Don't Drink the Water!
Don't drink the water. Is there a traveler to Mexico who hasn't heard that warning multiple times as they planned their holiday south of the border?
That warning must be heeded in most hotels and homes all over the Republic of Mexico. All residents of Mexico (yes, even Mexicans) are accustomed to always using bottled or purified water for brushing teeth, making coffee and tea, making ice cubes and drinking.
Here at Lake Chapala the water that comes into our homes is pumped from deep wells scattered across the area. The water pumped from those wells is pure and clean. We assume that as the water travels through underground pipes to our homes or in our home water storage tanks, it may have become contaminated. We choose to err on the side of safety, as do our Mexican neighbors and drink purified water.
Most of us use purified water that is delivered to our homes in five-gallon plastic jugs, similar to those you've seen back home. The only difference is the price . We currently pay about $2 U.S. per five-gallon garafon. I use a little more than one bottle per week.
When the water delivery truck passes my house every day or two, the driver cries, "AGUA." The driver carries the bottle into my house, wipes off the top of the bottle with a cloth, and puts the full garafon upside down in my ceramic dispenser. I pay him $22 pesos plus a one or two peso tip. That's all it takes to maintain my supply of drinking water.
If you are staying in a B&B or hotel, the management will provide you with a bottle of purified water a day. Some inns have a garafon of water in a public area so you can refill your bottle; others have installed water purification systems to provide pure water to the cold water faucet in your room. Always ask to be certain that the water in the sink is purified before you drink it or use it to brush your teeth.
Water Purification Systems
Some of my friends and many of the newcomers at Lake Chapala have installed water treatment systems in their homes. These electrified wonders filter the water and then pass it through a reverse osmosis system before subjecting the water to ultraviolet light to kill any remaining bacteria or parasites.
The systems aren't cheap?they run $350 to $750 US for installation plus another $150 per year for maintenance (replacing the filters and ultraviolet light bulb). It isn't the cost that keeps me from installing a purification system, it's the chances folks take that depend on their system to provide their pure water. Over the years, you wouldn't believe the stories we've heard. I know of a dozen or more homes where the systems were improperly installed, and the water didn't pass through the system to the cold water faucets in the kitchen and bathrooms.
The members of one household couldn't understand why they were having recurring stomach problems until they discovered that the ultraviolet light bulb in their system wasn't turned on. Other folks forget that when there is a power outage, the system is not on, and therefore not purifying the water that is traveling through the pipes during the time, creating a potentially troublesome problem.
There's nothing wrong with the systems or the science of purifying water this way. If you move into a house with a system, have it double checked to be certain it is properly installed, avoid using the water from the tap during a power outage or for several hours after one, clean and change your filters as instructed and check the light bulb daily.
Ordering Water in a Restaurant
If you order a glass of water in a Lakeside restaurant, let me assure you that you will be served purified water. The servers have never used water from the faucets; they have used boiled water or water from garafones from childhood. If you specify ?bottled? or ?purified water,? the cost of the bottle will usually be added to your bill (usually a bit over one dollar). When I'm traveling in other areas of Mexico, I am far more careful about drinking water; in more remote areas, I only drink water from sealed bottles.
Of Course You Can Have Ice in Your Drink
Far too many visitors and tourists think that they will become sick if they use ice in their soft drinks or water while they are in Mexico.
While that may once have been true, today you can safely enjoy ice cold limonada (limeade) or Coca Cola, just as you do at home. Mexico has instituted laws governing the production of ice, and now consumers can tell at a glance if the ice is safe.
All cylinder-shaped pieces of ice with a hole in the middle and other regularly shaped pieces of ice must, by Mexican law, be made with purified water. Those cylinders are the most commonly used ice pieces. They are manufactured in the same plants where purified water is bottled.
Always avoid using ice that is being chipped or shaved from a large ice block. While most of those blocks are safely manufactured, it is impossible to discern the difference. Be sure, if you are at a party or event, to not pick up an irregularly shaped piece of ice from the cooler that is filled with bottles of beer or sodas. Those pieces are tempting, but leave them alone.
It's Not Just the Water!
Keep these simple rules in mind and you'll not have a problem with drinking the water in Mexico. There are other food items that require special handling. Our next blog takes a look at how to prepare the fruits and vegetables.
That warning must be heeded in most hotels and homes all over the Republic of Mexico. All residents of Mexico (yes, even Mexicans) are accustomed to always using bottled or purified water for brushing teeth, making coffee and tea, making ice cubes and drinking.
