Drinking the Water in Barcelona?

[ZigNKat]

We'll be in Barcelona for two days before and after our cruise in July :D; my husband has traveled to Mexico a few times so is cautious about eating and drinking in foreign countries :(.

 

Is it safe to drink the water in Barcelona? I've searched the threads and don't believe there should be a problem, but DH asked me to post.

 

Thank you for your help!

 

Happy Cruising!!!

[Jacky01]

There is a lot of chlorine in the water, if you are not used to it, you might have a nasty after taste. Better buy waterbottles in a small supermercado for a few Euro's.

[Rickey 88]

If the water was truly unsafe, do you really think there would be anyone still living in Barcelona?

 

The only negative about their water quality is that it is saturated in minerals and that makes water VERY hard. You will have a difficult time in any shower attempting to make suds. Otherwise, it is very safe, but if in doubt, buy some bottled water.....

[riffatsea]

Most people/restaurants in Barcelona and in Italy serve bottled water because the local water doesn't taste all that good but NOT because it will make you sick!!

Mexico is NOT the same as Europe.

You can brush your teeth with tap water, use ice, eat salad and fruit without worrying!

[mom23guys]

Lots of times it is not the safety of the water that gets to me it is just the change so I always choose bottled water when traveling even in the US except for NYC. Their tap water is the best.

[Keith1010]

We'll be in Barcelona for two days before and after our cruise in July :D; my husband has traveled to Mexico a few times so is cautious about eating and drinking in foreign countries :(.

 

Is it safe to drink the water in Barcelona? I've searched the threads and don't believe there should be a problem, but DH asked me to post.

 

Thank you for your help!

 

Happy Cruising!!!

 

I know you are going to get a lot of opinions on this.

 

We had a medical doctor on our ship a couple of years ago whose expertise is travel medicine. He advise all of us to not drink the local water. In many cases it's not because the water is bad but it's because we are not used to the bacteria that is in the water.

 

I think that the best and safest approach is to stick with bottled water.

 

Why take a chance that you will run into a problem from tap water while on a vacation and in a foreign country.

 

Keith

[chipmaster]

We went with no gas cheap tap water all thru our trip ( Italy, Spain, Greece ), only in Turkey did we go the bottle water route.

 

We'll be in Barcelona for two days before and after our cruise in July :D; my husband has traveled to Mexico a few times so is cautious about eating and drinking in foreign countries :(.

 

Is it safe to drink the water in Barcelona? I've searched the threads and don't believe there should be a problem, but DH asked me to post.

 

Thank you for your help!

 

Happy Cruising!!!

[wcook]

We had a medical doctor on our ship a couple of years ago whose expertise is travel medicine. He advise all of us to not drink the local water. In many cases it's not because the water is bad but it's because we are not used to the bacteria that is in the water.

 

Weird. Everything I've ever read on travel medicine disagrees with this. People don't get sick because "they aren't used to the local bacteria." People get sick because sanitation standards in specific countries allow too much unhealthy bacteria into their water.

 

Americans risk getting sick drinking water in parts of Mexico. Mexicans don't risk getting sick drinking water in the US. Or Spain for that matter.

[riffatsea]

You will be served bottled water at restaurants.

I don't sit and drink local water because the locals don't do it BUT my point was that you CAN use the water to brush your teeth and you CAN eat salad and other UNcooked foods without worrying which is UNlike Mexico!

 

[cruisemom42]

There's probably some truth in all of the above.

 

Yes, the water in Spain is safe to drink. By safe, I mean it's not a "developing country" and the water is purified, chlorinated, whatever, to an acceptable standard so that you are not going to come down with a dreaded waterborne illness.

 

I checked the CDC and the US State Department websites and both were silent on warnings about drinking water -- which generally means there aren't any. (If there are concerns, it's explicitly stated.)

 

Europeans do not tend to drink tap water with meals. Whatever the reasons, it's regarded as a somewhat eccentric practice of Americans. Generally I just go with the flow and purchase a bottle with a meal. As Riff says, though, I wouldn't be concerned about things like ice, or brushing your teeth with tap water.

