Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bet]

So you're not supposed to drink the tap water I hear. Would it be okay if I brought a britta water filter pitcher with me, or is it contaminated with something that you just need to avoid? Can you get those big jugs and dispensers (like a culligan thing)? Do most people really buy all their water in single serving bottles?

Thanks.

[Demonicat]

I've been drinking it for years without ill affect. That said, a brita is more than enough to filter out what's supposedly in the water.

[harlowethrombey]

[eIn07912]

i was just wondering this this morning as well.

i also thought about getting a tap water filter but heres something else...

if the water is so bad, should we really be showering with it? things my seem fine now, but what is doing to our hair and skin? perhaps its one of those things where things seem fine until we start using quality tap water again and may notice our hair and skin is much better.

any thoughts? could i put a britta filter in my bathroom for my shower?

[harlowethrombey]

The water in Bali gave me and my girlfriend the infamous 'Bali Belly'.

But its still fine to shower in (you're using soap and hopefully not drinking it when you shower).

So dont worry about showering here. I dont know the specifics and am too lazy to research them but I'm positive Korea's water is cleaner than Bali's.

And Korea is a pretty modern place. THey have filtration systems, etc.

I havnt gotten sick after 11 months so I figure it probably isnt killing me.

Except there is this strange growth. . .

[Clockout]

What are the arguments against drinking the water?

I live in a southern suburb and I have been drinking the water since I got here because no one warned me not to. No negative effects. It has a stronger "bad taste" than tap water in North America but it is still drinkable.

[Real Reality]

39 people arrested for polluting Seoul`s reservoir
by Joo Sang-min, The Korea Herald (November 4, 2002)
old link: http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2002/11/04/200211040039.asp
http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=108&oid=044&aid=0000035582

[ekul]

My water varies from day to day, it's never made me ill but every now and again it tastes of dirt... I usually drink it with tea and have a cold bottle of it in the fridge. From the tap it's pretty bad in the summer, but cold it's drinkable. It's much better than buying 2 litres of Juice a day and because I used to moan about bottled water back home I feel like a hypocrite if I now buy it.

[egrog1717]

The running rumor goes it's full of heavy metals from industrial runoff...

Been using a Kenwood filter I picked up at Costco (40k... Filters are good for 60 days and a 6 pack will only set you back 25k) and it's been working great (and claims to filter out said heavy metals, LOL)

On a related note, anyone else notice the water was tasting a bit algae-y in the last 2 weeks?... Looks like Summer's finally come

[Yu_Bum_suk]

I drink the tap water at my home but I know exactly where it comes from. Anywhere else in Korea I only drink bottled water.

[crossmr]

They came to my place and tested the tap water last week, apparently it checked out and was fine for drinking.

[Zulethe]

[Tiberious aka Sparkles]

Why not just buy 2L bottles of the stuff at the supermarket? They're like 800 won.

[Chambertin]

[RufusW]

The Korea Lonely Planet says don't even cook with tap water. So it's not about viruses but metals etc. I'm willing to trust LP so I fill up 1 or 2 bottles a day at my school.