Is it ok to drink the water in Ireland and Scotland?
Jul 17th, 2011, 12:33 AM
#41
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The drinking water in certain areas of both Ireland and Scotland may be the best water you have ever had.
However, do not drink the water from the cold tap in your bathroom unless you are sure it is 'mains' water. Many older properties will have a water tank stored in their roofspace which has been there for years. This tank is filled from the mains and used to service toilets, showers and bathroom sinks. By law it should be checked for Legionella but that does not mean that the water is safe to drink as Legionnaires' disease is contacted through inhalation not ingestion. It simply means the water is safe to shower!!
For the past 15 years or so all new properties have 'Mains Only' water in which case the water from your tap in the bathroom is the same as the water used in the kitchen - perfectly safe to drink.
If in doubt ask the landlady of your B&B and if the water in your room is not mains ask her to fill your water bottle from her kitchen tap.
However, do not drink the water from the cold tap in your bathroom unless you are sure it is 'mains' water. Many older properties will have a water tank stored in their roofspace which has been there for years. This tank is filled from the mains and used to service toilets, showers and bathroom sinks. By law it should be checked for Legionella but that does not mean that the water is safe to drink as Legionnaires' disease is contacted through inhalation not ingestion. It simply means the water is safe to shower!!
For the past 15 years or so all new properties have 'Mains Only' water in which case the water from your tap in the bathroom is the same as the water used in the kitchen - perfectly safe to drink.
If in doubt ask the landlady of your B&B and if the water in your room is not mains ask her to fill your water bottle from her kitchen tap.
Jul 17th, 2011, 06:03 AM
#42
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Apologies to the original poster.
My "ignoramus" remark was meant to apply more to those who feel that energy-saving lightbulbs are infringing on their civil rights, as claimed in the recent bill before Congress. I then extrapolated to those who believe that America is best in EVERYTHING.
My "ignoramus" remark was meant to apply more to those who feel that energy-saving lightbulbs are infringing on their civil rights, as claimed in the recent bill before Congress. I then extrapolated to those who believe that America is best in EVERYTHING.
Jul 17th, 2011, 07:54 AM
#43
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<i>By law it should be checked for Legionella but that does not mean that the water is safe to drink as Legionnaires' disease is contacted through inhalation not ingestion. It simply means the water is safe to shower!!</i>
Since one does not inhale but ingest the water, I do not see the danger of catching Legionnaire's disease.
We had one experience in Edinburgh where a very unfriendly waiter refused to serve us tap water because it came from a tank, or so he said.
Since one does not inhale but ingest the water, I do not see the danger of catching Legionnaire's disease.
We had one experience in Edinburgh where a very unfriendly waiter refused to serve us tap water because it came from a tank, or so he said.
Jul 17th, 2011, 08:14 AM
#44
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'Since one does not inhale but ingest the water, I do not see the danger of catching Legionnaire's disease.'
The legionella bacteria is inhaled from the aerosol spray created when showering etc. It causes a type of pneumonia which can be fatal. It does not cause stomach upset though the bacteria can be inhaled if contaminated water is drunk and the bacteria is transferred to the lungs.
The legionella bacteria is inhaled from the aerosol spray created when showering etc. It causes a type of pneumonia which can be fatal. It does not cause stomach upset though the bacteria can be inhaled if contaminated water is drunk and the bacteria is transferred to the lungs.
Jul 17th, 2011, 11:18 AM
#46
Legionella bacteria ARE inhaled.
Legionella pneumophila, first identified in the mid 1970s following an outbreak of a previously unknown respiratory disease at a conference of the American Legion. (Which is why it is Legionella and why the disease is Legionaire's disease).
Often associated with air conditioning, so takes up huge amounts of our Food and Water lab's time and effort as the hospital needs checking regularly.
Legionella pneumophila, first identified in the mid 1970s following an outbreak of a previously unknown respiratory disease at a conference of the American Legion. (Which is why it is Legionella and why the disease is Legionaire's disease).
Often associated with air conditioning, so takes up huge amounts of our Food and Water lab's time and effort as the hospital needs checking regularly.
Jul 17th, 2011, 02:48 PM
#47
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After living in Scotland for most of my life,I can assure you that I haven't died from drinking water.I live in the countryside and the water is really nice where I am ( I have my own well,so that is probably why).Some of the water contains chlorine which is still safe to drink,but isn't as nice as well water.
Jul 17th, 2011, 02:55 PM
#48
After living in Scotland for most of my life,I can assure you that I haven't died from drinking water>>
lol - something has to get you sometime, Mau_dGirl!
perhaps the water will get you eventually.
lol - something has to get you sometime, Mau_dGirl!
perhaps the water will get you eventually.
Jul 17th, 2011, 03:23 PM
#49
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'So the water is not safe to shower, as you originally claimed.'
Michael I did not claim that the water is unsafe to shower, please read what I said.
