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Korea's Tap Water ...
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Do you drink the country's tap water ???
Yes, all the time.
7%
 7%  [ 4 ]
Sometimes
7%
 7%  [ 4 ]
No, never ( bottled water only )
65%
 65%  [ 36 ]
I prefer to BOIL mine first.
20%
 20%  [ 11 ]
Total Votes : 55

Author Message
shawner88



Joined: 01 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 7:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used to give the tap water to stray cats in the summer and they seemed fine with it. Now I buy Walmart packages of 6 for 3,000 won.
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ratslash



Joined: 08 May 2003

PostPosted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 11:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

get a water cooler. initial deposit is about 50000 and then the bottles of water cost 10000 each for 20 litres. buy a litre bottle, drink it and then refill it. easy.
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Real Reality



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 5:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Supplying Harmful Service Water for Three Years
Ulsan City has supplied city water, which exceeded the standard limit of harmful objects to its citizens for about three years, by forging inspected results.
donga.com
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2004040299698

39 people arrested for polluting Seoul's reservoir
The prosecution said yesterday it indicted 39 restaurant owners for contaminating a huge reservoir near Seoul with untreated sewage. The man-made reservoir is the main source of tap water for the Seoul metropolitan area.
The Korea Herald
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2002/11/04/200211040039.asp

Four major rivers found more contaminated
Donga.com
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2001043006691
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Sparkster



Joined: 21 Mar 2004

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 2:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maybe it depends on where you are from. I'm from Scotland where the water tastes sweet....so the idea of drinking Korean water makes me cry like a baby. Yhe stuff just tastes too funky for me.
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ajuma



Joined: 18 Feb 2003
Location: Anywere but Seoul!!

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 8:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Why pay 15,000-25,000 for a "water pump"? I buy an "oil pump" in the hardware store for 1,500 (price JUST went up from 1000!). Sure, my Korean visitors laugh, but I'm saving a bundle! Those 18.9L bottles, delivered for 4-5000 are the BEST!
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Hollywoodaction



Joined: 02 Jul 2004

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We have a water filter with a UV lamp in the kitchen that we use for drinking water. The water comes out tasting pretty much the same as the bottled stuff.
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turtlepi1



Joined: 15 Jun 2004
Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 5:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hollywoodaction wrote:
We have a water filter with a UV lamp in the kitchen that we use for drinking water. The water comes out tasting pretty much the same as the bottled stuff.


As someone else pointed out if the problem isn't organic then your UV unit isn't dealing with the problem...(but I have no idea what the contaminants are...organic or not...)

My girlfriend drinks the damn water in every damn place we go. She never gets sick...I am just waiting for my doctor to tell me I contracted some horrible illness from her. *grumble grumble* Smile

Cuba - drank the water
Thailand - brushed her teeth with the water.
Japan - drank the water
Europe - drank the water (generally safe I suppose)

And Mexico..I forgot...and drank the damn water...*doh* Smile
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Dr.Caligari



Joined: 02 Apr 2004
Location: Satellite of Love

PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 7:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Does anyone know if there's a brand of bottled water with fluoride in it? I've been told that fluoride is added into tap water in the states, meaning that if you keep drinking 'pure' spring water, your teeth are slowly going to get messed up without it. True or rumor?
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Hollywoodaction



Joined: 02 Jul 2004

PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 4:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

turtlepi1 wrote:
Hollywoodaction wrote:
We have a water filter with a UV lamp in the kitchen that we use for drinking water. The water comes out tasting pretty much the same as the bottled stuff.


As someone else pointed out if the problem isn't organic then your UV unit isn't dealing with the problem...(but I have no idea what the contaminants are...organic or not...)


A UV lamp doesn't take care of 'organic' contaminants, by the way. It kills bacteria.

