pianogirl

I've read some of the older posts on here about the drinking water, and I think to be on the safe side we will just buy bottled water. But what about when we go out to eat? Do restaurants have bottled water, or should I bring my own? Should I tell the waiter not to put ice in my drink? My husband will die of embarassment if I ask something like that! hehe

I do have a reason to be paranoid though. I contracted e. coli a few years ago and was hospitalized with kidney and liver failure. It really is a miracle I survived. Because of that, I now have colitis, so I'm a bit on the paranoid side about water and food. Sorry, that may have been to much information. But I feel that I should explain why I'm so concerned about the water.

One more thing. Did I read somewhere that you aren't suppose to eat certain kinds of seafood there?

brenandg

The water at the restaurants and ice cubes on St John are perfectly safe. The only problem that I have ever read about in regard to water is from the cisterns which the villas have and I don't think its a common issue. We drank bottled water in our room, but we only drink bottled or filtered water at home.

christiegr

pianogirl,

I would buy bottled water if you are staying at a villa.

I contracted Giardia while on a trip to STJ...I thought that it was from the villa's cistern water but I am not sure.

All I know is on my 2nd trip to STJ, we drank bottled water and brushed our teeth with bottled water and we had no problems at all.

Christie

pianogirl

Christie, so you were the one I read about getting giardia! I looked at old posts here and saw that one. So sorry you went through that. I guess if you can catch it and still go back (to St. John), then I can go too! So it sounds like I'm ok with regular water and ice at restaurants, right?

pianogirl

Sorry, I realize brenandg already answered my question about the restaurant water and ice. I didn't mean to repeat that question again.

christiegr

pianogirl,

Yes..it was something that I never want to go through again.I am now very careful when traveling.

Christie

Becca

Hi pianogirl. I also contracted e. coli a few years ago in Antigua. Fortunately, after a visit to the ER when I returned to the U.S. and a round of Cipro, I was back to myself within a month's time and did not develop complications. I am so sorry to hear about your experience.

When it first happened, I swore I would never return to the Caribbean, but eventually my love for the region won out and I've been back once or twice a year every year since. I also realized that I could contract e. coli anywhere - even at the restaurant down the street.

I try to take extra precautions now when I am in the Caribbean, especially on more "sketchy" islands. I have stayed on St. John (a "non-sketchy" island in my book) three times - both before and after the e. coli. I have always drank the water (even while staying at a villa) and have never had a problem. I have also never had a problem with eating seafood there.

I tell you all this so you won't worry - not so you won't take necessary precautions. I think you will be fine in St. John, but if it gives you peace of mind (very important on vacation!) then you should do what makes you feel comfortable while you are there.

Enjoy!!!

Tuxedocat

If you are staying in a villa, I would definitely stick to bottled water and commercial ice cubes which are easy to get and inexpensive from any grocery store on STJ. Christie probably did get sick from the cistern water at the villa. The whole island is practically on cistern water and many villa cisterns do not have an effective purifying filtration system. In the restaurants, they do indeed sell bottled water so no need to bring your own, and the ice cubes have never seemed to present a problem. At least in the USVI, they do have to follow the semblance of our strict food handling laws. Commercial food vendors of course have to undergo regulatory inspections. That said, there are no absolute guarantees. As Becca said, you can get sick from food/water anywhere. We been to STJ many times and have never once gotten sick due to water or food. Oddly enough, my daughter and I just got over some tummy disturbance and we have no clue where within the 30 mile radius around our Connecticut home we may have picked up something.

marbleheadguy

I'm sorry---the drinking water and ice cubes are 99.9% safe on st john....jeesh.

After 12 years of living, working and staying on st john.... I think i can safely state that NO ONE I know has gotten sick on sistern water or ice cubes.

If you have a worry buy bottled and go to st john ice company in cruz bay ...