If you live in an area with safe and reliable drinking water, and you are planning a trip abroad, you need to familiarize yourself with the water conditions that exist in your vacation destinations. You cannot take it for granted that water in any given country will be safe to drink.
Even in highly developed countries, there are areas in which the drinking water is risky at best, such as Manhattan, for instance. Highly populated areas make for water problems, as do a lack of proper water treatment infrastructure. Stick with us, and we’ll guide you through the basics of what to look out for, water-wise, when you are vacationing or moving abroad.
The importance of water safety when traveling
Getting clean, potable water to drink is quite literally the single most pressing task for every human being, every day. This doesn’t change when you go on the road. If you are used to the way water is distributed in the United States, you will be in for a bit of a culture shock in other countries, where things like drinking fountains and freely accessible water are not the norm.
It can be difficult to even find regular, still water in European countries, where sparkling water is the preferred beverage. In less developed countries, tap water is usually undrinkable, and options for safe water will vary dramatically from place to place.
Understanding Water Safety Risks
Water can contain any and every substance that exists on this planet, due to its unparalleled power as a solvent. Water pulls whatever it touches into itself, carrying it along as particulate or small living critters, or dissolving it into solution. You could be drinking giardia, cryptosporidium, lead, chromium, copper, VOCs, PFAS, microplastics, parasitic cysts, and the list goes on and on. Water is no joke, and getting it clean enough to be safe to drink is a very difficult and complex task.
Research Before You Go
When traveling abroad, take the time to research the water conditions there thoroughly. Is tap water considered potable? Are there nearby sources of reliable clean water? Is it necessary to bring your own water filtration device? Look for government reports, as well as independent studies and user reports to get an overall sense of what the water quality there is like. Avoid drinking suspect water, and try to find a source that is passed through a reliable water filter in order to minimize health risks.
Packing Essentials for Water Safety
There are a wide variety of small, portable water filters that are either gravity fed, use a hand pump, or have an electric pump. Consider investing in one of those before a trip to a country with dubious water. Packing chlorine or bleach drops as a last resort is also a good idea–just be sure to read up on how to properly proportion bleach into water to make it safe to drink. You might also consider taking some activated carbon with you–placing activated charcoal into water will remove many chemical contaminants through a process called adsorption. A portable carbon filter is even better.
Tips for Ensuring Water Safety on the Go
If you are traveling, always be sure to inquire whether a given water source is potable–that is, safe to drink–before taking a sip. Public fountains in some countries may not be intended for drinking, and in general, it’s best to play it safe and buy bottled water, which is almost universally available when traveling. Most water is safe to wash with, unless it is specifically designated as unsafe, but if you are in more remote parts of the world, nothing holds true as a general rule, so ask both the locals and tourists you meet about the safest place to get quality H2O.
Eating Safely
We sometimes forget that water that isn’t safe to drink really isn’t all that safe to cook with either. Boiling water will kill microorganisms, true, but it will not remove lead, copper, arsenic, or other heavy metals, nor will it remove microplastics, PFAS, or any other number of emerging contaminants. When cooking or eating out, make sure that the water used is safe and filtered.
Handling Emergencies
In the case of an emergency brought on by water-borne contaminants, get to a hospital right away. Depending on the nature and amount of contaminant imbibed, you could be in very grave danger. If you consume water of unknown quality and begin experiencing alarming effects, don’t wait–seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Water Safety Apps and Resources
All cities and municipalities in the United States conduct annual water quality testing, and make the reports available to the public. The US government and EPA work very hard to ensure that the drinking water in this country is safe, potable, and reliable.
This does not always happen, of course, but that is the goal. Check out your local government’s website; many have apps that help you track water quality, as do many other countries, who offer similar testing results, and phone apps to allow you to see exactly what is in the water in the region you live or are traveling to.
Conclusion
While it isn’t exactly good to be filled with fear over unknown water, a healthy degree of caution and trepidation is called for whenever you are dealing with H2O of unknown quality. Water is literally a matter of life and death, so take your time to research the water where you are going, pack ahead with filters, bleach, and any other emergency provisions you deem necessary. Most of all: stay safe out there.