 

Also, I've heard the argument about not drinking local water due to possible upsets to your system. I'm not sure that this has ever been proven to be true (if it has, would love for someone to post a reputable source), but it may be helpful for some people, specifically anyone with a sensitive GI system or who may be taking medication that already has an impact on the various microbes in your digestive system.

 

I've always consumed the water in places where there are no major cautions (e.g., most of Europe). I'm careful in places where there are concerns (e.g., Egypt). So far I haven't had any problems with this approach.

[Turtles06]

Weird. Everything I've ever read on travel medicine disagrees with this. People don't get sick because "they aren't used to the local bacteria." People get sick because sanitation standards in specific countries allow too much unhealthy bacteria into their water.

 

 

That's not what we've been told. In places like China (which we just visited), it's not about "unhealthy bacteria," it's about bacteria that are foreign to American stomachs.

[4774Papa]

I am showing my age, but unless I am in a third world country, I don't buy bottled water unless that is all I can get. I am 63 and in great health.

We stayed four days in Barcelona and I drank the tap water from time to time.

[ZigNKat]

Thank you to everyone who's posted! I felt silly asking the question!!

 

Just as any other major city, if we don't like the taste of the tap we'll go with bottles.

 

Happy Cruising!!!

[CruisinGerman]

Dear friends:

 

Greetings from our home in Madrid.

 

The water throughout Spain is perfectly safe to drink. We don't have the habit of having water automatically put on the table as you folks do in the United States. We generally order water (bottled) just as we would a Coke, juice or bottle of wine.

 

You can definitely ask for tap water in a restaurant, and nobody will look at you funny, I promise. Just ask for "agua del grifo".

 

As far as taste, I find that Madrid has the best tasting and the best quality water. It is not heavily mineralized, and therefore, we don't have to put salt in our dishwashers or use heavy abrasive lime cleaners in our bathtubs, and yes you can soap yourself up in the shower.

 

In Valencia, I just don't like the taste of the water -- I always drink bottled water.

 

Barcelona water isn't as good as Madrid water, in my opinion, but it tastes fine and it is also perfectly safe.

 

That being said -- for use in your hotel, you can go to a local supermarket and purchase a 1.5 liter bottle of water for 23 euro cents.

 

And when in restaurants, why don't you just forego paying two euros for a bottle of water in a restaurant and enjoy some of our famous, inexpensive Spanish wines?

 

Happy cruising.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

Edited June 1, 2011 by CruisinGerman

[wcook]

That's not what we've been told. In places like China (which we just visited), it's not about "unhealthy bacteria," it's about bacteria that are foreign to American stomachs.

I'm no expert - just some guy who is posting on the internet - but I strongly suspect things are worded that way to avoid offending people.

 

If it really was about different bacteria rather than unhealthy bacteria, you'd see the same warnings for Chinese people coming to the US. But you don't.

[cruisemom42]

And when in restaurants, why don't you just forego paying two euros for a bottle of water in a restaurant and enjoy some of our famous, inexpensive Spanish wines?

 

Happy cruising.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

......I find this the best suggestion of all! :)

[SuiteTraveler]

I'm absolutely 100% sure the water in Barcelona is safe, BUT, I'm very sensitive to changes in water. Even in the US, I can get major digestive upsets from water - especially in Northeastern States where the water has more flouride than I am used to - a recipe for projectile vomiting and major diarhea for me. So, my recommendation is to stick with bottled water to be on the safe side.

[Keith1010]

Weird. Everything I've ever read on travel medicine disagrees with this. People don't get sick because "they aren't used to the local bacteria." People get sick because sanitation standards in specific countries allow too much unhealthy bacteria into their water.

 

Americans risk getting sick drinking water in parts of Mexico. Mexicans don't risk getting sick drinking water in the US. Or Spain for that matter.

 

This has to do with the micro organisms.