Here at Lake Chapala the water that comes into our homes is pumped from deep wells scattered across the area. The water pumped from those wells is pure and clean. We assume that as the water travels through underground pipes to our homes or in our home water storage tanks, it may have become contaminated. We choose to err on the side of safety, as do our Mexican neighbors and drink purified water.
Most of us use purified water that is delivered to our homes in five-gallon plastic jugs, similar to those you've seen back home. The only difference is the price . We currently pay about $2 U.S. per five-gallon garafon. I use a little more than one bottle per week.
When the water delivery truck passes my house every day or two, the driver cries, "AGUA." The driver carries the bottle into my house, wipes off the top of the bottle with a cloth, and puts the full garafon upside down in my ceramic dispenser. I pay him $22 pesos plus a one or two peso tip. That's all it takes to maintain my supply of drinking water.
If you are staying in a B&B or hotel, the management will provide you with a bottle of purified water a day. Some inns have a garafon of water in a public area so you can refill your bottle; others have installed water purification systems to provide pure water to the cold water faucet in your room. Always ask to be certain that the water in the sink is purified before you drink it or use it to brush your teeth.
Water Purification Systems
Some of my friends and many of the newcomers at Lake Chapala have installed water treatment systems in their homes. These electrified wonders filter the water and then pass it through a reverse osmosis system before subjecting the water to ultraviolet light to kill any remaining bacteria or parasites.
The systems aren't cheap?they run $350 to $750 US for installation plus another $150 per year for maintenance (replacing the filters and ultraviolet light bulb). It isn't the cost that keeps me from installing a purification system, it's the chances folks take that depend on their system to provide their pure water. Over the years, you wouldn't believe the stories we've heard. I know of a dozen or more homes where the systems were improperly installed, and the water didn't pass through the system to the cold water faucets in the kitchen and bathrooms.
The members of one household couldn't understand why they were having recurring stomach problems until they discovered that the ultraviolet light bulb in their system wasn't turned on. Other folks forget that when there is a power outage, the system is not on, and therefore not purifying the water that is traveling through the pipes during the time, creating a potentially troublesome problem.
There's nothing wrong with the systems or the science of purifying water this way. If you move into a house with a system, have it double checked to be certain it is properly installed, avoid using the water from the tap during a power outage or for several hours after one, clean and change your filters as instructed and check the light bulb daily.
Ordering Water in a Restaurant
If you order a glass of water in a Lakeside restaurant, let me assure you that you will be served purified water. The servers have never used water from the faucets; they have used boiled water or water from garafones from childhood. If you specify ?bottled? or ?purified water,? the cost of the bottle will usually be added to your bill (usually a bit over one dollar). When I'm traveling in other areas of Mexico, I am far more careful about drinking water; in more remote areas, I only drink water from sealed bottles.
Of Course You Can Have Ice in Your Drink
Far too many visitors and tourists think that they will become sick if they use ice in their soft drinks or water while they are in Mexico.
While that may once have been true, today you can safely enjoy ice cold limonada (limeade) or Coca Cola, just as you do at home. Mexico has instituted laws governing the production of ice, and now consumers can tell at a glance if the ice is safe.
All cylinder-shaped pieces of ice with a hole in the middle and other regularly shaped pieces of ice must, by Mexican law, be made with purified water. Those cylinders are the most commonly used ice pieces. They are manufactured in the same plants where purified water is bottled.
Always avoid using ice that is being chipped or shaved from a large ice block. While most of those blocks are safely manufactured, it is impossible to discern the difference. Be sure, if you are at a party or event, to not pick up an irregularly shaped piece of ice from the cooler that is filled with bottles of beer or sodas. Those pieces are tempting, but leave them alone.
It's Not Just the Water!
Keep these simple rules in mind and you'll not have a problem with drinking the water in Mexico. There are other food items that require special handling. Our next blog takes a look at how to prepare the fruits and vegetables.
Life is Good at Lake Chapala
Judy King is publisher of Mexico Insights' Living at Lake Chapala, a monthly online magazine for people interested in Mexico's Lake Chapala region, in the state of Jalisco.
Judy, a 16-year resident of Ajijic on Lake Chapala's north shore, conducts weekly newcomer's seminars, shares her expertise about Mexico in her monthly online magazine, and in the "Mexico Lindo" column for the Lake Chapala Review.
Judy also is a speaker for local organizations and visiting tour groups about the Lakeside area and Mexican customs and holidays.
posted by Judy King at 6:57 PM
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