Janice

My husband and I will be visiting Scotland the last 2 weeks of August. Should we be concerned about buying drinking water, or is tap water ok? Thanks in advance!

John

Janice, Joseph Lister pioneered antisepsis at the Edinburgh University medical school. Some years later Sir Alexander Fleming, of Ayrshire, discovered the benefits of penicilin, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize. Pioneering advances in public health have been central themes in the history of Scotland. The water is safe.

cantbelieve

In fact, much safer than your local supply !

frank

In some rural areas, especially in the North West, the water can contain a lot of peat & may appear very dark.It is however perfectly safe to drink everywhere. <BR>If concerned , adding good malt whisky to all your water will keep you in robust good health.

kenny

This has to be a joke, surely. Scotland has some of the cleanest drinking water in the world.

Maira

Janice--- We spend a week in Scotland (specfically Western Highlands) and not only we had NO problem whatsoever with water (we never even woried about it...), but the food was outstanding; heavenly marinated meats, vegetables cooked to perfection, delicious desserts. Enjoy your visit!

adrienne

Janice, <BR> <BR>Visited Scotland for 2 weeks a couple of years ago and drank tap water everywhere without a problem. It just looks awful - yellowy from the peat -ignore the color and have a great time. If you're going to Edinburgh be sure to buy tickets for the Military Tatoo (get tickets in the center section). It's a fabulous display of music and costumes against the background of the castle. <BR> <BR>Adrienne <BR>

Janice

I'm sorry if I offended anyone with my question, and I also didn't need to be treated like an ignorant idiot. We have lived in a few different cities in Canada, and many times have used a water filter because the water tasted terrible and the quality was questionable. The purpose of my question was to find out if we should be planning to drink bottled water while there. OBVIOUSLY NOT...excuse me for asking.

Julian

Janice, don't worry about having asked if it put your mind at rest, although the Scots are justifiably proud of their water quality and you hit a raw nerve by asking this! Perhaps some of the responses have been a bit scathing because there is a tendency for some of the questions on this site to imply that Europe is some kind of collection of developing countries (eg no ATMs, bad water, poor transport, etc) and not unnaturally we Europeans get a bit fed up with it, however well intentioned and innocent the original question might be.

XXX

Compared to the U.S., many countries in Europe are developing, ie. THIRD WORLD.

Thyra

Janice, don't worry you asked a very legitimate question. I used to always drink tap water while travelling in the U.K or Europe and never got ill, but a couple of times I got serious bladder infections. Upon returning home I asked my doctor about it and he said that although the water in another country is perfectly safe, interms of harmful bacteria, YOUR body is not used to it. You have not been exposed to all of the harmless properties that are in local tap water and have no resistance to them like the local population. The same is true for Europeans visiting the US or Canada. It's just that when you travel you are being exposed to a lot of things that YOUR body has never been exposed to and you can experience reactions to that. I always try to drink bottled water, even when I travel from the Western USA to NYC. Just because I hate to take chances while on vacation. However I have never used bottled water for brushing teeth etc.

Susan

I think it's a legitimate question (and I don't think that Scotland is a third world country which seems to be what a previous response said!). I live in Toronto and we've all been horrified by the news reports from Walkerton, Ontario where several people died a month or 2 ago from e coli infection. The water source was contaminated. Since then, e coli has been reported in other areas as well. (We have been assured that Toronto water is fine.)

Scotty

The water is fine, it's the haggis you need to be careful of.

Julian

Funny how XXX (above) doesn't have the guts to give his/her email or name.

Esme

Janice, the water will be fine, but as stated above, you may experience some digestive problems due to being unsued to the local "brew" - this goes for anywhere in the world. The Scots may have been a bit prickly about you asking (probably a problem with the thistles!!) but I thought France was a civilised country until I brushed my teeth and sipped a little of their tap water in Paris - NEVER again. The tip about the whiskey might work, certainly keep your teeth glowing! Enjoy your holiday, and mind the prickles!! Esme