the water.

Washing your hands is a good idea--unless the water is suspect. Might be a good idea to carry one of those gel hand sanitizers.

Hey - You are pretty safe in most of Europe, but I'd go bottled in places like Greece, Cyprus and Tunisa.

Heh-Heh-Heh

Just took a look at my post up there and looks like I mighta dangled one of my participles or something! ;)

What I MEANT to write was I WASH with water from the tap, but never drink it, and that's what the Gerolsteiner is for.

Sorry I was unclear. You'd think an English major would know better, wouldn't you?????

Thanks

B~

"The water is safe pretty much everywhere [in Greece], though you will come across shortages or brackish supplies on some of the drier and more remote islands. Bottled water is widely available if you're feeling cautious." (Rough Guide to Greece)

The lime content in the German water does not make one constipated. I just busted out laughing when I read that. Yeah, there is a lot of lime in the water, but it doesnt do anything to you. I have been drinking it for 22 years and figure it is helping my bones stay strong. Yes, Germans look at you funny when you drink tap water, but they look at you funny when you ask for ice too. The water here is also different in different places, just like anyplace else in the world and will vary in taste just a bit or be softer or harder. But it is certainly strictly controlled for safe drinking.

Oh yes, that secret travelers helpline. I have heard about that. Now, if you would just give me the secret password.

It doesn't do a darn thing other than satisfy your thirst. Seriously though, I had my bones tested and they said I had the bones of a 21 year old. Is this from the calcium in the water? Heck if I know, but I am a cheapskate and refuse to pay for bottles of water to drink at home, when it comes out of the tap for free.

Y'all, if Jo busted out laughing at what I wrote, then that just made my whole week! :) I am proud to know that I can provide a bit of "Komödische Entspannung" for my Helpline buds.

Regarding "Kalk" (Lime in German), I am going to say "Ich stehe korregiert" with an explanation, Your Honor. ;)

Just spoke with my friend Peter and asked him to remind me why one should avoid drinking from the faucet, and it was his opinion that it tasted "bitter".

Okay, so to Peter it is a matter of taste, to Bill (who may or may not have been headed toward constipation ANYWAY that day) it was a matter of intestinal......er.... FORTITUDE? :) Hence the explanation and the admission that just because it was my belief this was the reason, does not make it scientific fact.

Therefore I yield to Ms. Jo of Frankfurt, with just the observation that a LOT of bottled water is sold in Europe.

:)

Thanks

B~

Everywhere you mentioned, tap water should be okay. As you get into the former Eastern block countries or further South you may want to use caution on tap water.

So far the best tap water is in Rome. I love the fact that you can fill your water bottle out of the fountains on the street. I also like the Nase fountains.

I've always drunk tap water when in Europe and I've never had a problem.

I've not been everywhere though - not sure what it's like in some of the lesss developed countries

gosh, i live in Germany too and never had a problem drinking tap water! Like Jo, I was laughing upon reading that one! :P It's just like drinking tap water in any average place in the US. Incidentally, it's not free, but it's a heck of a lot cheaper than buying crates of bottled water. I run mine through a Britta pitcher since our tap water is so hard.

The water that sells like hotcakes here is the fizzy stuff, mainly 'mineral' water. Although the water in our region is so hard I feel like it's got enough minerals thankyouverymuch!

Tap water ?

Er is that the stuff that's like Scotch for Baptists ?

Sounds horrid !

I have had tap water in Germany, Great Britain, Austria, Italy, Luxembourg, and France and have never had a problem. I mean, as they said earlier, Europe is just as westernized as we are, it's not full of poor, 3rd world countries. However, I have to say, the water in Europe tastes HORRIBLE! It makes me gag, so much that I only drink bottled water there. The only exception to this was the tap water in Kastelruth, an alpine town in northern Italy. Maybe it's the fresh mountain water, lol.

For those who prefer their water filtered, and like to travel light, this might be the answer:

Aquamira Emergency Water Filter

Got me one of those for Y2K (insert goofy grin here), and still have them and 250 rolls of toilet tissue - I musta thought there would be lotsa food).

Great idea, Dale!

B~