Is it safe to drink the water in Spain? I was there 30 years ago and we didn't even drink with ice cubes. Any health precautions to be concerned about? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Kitty

Yes, the tap water is safe to drink in Spain.

I drank the tap water in Spain a little over 30 years ago. Was there something wrong with it? I felt fine.

Ah, but the effects occur after 35 years! Just wait...

The water's good...the wine's even better! Enjoy it all--Spain's wonderful!

LOL Urchin

CMT, start a diary...

In Jungle Survival School 3 + decades ago, we were taught to observe the birds and avoid what they avoided.
Fortunately Spanish wine and water never made the "avoid" list.
M
Try a SP Albarino with shellfish.

Hmmm. That explains a lot. Am I entitled to special accommodation at work? On planes? In parking? All because of that water.... Who'd a thunk it?

When I read the title to this thread, I thought someone very seriously dehydrated on their hands and knees was begging for a drink of water..."water...must have...water"...with buzzards circling overhead and the whole bit.

"Water, water, everywhere,
And all the boards did shrink.
Water, water everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink."

-Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

OK I was there in '99 and thought the water tasted funny. It was a bit bland. I much preferred the wine.

Spain is not some third-world country, for heaven's sake. They do have proper water treatment.

Drank gallons of water and many bottles of wine in July '04 in Galicia.
M

The tap water along the Mediterranean is indeed not always clean.
We?ve been to Spain several times. The first time we drunk water from the tap, made coffee with it, cooked with it? didn?t got sick. But in all supermarkets we saw people buying big jerry cans of water. A local told us that the water from the tap was not safe to drink, especially not in Summer. As there is not enough water during high season, they use purified sea water, which is not meant to be drinking water.
I don?t think the tap water is that bad, but since we are warned, we don?t drink it anymore.

I think the water is medically safe to drink. The taste could be a bit weird due to the origin or the treatment substances. If the water has a dark red color, then it must be wine!!! It is then suggested not to abuse, martinewezel!

Don't forget that while locals are accostomed to drinking their water and eating their foods, we are not. Therefore while locals may stay well tourists may get sick, especially tourists with sensitive G.I. systems. Therefore when you are a tourist, you should be extra careful what you eat and drink, more careful than you need to be at home, no matter where you live.

I drink the tap water in San Diego even though it's disgusting, and it never makes me sick because I'm used to it. But we have had some out-of-town guests who seem to sicken when they drink our tap water, so on the next trip they buy bottled water, and they stay well. Magic.

Of course you need to take care what kind of water you are buying. Read the label carefully. It was interesting trying to read the Italian labels on water in Italy...

Save water - drink beer!

Agree with Melissajoy's comments. The tap water in England is notoriously bad, yet I drink it without obvious problems (a debateable point if you know me I suppose). I'm reliably informed that the tap water in Spain is better than in England but due to the differences in mineral composition etc you may get a slight upset tummy if you suddenly switch to drinking large quantities of it.

You should certainly have no problem cleaning your teeth, showering or using it for ice.

Walter makes a good point.

The mineral balance in every city's tap water is unique, and the difference is noticed by travelers' stomachs.

We buy Evian everywhere we go to avoid this problem. If you get it in a grocery store, it's pretty economical - and worth not getting a stomachache in any event.

I think too much mineral water, too early in a trip, is likely to upset the stomach of someone unaccustomed to water with a high mineral content. Note the magnesium content on the water bottle's label, and then remember what Milk of Magnesia is supposed to do to you. I think tap water is a little easier to get used to.