drinking water
 

can you drink the water in barcelona and parisfrom the tap?
thank you

Yes and Yes

Good grief, yes. These aren't developing countries.

Paris water is one of the best on the planet.

"Paris water is one of the best on the planet."
Well that is what the Parisians say at least!

Barcelona- Yes but it's not very nice.

Barcelona???? The water was nice when I was there..perhaps it tastes better in expensive hotels????

can you drink the water in barcelona and parisfrom the tap?


I prefer to use a glass, as it difficult to crane my neck.

Paris water has no chlorine. It is cleaned with ozone.

We just returned from Paris and no we did not drink tap water at anytime. It had a chlorine smell and tastes chemicals. We have very good artesian well water and are very fussy about our drinking water but if you like the taste go ahead and drink it and you will save a lot of money on bottled water.

Perhaps some hotels chlorinate the water. I've never found Paris water to have a smell nor a taste.

It is interesting to know that the right bank and the left bank have two completely different water companies.

However, the city of Paris is taking back control of the system soon. -- Oh, I just checked and that happened as of May 1st, 2009. http://www.eaudeparis.fr/

Do not drink tap water.

Insist that it comes sealed in bottles.

Bring plenty of cigarettes, chocolate and nylon hose.

((I))

I wonder what the OP thinks Europeans drink?

<i>I wonder what the OP thinks Europeans drink?</i>

Wine, beer... and occasionally, Evian and Perrier?

You CAN drink the water from the tap anywhere . . . the question is whether you can do so safely. I'm not familiar with any claim that there exists Napoleon's Revenge or Franco's Revenge as equivalents of Pharaoh's Revenge (Egypt) or Montezuma's Revenge (Mexico).

At last check, we suffered no ill effects from Paris water. Given that our trip was two years ago, we'd be hard-pressed to blame any illness on that now.

I know that Paris tap water has a lower bacteria count than Evian -- it has been published.

kerouac, that fact also goes for drinking tap water in the UK. Something to be said about bottled water maybe? I bet most posters will not understand your remark about treatment with Ozone unless they work in the water industry. it does have side affects though.
Here in Spain bottled water can be had for as little as a few cents from large supermarkets.

It's safe - but may not taste grat. It depends on where you're rom and what kind of wather you're used to. (Here in NYC the water is very soft - very few minerals and doesn't have uch taste - so I don;t like to drink tap water - or even tea made from it - in many place - just due to taste.)

In europe we always drink bottled water - but use tap to brush teeth except in a few specific places (St Pet last time we were there, for instance).

Ira, that was a great comment. I think lots of people missed the joke.

:-)

dave

"These aren't developing countries"

No, St. Cirq, but then neither is Ireland. Yet my SIL got very sick two years ago when Galway had water problems. And Milwaukee had serious water problems (though of a much shorter duration) a few years before that.

So, IMHO, it's never a dumb question.

(ira's comment was cool!)

Maybe my taste buds aren't delicate enough, but all European water tastes fine to me. The problem with using bottled water when tap water is safe is not only the cost, which is a personal matter, but more that the bottles contribute to the massive trash problem we've been creating, which is not only a personal matter.

daveesl - I understood Ira's joke and laughed... perhaps you didn't hear me! :)

<< bottles contribute to the massive trash problem >>

Does France recycle plastics, et. al.? I can't remember if I noticed any recycle bins.

We have 3 different bins for garbage collection in France -- one for glass, one for paper+plastic+metal, and one for 'other'. Any bin that you see with a yellow cover in Paris is where you put plastic bottles or soda cans.

You will also find recycle bins in Spain too.

People may remember when the Coca Cola company tried to bottle London tap-water and sell it.

Those threads are always funny :D. To all those that don't drink tap water. Do you use bottled water for making coffee? I've never seen anybody doing this anywhere in Europe. And I do drink a lot of coffee. So I'd guess the vast majority drinks tap water. Some people must prefer their tap water bottled, since those 1.5 liter bottles for 19ct do exist.