The UV lamp is simply a preventive measure (they are recommended if you have kids). Fecal Coliform often present in 'safe' water supplies. Knowing water mains are often below or beside sewage pipes in Korea, I'm not taking any chances. Besides, the floods in the summer season don't make the water any safer either.
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turtlepi1



Joined: 15 Jun 2004
Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 6:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm not a biologist...but I believe bacteria would be considered organic. (I'm pretty sure they are not inorganic such as lead would be...)

On the other hand I guess maybe when speaking of water contaminants there may be further divisions beyond organic & inorganic making my comment misleading....

Question *Shrug* Question
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shifty



Joined: 21 Jun 2004

PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 11:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dr caligari, I grew up in a town with 'soft water'. Many woollen textile manufacturers were attracted, but so was a plethora of dentists. Soft water is great and sweet to drink but has no fluoride and the enamel does not harden sufficiently.

I think once dulthood is reached, no further harm is done.

In Korea, I draw my supplies from the water fountain as per agreement. My worry is this:
I've never once been present at any change of filter. I don't ask about it cus I feel like a thief at times..
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jaganath69



Joined: 17 Jul 2003

PostPosted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 4:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I drink it all the time, mind you my guts are pretty dodgy anyhow. I had giardia and dysentry in India and Nepal within 2 months of each other in 1999 and haven't been the same since. Still you just deal with it. I have drunk tap water in Calcutta, Delhi, Bangkok (and all over Thailand the year I lived there for that matter) and lived to tell the tale. Usually it just takes a while for your system to adjust to the local bacteria.

Cheers

Jaga
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igotthisguitar



Joined: 08 Apr 2003
Location: South Korea (Permanent Vacation)

PostPosted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 3:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dr.Caligari wrote:
Does anyone know if there's a brand of bottled water with fluoride in it? I've been told that fluoride is added into tap water in the states, meaning that if you keep drinking 'pure' spring water, your teeth are slowly going to get messed up without it. True or rumor?


My understanding is that FLUORIDE is used to make the general population more mentally sedate. Keeping this in mind, i've also recently heard the Nazis used fluoride in their POW & concentration camps' during WW2.

As far as all of this goes, even my CAT drinks boiled water ( only after it cools to room temp of course ).

Whether it actually neutralizes the fluoride or any of the other nasty additives i haven't the foggiest Arrow
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Michelle



Joined: 18 May 2003

PostPosted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 11:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dr.Caligari wrote:
Does anyone know if there's a brand of bottled water with fluoride in it? I've been told that fluoride is added into tap water in the states, meaning that if you keep drinking 'pure' spring water, your teeth are slowly going to get messed up without it. True or rumor?


I believe this is a damn lie.

A) I don't think this fluoride in the water is the wonder people say it is.

(Ever read "Fluoride: The ageing factor?")

B) If you believe in fluoride you likely have fluoride toothpaste, which gives you some anyway

C) Your teeth are more likely to go from eating too much sugar then from lack of fluoride in drinking water. They will not be affected by being without fluoride in the water for a year, probably even ten.

I think most Korean water comes from a spring source it likely has a few minerals. If it was distilled or purified I would look into relacing some of the monerals your body naturally gets from water from time to time.
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Michelle



Joined: 18 May 2003

PostPosted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 11:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jaganath69 wrote:
I drink it all the time, mind you my guts are pretty dodgy anyhow. I had giardia and dysentry in India and Nepal within 2 months of each other in 1999 and haven't been the same since. Still you just deal with it. I have drunk tap water in Calcutta, Delhi, Bangkok (and all over Thailand the year I lived there for that matter) and lived to tell the tale. Usually it just takes a while for your system to adjust to the local bacteria.

Cheers

Jaga



Please do yourself a favour and stop drinking the water in these countries. It is hard enough to prevent getting diseases in places like india.

You may find your gut somehow manages to restore itself.

Don;t you know how you get Gardia and Dysentry?

I guess your gut hasn't managed to re 'adjust' to that onslaught.
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