and sorry, a correction... it wouldN'T bother me if someone asked about places I've lived. Not that that need dictate how others manage their perceived slights.

Clifton - I looked up that nifty link you gave and have learned that in Ireland the water is potable but foreigners must pay for water consumption. How is that monitored? Does the B&B landlady monitor the shower duration and charge X Euros per minute on top of the quoted B&B rate? If I want ice in my whiskey (horrors!) do I pay by the cube?

In the US, the site advocates drinking straight from the faucet. I actually prefer my water in a glass or bottle but I guess some folks like to soak their heads! :)

adrienne. I'm thinking they're probably referring to expats. And that they probably just meter the houses and don't send bills to the citizens.

But if you wanted to leave a little something on the table, per cube, it's always appreciated. About 3% if you're from the continent, 20% if you're from across the pond, give or take. If you're British, I'm pretty sure they owe you something. ;)

Growing up in the US, I preferred my water in a bottle but kept it in a brown paper bag so that no one caught on.

<< I just don't know that people don't sometimes put things differently than they intend.>>

<< usual veiled condensation >>

Guess we're even now Clifton ;)

Yay! You've taken the focus off Italian water for awhile. :-)

kwren. speak for yourself. I've been uneven for <i>years</i>

Strange she's not been back, eh?

Clifton - really nice photos!!

adrienne - thanks. And lol because I forgot I put the link on my profile and have been wondering until just now what photos you meant.

((i))
.:-"

>>foreigners must pay for water consumption. How is that monitored? Does the B&B landlady monitor the shower duration and charge X Euros per minute on top of the quoted B&B rate? If I want ice in my whiskey (horrors!) do I pay by the cube?<<

And is there a discount when you recycle it?

I must say, I'm still wondering about the "george pimpido" centre.

<< I must say, I'm still wondering about the "george pimpido" centre. >>

It's only called the pimpido after dark - LOL

For the UK
The public’s supply of water is typically safe and of good quality. Even access to clean water is not a problem. The people can practically have sanitary water all throughout the country.

Right, so in Ireland visitors have to pay and in the UK they have a choice of dirty or clean water

Not sure there's a choice involved, but the Beeb archives are full of news of past boil orders around the UK (as there would be anywhere). No harm in the site mentioning that nothing's 100%

Ireland - Just came back from a week and we drank tap water in Dublin, Galway, Killarny, Cork etc... Still alive enough to type this! But we did drink a lot of beer - maybe that balanced it.

What a bunch of haughty, presumptuous, hateful nonsense. The ignorance seems to rest less on the OP than on many of the responders. Was the OP's question a little naive? Absolutely. But so what? Was it anywhere near deserving of the belittlement that followed? Absolutely not. We all have to start somewhere. Many Americans don't travel overseas. For one it's expensive. Two, there is so much to see within the US that many don't feel the need. It's logistically challenging. For those who decide to travel overseas, the first time can be very daunting. We always hear horror stories about people traveling to Mexico and drinking the water and ending up with all manner of illnesses. We don't hear about the millions of people who travel to Europe and drink the water with no problems. So I don't see what's so wrong with asking a question to be sure. I certainly don't think it should be taken as an indictment of Ireland or Scotland.

People, don't get your undies in a bunch about the question that lady asked. I have live in Georgia, New York, Virginia and I have always filtered my drinking water through my refrigerator. I NEVER drink it straight from the TAP. Most Americans, I know, do this because our refrigerators come with automatic water filers. THIS is the ONLY reason why the question was asked. IT was not to insult the UK or Scotland! If you have always had filtered water, is it safe to drink unfiltered water, anywhere? Maybe someone, who isn't so easily insulted, can answer the question since my son will be studying in Scotland for the next 2 years.

Jam, the question was asked five years ago. A spammer resurrected it to post an ad, which has been removed.

jam, don't worry, in the Uk and Ireland the water is provided without things to filter out. It is very safe and there are no plastic contaminants as from bottled water, plastic filters etc.

jamtravel1: >>People, don't get your undies in a bunch . . . Maybe someone, who isn't so easily insulted, can answer the question<<

Welcome to Fodors. Sometimes it is best to ask w/o insulting those who might be able to help you. All the info you need is in the thread. Answers haven't changed in the intervening years.

