Korean Job Discussion Forums

[LateBloomer]

When I asked a teacher at my public school (in Incheon) if it was safe to drink the water, he said "Yes, but we don't." I've been drinking bottled water all week--only arrived a week ago--but I'm still wondering whether the tap water is alright or whether it should always be boiled. I do use it to wash fruit and vegetables.

[excitinghead]

Don't even think about it!! I'm suprised you managed to find a Korean who said that it was safe, but I doubt he really thinks that or he would drink it himself.

I use the tap water for washing fruit and vegetables too, but that's about it food-wise. For soups or coffee etc. I use the water cooler.

Ask someone at work to help arrange for delivery of big 18.9 litre water bottles to your place. At 5000 won each they can't be beat, and most water companies throw in a cooler for you to use for free providing you stick with them, or need a small deposit at most.

[JAWINSEOUL]

We Boil all of our water in Korea. Anf we boilded all of our water in Toronto.

[mole]

We buy water. Sometimes refill bottles at the mountain fountains or at temples.
I use boiled tap water for lemonade and ice tea.
Everything I've read says the tap water is safe. But I still only drink it when there's nothing else and I'm too lazy to walk to the store.

[RobinH]

Save your money. There is nothing wrong with the water in Seoul. I run it through a Brita filter pitcher I bought at Carreforre. I've been drinking Seoul water off and on for 8 years. I haven't grown another head yet.

[jinks]

This is the first time in all my life that I have lived somewhere where drinking the tap water is questionable - Yay! New Zealand, Yay! Wales. Drinking from the tap is as natural as turning on the lights and it's a hard habit to break. Last year I lived in the country, Gyeongnam Geochang, and the tap water there was drinkable, but most folk didn't. Now I live nearer Daegu city, in an apartment complex, and the water is foul. It stinks of chlorine and I smell like a swimming pool after I have taken a shower, but I do use the kitchen tap for cooking, tea and coffee. Like I said, drinking from the tap is a hard habit to break.

[Dev]

I live in Daegu and the tap water is fine. I never drink it straight from the tap though. I boil it to make barley tea. Seems fine. I haven't gotten sick yet.

[Captain Corea]

You guys do know that it varies from place to place right?

The tests they do to see if it is safe is often done and the point on filtration.

Look around you though.. see all the new buildings? Now, do you see all the old ones right next to them? Do you think they have separate pipes?? Nope, the same rusty pipes that the old grandmother gets her stuff from is attached to the pipes of your lovely new office-tell.

[cdninkorea]

At my last school, a pre-school one in Apgujeong, I once gave a student tap water to drink.
I had been told that the tap water was safe, and didn't think anything of it. But from the reaction I got from my supervisor after the student's mother complained, you'd have thought I had dropped her on her head.
The reason? These people are rich and used to bottled water. As if I should have been able to predict this when I had only been in the country for a few weeks.

[Njord]

[LateBloomer]

Thanks everyone....as always, a variety of opinions here. The water in Incheon doesn't seem any more chlorinated than in some Canadian cities. Last time I was in Winnipeg, it was like drinking out of a swimming pool.

[freebeerandchicken]

I boil water in my apartment.. Its an endless process - boiling, leaving it to cool, transfering it to the bottle that goes in the fridge, repeat. Some call me an urban farmer. I use it straight from the tap to make coffee and whatnot. Its not gonna kill ya!

[OiGirl]

Of course, but we boil it first...not for ten minutes or anything, but it does come to a boil...then we make tea, put it in the thermos, or drink it later at room temp. No bad effects at all...live and build up immunities!

[OiGirl]

Forgot to mention...we don't have a water cooler where I live, and we are poor, so water delivery is out of the question...

[hugo_danner]

Like everyone else here, I boil it.