 

I traveled extensively for work and I always avoided tap water. Also while I love fruits, vegetables and salads, I would only eat cooked vegetables and would only have fruits or vegetables where we could peal the skin off. I have also followed the same approach for leisure travel. While I know others who have gotten sick we never did.

 

The medical professional on our ship offered many good tips and to me it is just all around safer to go with the bottled water.

 

Keith

[are wehavingfunyet]

I agree with Keith: Why take a chance? I became very ill in Madrid a number of years ago and will never know if it was from drinking the water or something I ate in a restaurant. At least you have control over the water.

[keltic]

As safe as water in the United States. I wonder why someone could even doubt it. Barcelona is one of the most sofisticated city in Europe. Not any hidden corner of mid Africa.

[Keith1010]

As safe as water in the United States. I wonder why someone could even doubt it. Barcelona is one of the most sofisticated city in Europe. Not any hidden corner of mid Africa.

 

The issue is not whether the water is safe.

 

Keith

[UKBayern]

In all EU-countries the water is absolutely safe, as safe or even safer than in the US.

[Keith1010]

In all EU-countries the water is absolutely safe, as safe or even safer than in the US.

 

It is not about safety. It comes down to what the we are all used to as the Medical Physician advised us. Our bodies are not used to the microbes in the tap water.

 

If you were coming to the USA I would advise you to have the bottled water.

 

In the end each person can do what they believe works for them. I traveled overseas extensively on business and now we spend a lot of time each year in various parts of the world for pleasure.

 

We do not drink the tap water. We avoid items that are washed and have cooked vegetables and uncooked vegetables and fruits that we can remove the skin and we are careful where we eat.

 

Knock on wood these approaches have worked and I have seen many people, work colleagues and fellow travelers, not take certain precautions and become ill.

 

Keith

[cruisemom42]

The issue is not whether the water is safe.

 

Keith

 

Actually, I believe that WAS the original poster's question, yes? ;)

 

We'll be in Barcelona for two days before and after our cruise in July :D; my husband has traveled to Mexico a few times so is cautious about eating and drinking in foreign countries :(.

 

Is it safe to drink the water in Barcelona? I've searched the threads and don't believe there should be a problem, but DH asked me to post.

 

Thank you for your help!

 

Happy Cruising!!!

 

 

 

And I think most of us are defining "safe" as "water that would pass all reasonable tests for being drinkable and not containing dangerous amounts of any contaminants, bacteria, parasites etc" Sort of like the report you get every so often on your own town's water system.

 

Drinking the water is safe -- it will not give you any disease (e.g., cryptosporidiosis, schistosomiasis) nor let harmful contaminants (e.g., lead, radiation) into your body.

 

Now whether or not that water might give you a small digestive upset, that is debatable -- but not its safety.

 

Personally, I'm of the school that believes a little challenge to your body's natural defenses is a good thing. It keeps your immune system functional and responsive (if you are a normal, healthy person). Of course this is not necessarily so for the very old, the very young, and anyone whose immune system is compromised.

Edited June 5, 2011 by cruisemom42

[Keith1010]

Actually, I believe that WAS the original poster's question, yes? ;)

 

 

 

 

 

And I think most of us are defining "safe" as "water that would pass all reasonable tests for being drinkable and not containing dangerous amounts of any contaminants, bacteria, parasites etc" Sort of like the report you get every so often on your own town's water system.

 

Drinking the water is safe -- it will not give you any disease (e.g., cryptosporidiosis, schistosomiasis) nor let harmful contaminants (e.g., lead, radiation) into your body.

 

Now whether or not that water might give you a small digestive upset, that is debatable -- but not its safety.

 

Personally, I'm of the school that believes a little challenge to your body's natural defenses is a good thing. It keeps your immune system functional and responsive (if you are a normal, healthy person). Of course this is not necessarily so for the very old, the very young, and anyone whose immune system is compromised.

 

In the end, each person can do what they think is best.

 

Personally, a vacation and being away from home is no time to challenge your system.

 

I have known many people who have gotten sick on vacations from either what they ate or drank. It's never fun to be sick and particularly when you are on vacation.

 

Keith