Yes -- the water is safe - but your son will more likely be drinking beer >)

I want to see where every fridge in the US had filtered water built into it.

It would be a big help for all of those people in Flint.

jamtravel - you are definitely in the minority. Most people in the US drink tap water - except on the go - and would never think to ask such a question about the UK.

Jamtravel - we're already in that situation with a daughter. No problems yet. Nice place to go to school.

Well I live in Scotland and have been drinking the water unfiltered for the last 60 years and I have yet to come to harm.The water that goes to most of the population will already have undergone many layers of filtration before it gets to the taps and is constantly monitored by the water authorities, Scottish water is possibly the finest water in the world.
I actually work for Edinburgh University and many of the non Scot students and staff say how wonderful it is to be able to drink water straight from the tap and how lovely it is.

I miss walkinaround.

I think the OP was referring to the fact that different regions of the world have different bacteria in the drinking water - making it totally fine for locals to consume but could possibly cause travelers' diarrhea for those not used to the water. I don't think the OP was implying that the drinking water in Ireland or Scotland be comparable to an African country. I have traveled to Mexico where I have friends and they drink the tap water but it is completely safe. But I know (through trial and error haha) that I will get sick if I drink it. So calm down people and stop getting so offended!

Kat: check the dates. the OP posted once five years ago and never again, not even to this thread. It was Jamtravel who joined a few weeks ago to act all offended . . . And s/he hasn't returned either.

Ok strange timing. I was in England last and took a tour for a few days. The driver played the radio for most of the tour and I heard one radio station say how they can't drink the water in Scotland. Something about putting some chemical in the water which caused a strange taste. They wanted people to call in and talk about their experiences. It reminded me of this post but didn't think I should top this to say what I heard as I don't remember where exactly this strange tasting water was happening.

sassy27 did NOT hear anyone saying they "can't drink the water in Scotland."

There is a controversy about a plan by Scottish Water (in Scotland, they allow the regional legislature a monopoly over the region's water supply. Have you ever heard such Socialist nonsense?) to treat the water serving 10,000 homes around Aviemore with a range of chemicals.

Predictably, the story's reached some ditzy American, who's got hold of the wrong end of the wrong stick and has decided she's going to tell the Scotch - from whatever fluoride-contaminated American hellhole she lives in - how to organise their water.

Like most attempts by Americans to interfere with this country, the daft woman should be ignored.

They'll be trying to put our black cabs out of business next at this rate.

I accidentally drank water that Mrs sparkchaser had collected from a puddle at the Callanish stones. I did not die nor did I experience any difficulties with my plumbing.

Besides, alcohol purifies and sterilizes.


<i> I have live in Georgia, New York, Virginia and I have always filtered my drinking water through my refrigerator. I NEVER drink it straight from the TAP. Most Americans, I know, do this because our refrigerators come with automatic water filers. </i>
#AmericanProblems

Sassy27 wrote: <i>"Something about putting some chemical in the water which caused a strange taste."</i>

I suspect that "chemical" was malted barley, but the finished product comes only in bottles. ;-)

flanneruk - Is your post to me meant to be an insult? Name calling is immature. Besides, if you want to talk about Americans sticking their nose where it doesn't belong, I think you need to speak to your own countrymen about that. I didn't appreciate the british man who stopped me, while I was strolling around in a park, to talk US politics which is none of his business.

Your English is also not very good. Where did you read that I said what your country should do with your water? I honestly don't care what you do in your country or what you drink. Whatever water it was, they said it tasted bad and had to spit it out. They asked people to call in to tell about their experience. So yes, that means the person talking could not drink it. I know what I heard as I thought it was strange and it sounds like you know what I am referring to. So why don't you enlighten us or should I say enlighten us ditzy people on what you know to be true? Coming after me doesn't prove your point. If I heard it, other people did too and proves why someone would start a post like this. It was your country's radio station that said it, not mine. Oh but that's right, I'm the liar.

