When you move to Mexico from the USA, can you eventually drink the water without getting sick?

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larpmanx

The friends I have in Mexico, natives and ex-pats, all drink bottled water. You see bottle water everywhere. Hotel rooms usually bottled water and in most of the places I've stayed, the vast majority of the guests are Mexicans.

The main problem is often the delivery system. So even if the water is good at the source, it will get contaminated along the way. Bottle water is easily found and reasonable. In many areas, weekly home delivery of 19 liter (5 gallon) jugs is available from different sources.

Some buildings, such as hotels, have their own filtration systems making the tap water drinkable.

Boiling tap water will purify it. The amount of time needed varies by altitude. Along the coast, one minute of vigorous boiling is enough. At locations above 2,000 meters, 3 minutes is needed. Disinfectants can be used to make tap safe. They are sold in grocery stores and directions are given on the small squeeze plastic bottles. But from my experience, people drink bottled water and use disinfectants primarily to soak fruits or vegetables.

Having rented apartments for stays of a few weeks, I have often soaked veggies or fruits in a bowl of tap water with five drops of the iodine solution for a few minutes.

ì‚¬ëž‘

i highly doubt it...although i did have a chuckle with your question. nothing personal though.
my cousins are 10000% mexican, and even they don't drink the water there...it's all bottled water for them.

Mexitaliana

Ummm NOOOO... I've been back and forth from the US and Mex all of my life and I've NEVER gotten used to the water.. If I even brush my teeth with that water I'll get sick and have to go to the hospital/doctor.. Don't even risk it.. Its not worth it.

Sans

Depends on the city, some yes, some no.

Natty

I literally returned from Mexico on Friday the 22nd. The water did not make me sick; it was my adjusting to the spicy and rich foods served. We only ate at our 5 star resort and not at a 'counter/cart downtown'. In my case, my intestinal flora became out of balance.

I would talk to your doctor or a travel clinic through your doctor's office for advice.

Good luck

Oh and yes.. stick to bottle water.

cooldude_92627

Well, most of the poeple here has some true to the answer the water in mexico city is real bad, they only drink bottle water. But is some states of mexico have clean water from wells but you will mostly find those in small towns of mexico. But if you are in a big city water is not going to be good there most likely. And of course it will all depend on your body system as well.

???///???

I lived in mexicali for 17 years and I still go there every 2 months. When I lived there we use to drink from the faucet when we were playing, ate fron the street vendor ( do you really think they wash all their vegetables with bottled water).
When i go down their i go to a street vendor to eat tacos de borrego, never got sick.
Yes we did drink bottled water but I remember my family washing the veggies with the water from the faucet. If we were thirsty outside playing, get the hose and take a drink.
Washed my teeth with water from the faucet, you figure some water goes down.
I guess everyone might react differently to the water, give it a try you might be able to handle it.

nobodysfool

Please, please donÂ´t you ever drink the water from the faucet, you have to drink only bottled water, I live in Mexico, I know what IÂ´m saying. But donÂ´t worry you will find bottled water anywhere.

There is no way of not getting sick if you drink it, I was born here, and the one time i did it ( I was like 6 ) I got really sick, but bottled water is perfectly safe.

Paul V

Okay I've lived here 4 years now in Pachuca, Hidalgo and I can tell you that it isn't only bacteria in the water that needs to concern you. Here the water is extracted from abandoned mines and so mineral content is a concern. From the middle to the end of the rainy season I use the tap water for cooking but by the end of the dry season just taking a shower can leave your skin itchy and you need to apply a skin lotion because the mineral content is so high. Generally anything that's going to be boiled for a long time like soup is okay and when I make a pasta salad I will boil the water for fifteen minutes then add the pasta and cook it but I rinse it afterwards with water from a carboy (19 liters or 5 gallons) of purified water before using it and still when I prepare the vegetables that go in the pasta salad they are either cooked or processed in a food processor with some fresh squeezed lemon juice to kill bacteria. But for simply drinking water or making instant powdered drinks it's bottled water all the way. And the natives from here do the same so like the saying goes: When in Rome do as the Romans do.

sparks_mex

You asked this about Vallarta ... or under Vallarta area. Vallarta has one of the best water systems in Mexico and tap water is usually OK to drink there.

Most of the rest of Mexico ... the Mexicans don't drink tap water. How else could there be such a booming bottled water business with water trucks cruzing the streets constantly.

No ... don't plan on it

Niche Jerk

Are you going to wash your hands with bottled water? Just drink normally and let your body do its job.

wendy a

god in heaven dont drink the water there, buy bottled water, dont worry about what other people say to you on here about your question. It is understandable.

blackcadillacs5

OMG you are kidding right? You make it sound as if Mexico is a 3rd world country with nasty *** water. I go to Mexico one a month sometimes more and they have very clean water. I wouldnt suggest that you drink from the faucet buy bottled water. Mexico isnt what you think it is....Mexico has some of the richest people in the world and their culture is fantastic. Plus the cost of living is soo cheap youll prolly live really really good with the income you have here. If you want to know more about Mexico let me know Ill be 100% honest.

Tapatia

No you really shouldn't drink the water, even if you live there for years and years. My family is from Guadalajara and they all buy bottled water to drink and cook with. Good question by the way... a lot of people think this.

abono11746

The answer is yes, but it will take time. The microbes that inhabit the water supply in Mexico are foreign to our bodies, and as a result our bodies react to the foreign presents by trying to get rid of the substance. Fevers, vomiting, diarrhea, upset stomachs are some of the ways our bodies try to eliminate the invaders.

On the other hand, a Mexican coming into our country and goes to an area where the microbes are foreign to their bodies, the same thing could happen to them.

In time, however, our bodies will acclimate to the new microbes. There are places in Mexico where the water is hard, or full of chemicals and an assortment of minerals. In those place the water has a foul taste, and everyone will drink bottle water. Mexico is not alone with water that has a bad taste (in some cases it even has an odor), parts of Texas, Florida, and one section of New York City have terrible tasting water.

White

If you are talking about tap water the answer is NO. I am Mexican and I never ever drink tap water, however, any other kind of water is ok, water at restaurants is filtered, but if you still find it hard to trust them then ask for bottled water, which is always a safe bet.

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