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seriouslydog · Joined: 02 Jun 2003 Posts: 32 Location: states

Today on CrossFire:

Should one try to adapt to the water in Mexico or should they stay "on the bottle?"

Here's the big positive I can see in staying "on the bottle":

Avoiding tummy troubles.

Here's the negative:

It's costly. Think how much money you could save if you didn't have to use bottled water to drink, wash dishes, brush your teeth, and a zillion other things I can't think of? And it's not just a matter of cost. Think of the inconvenience.

And, more importantly, if one decides to go native, what is the best way to safely and with the least amount of discomfert do so? What is the transition like? Any horror stories? Do tell.

Thoughts? Feelings? You, in the back row. Don't be shy.

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

When in Mexico for two months recently, I waited until the whole food adjustment thing settled down, and then I started brushing my teeth with the tapwater. My stomach kind of gurgled for a few days after brushing, but apart from that I was fine.

I *never* drank the water, even one night when I went to bed a little more (ahem) "refreshed" than usual, forgot to get a new bottle before retiring and woke up in the middle of the night with the dry horrors, and painfully close to a sink... So much water and nothing to drink!!

A BIG bottle of water (you know the ones they put on water coolers) was costing my friends who ran a cafe something like 30 pesos for a refill. Not that expensive really. How much does pepto bismol cost??

Just my two cents...

Lozwich.

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

First, where I live the big bottles of purified water cost 15 pesos delivered to one's door. That's not that expensive.

Second, even the natives where I live don't drink water from the tap. The problem isn't lack of water treatment. Tap water where I live has been chlorinated. The problem is where the water goes and what all can get into it before it comes out of the tap. When chlorinated water stands for a while, such as in a large tinaco (holding tank on the roof,) the chlorine dissipates into the air, not to mention the number of insects and animalitos that can fall into the water or the condition of the plumbing that the water passes through prior to that.

Many of the things one can pick up from drinking tap water are not things that Pepto Bismol can touch. I'm not saying one has to be a fanatic about avoiding tap water. I brush my teeth and rinse my mouth out with it at least twice a day. I wash dishes with anti-bacterial soap and tap water. However, I don't drink it, and I don't cook with it.

seriouslydog · Joined: 02 Jun 2003 Posts: 32 Location: states

Well that's good enough for me. Tap water it is. Forget adustment. I'm just gonna stick my head under a faucet as soon as I get off the plane. Take it like a man.

No, not really. I'm going to stay on the bottle. Especially after hearing Ben round de bloc. But the way I drink water those pesos are gonna add up.

I'd still like to here horror stories though if anyone wants to share.

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

Lee_Marrero · Joined: 07 Jul 2003 Posts: 66 Location: Saigon, Vietnam

Depending what part of the republica u find yourself in has alot to do with the quality of water. For example if you are in Chihuahua, Sonora or Baja California you would find that more often than not folks are drinking tap water. Part of this is due to the relevantly modern infastructure that has been put in place along the recently booming border and its cities. In Ciudad Juarez my friend Hugo fills his glass from the tap and drinks up. He was born and bred in Puebla where according to him the water is not drinkable. In DF H20 is not ingestible for several reasons. Although it is chlorinated t contains extreme levels of lead, other metals and various chemicals that fall into the water supply from Lake Chapala in Jalisco to the runoff from the mountains (if you fly into DF you will descend through meters of pure smog). Also the antiquated water transport systems have been compromised due to earthquakes. Also I read in a newspaper that various contagiants are found in the capital's water. In the South (Oaxaca, Chiapas, Tabasco) the water also is not ingested. Here it is avoided due to microrganisms more than anything else. From Amoebas to Typhoid to god knows what the tropical climate does not allow for drinking of the public water supply. In Tuxtla (Chiapas Capital) I once was standing over a river that cuts throught town on the way to the water resevoir, I saw a dead goat floating on by, bloated and slimy I wondered how many other critters I didnt see. Also in the South is the unregulated pesticide usage that runsoff into the water that can be a doozy! In all three regions I brushed my teeth with tap water from day 1 and never got sick. I was sick on 2 occasions: 1 time I ate a torta ahogada in Guadalajara (a cold pork sandwich) I was in the hospital for 2 days nearly died (I am serious) the second time I ate some strawberries that werent disenfected properly and those had me in bed for a day. When you wash ur veggies follow this routine

1 Wash all visible contaminants off with tap water/dish soap mixture
2 Rinse clean with tap water
3 Fill sink with tap water, add vegetable disinfectant (sold everywhere in Mex)
4Let stand 1 hour
5 Drain
6 Rinse with bottled water
7 Pat or let dry
You must do this rountine with lettuce, cabbage, greens because bacteria hides in the folds and crevices.
I personally washed my guayabas, apples, pears etc with warm soapy water and dried them with paper towels with no ill effect.
Mexican produce is not decontaminated like western produce.

gorilla g · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2003 3:32 pm Post subject: water and the runs

what happens when you get sick from the water and you have to run to the bathroom every five minutes?

can you still teach class? do you just say, excuse me, and sprint out?

just wondering,

gorilla g
Mr. Green

Lee_Marrero · Joined: 07 Jul 2003 Posts: 66 Location: Saigon, Vietnam

LOL! Man those are the days. Once I had the misfortune to be in that situation and tried to sprint for the door, I let out a stream of farts that made the girls blush!!

gorilla g · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2003 6:15 pm Post subject: ow! my stomach!!!!!!

Lee! you made me laugh so hard! it lasted for five minutes and i couldn't even explain it to the other kids in the office because i was laughing so hard. that felt so good. wow.

Mr. Green

seriouslydog · Joined: 02 Jun 2003 Posts: 32 Location: states

so gorilla likes scatalogical humor

gorilla g · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2003 6:54 pm Post subject:

everyone here in the office knows that now too.

Lee_Marrero · Joined: 07 Jul 2003 Posts: 66 Location: Saigon, Vietnam

You know how hard it was to face them for the rest of the term, everyday I wondered if they were totally preocupied with what happened. Seriously speaking they are used to digestive problems down in Mexico.

gorilla g · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2003 7:07 pm Post subject:

last time I was in Mexico I was prepared that I might get sick, but it turned out my friend (who's a native) got sick and was in bed for two days.

it seemed like everyone I talked to was used to it, and probably wouldn't get as good of a laugh as I did out of Lee's predicament.