<i>I heard one radio station say how they can't drink the water in Scotland. Something about putting some chemical in the water which caused a strange taste. </i>

The British like to ensure their tap water is drinkable, therefore they do daily checks on the water quality. If it falls below a given quality they may TEMPORARILY add additional chemicals to improve the quality of the water and may tell people that it will taste funny BUT IS DRINKABLE for a few days as it works it's way through the system.

You would never get a situation in the UK like in Flint or Bruni where poor quality water is deliberately supplied.

Every now and then cryptosporidium is found in local drinking water. People in the affected area are warned not to drink unboiled water from the tap for a few days until the contamination is removed. That may be what sassy27 heard.

Cryptosporidium contamination is very rare, but occurs in the US and other countries too. To the best of my recollection the drinking water in the part of the UK where I have lived for 40 years has never been affected. UK tap water is safer to drink than the expensive bottled water some people buy in supermarkets.

I've lived in places in the US where people get water for cooking and drinking from tankers spaced around town, and use tap water only for washing. Years ago, when I lived for a short time in Aspen, Colorado, newcomers all got tummy upsets from the drinking water. I've no idea what caused it, but it was so common it was nicknamed "Aspenitis". Once you were used to the water you were okay, and I'd be surprised if it is still a problem there.

The OP may not have meant it as an insult. Starting in US high school foreign language classes, we're cautioned that the US is one of the only nations in the world that uses the same water for drinking as for watering plants, washing dishes, etc. -- many/most others, including Europe, use "grey water" as their tap water (because the standard for watering plants is lower than the standard for human consumption).

That's how I took OP's question -- is the tap water drinking quality, or is it grey water? Not so insulting, in that context...actually, it would make a lot of sense to use grey water for a lot of household chores, and reserve the effort to ultra-filter water only for drinking water.

<i>many/most others, including Europe, use "grey water" as their tap water (because the standard for watering plants is lower than the standard for human consumption).</i>

Which European countries are those? I'm genuinely curious.

As an addendum, I'm not saying that Europe *DOES* use grey water as tap water, only that that's what kids in high school foreign language classes are taught (or at least the kids in my high school, all those years ago).

<i> And is there a discount when you recycle it? </i>

Only if you use it to water your plants. If you recycle it by running it through your kidneys, there's a surcharge.

<i> Starting in US high school foreign language classes, we're cautioned that the US is one of the only nations in the world that uses the same water for drinking as for watering plants, washing dishes, etc. -- many/most others, including Europe, use "grey water" as their tap water (because the standard for watering plants is lower than the standard for human consumption). </i>

What a strange language teacher you had. I've never heard that, and, with regard to most of Europe it's not even true. The tap water here in Italy, and also in France, Spain, the UK, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, and Belgium is for drinking. There are systems for the re-use of grey water, but they're certainly not ubiquitous. Mostly they're private systems, or at most systems that operate at a municipal level. I've never heard of grey water coming from the tap anywhere in Europe.

Generally, you may find grey water stored and pumped within new-build properties in some parts of Europe and are used to feed what I call a loo, but you may call a toilet. They also feed gardens. They never, ever feed taps for anything else and the standards have been written to ensure that.

There are a few local municipal systems and large building systems like this as well. Part of the greening of Europe.

Please avoid drinking water from bottles, the contaminates from the bottles and from the plastic moulding machines are already doing significant damage to my part of the planet and your local eco system. Quantities are enormous and the water quality is worse than you could get out of a most European taps.

BTW, a friend of mine lives in Philly and travels into the woods to find his spring water as the local stuff is so foul

I like the way my tap water tastes here in Cheshire West and Chester.

in hellhole Bruxelles we walk several miles to a well and if we recite the part of the Koran that the jihadist in charge of protecting the water we may get a bucket of water.

Sigh.

Yes Cheshire West has very good water. A visitor of ours said that it was better than any bottled water she'd tasted. Apparently, it comes from a borehole under Delamere Forest