I was responding to a previous post (silly me I did not quote it) which said:
'Some places mark the tap water as DO NOT DRINK. this is to cover them in case someone gets ill not because there is anything wrong. Some places have dedicated filtered taps marked DRINKING WATER. All water kept in tanks is legally subject to testing for Legionnaires and the like, mains water is treated chemically and tested twice weekly. Our water is group scheme drown from an underground lake and distributed to about 60 houses and 20 farms. Typical of rural Ireland and perfectly safe (if a little "hard"). Bottled water is readily available at low cost for anyone feint hearted.'
I was concerned that people would ignore the 'DO NOT DRINK' as it was tested by law for Legionella and so safe to drink.
If it is not mains water IMO don't drink it but it is perfectly safe to shower in Ireland and Scotland and all countries in the EU (I assume the US also) the water is rigorously tested and safe for showering, hot tub, air conditioning etc.
Michael I did not claim that the water is unsafe to shower, please read what I said.
I was responding to a previous post (silly me I did not quote it) which said:
'Some places mark the tap water as DO NOT DRINK. this is to cover them in case someone gets ill not because there is anything wrong. Some places have dedicated filtered taps marked DRINKING WATER. All water kept in tanks is legally subject to testing for Legionnaires and the like, mains water is treated chemically and tested twice weekly. Our water is group scheme drown from an underground lake and distributed to about 60 houses and 20 farms. Typical of rural Ireland and perfectly safe (if a little "hard"). Bottled water is readily available at low cost for anyone feint hearted.'
I was concerned that people would ignore the 'DO NOT DRINK' as it was tested by law for Legionella and so safe to drink.
If it is not mains water IMO don't drink it but it is perfectly safe to shower in Ireland and Scotland and all countries in the EU (I assume the US also) the water is rigorously tested and safe for showering, hot tub, air conditioning etc.
Jul 17th, 2011, 04:22 PM
#50
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The worst water I ever have encountered was in Kewanee, Illinois. Was it safe to drink? Sure. But it smelled of sulfur and tasted godawful. So was it okay to drink? Not in my book.
So maybe that is what the OP meant; the question was not "Is it safe to drink" but rather "Is it okay to drink?" Big difference.
So maybe that is what the OP meant; the question was not "Is it safe to drink" but rather "Is it okay to drink?" Big difference.
Jul 19th, 2011, 05:40 AM
#54
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'Tell many Americans that 99.9% of the world uses the much more logical Celsius thermometer and they fall to pieces. I've been too many places where when they are told it's 15 degrees outside, they have no idea what that means. Tell them petrol costs £1.39/liter, they don't have a clue.'
ahem, I'm with them I'm afraid, as a 40-odd year old English woman I still think in farenheit (I've just about got the idea of 70-90 C, but don't really have a feel for the lower numbers), and I think in gallons of petrol and mpg. And miles and feet and yards and inches (although I can do a quick conversion in my mind if I need to). And lbs and ozs not grams and kilos. And pints. It's quite common to have both systems in use here in the UK. We may be officially metric and continental but in practice the old measures are used either in tandom or more than the new ones. You buy a pint of beer, a litre of petrol, a pint of milk but 500g of shampoo, we are measured in cms at the docs or other official things but no one uses anything but 5'5" for me in real life, our road signs all show miles, but we do 400m athletic races...
so don't pick on the Americans for their little quirks...
ahem, I'm with them I'm afraid, as a 40-odd year old English woman I still think in farenheit (I've just about got the idea of 70-90 C, but don't really have a feel for the lower numbers), and I think in gallons of petrol and mpg. And miles and feet and yards and inches (although I can do a quick conversion in my mind if I need to). And lbs and ozs not grams and kilos. And pints. It's quite common to have both systems in use here in the UK. We may be officially metric and continental but in practice the old measures are used either in tandom or more than the new ones. You buy a pint of beer, a litre of petrol, a pint of milk but 500g of shampoo, we are measured in cms at the docs or other official things but no one uses anything but 5'5" for me in real life, our road signs all show miles, but we do 400m athletic races...
so don't pick on the Americans for their little quirks...
Jul 19th, 2011, 11:55 AM
#55
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<<After reading the responses to this posters question I would imagine she is having second thoughts about visiting>>
I'd say she might only have second thoughts about visiting Fodors.
If you put the words "drink water Mexico" in the search box, you will get 2 posts answering the questions of whether or not to drink the water in Mexico. No irate responses, no offended people. Come on - what's so different about asking the same question about Scotland? Doesn't the OP deserve a civil answer?
<<there is an image out there of us being some sort of flea bitten, rancid third world outpost>>
I don't think the OP would be going there if she thought that way!
heymom - I lived in Scotland for a year and drank tap water. No problems. Scotland is beautiful and the people are very nice. Have a great trip!
I'd say she might only have second thoughts about visiting Fodors.
If you put the words "drink water Mexico" in the search box, you will get 2 posts answering the questions of whether or not to drink the water in Mexico. No irate responses, no offended people. Come on - what's so different about asking the same question about Scotland? Doesn't the OP deserve a civil answer?
<<there is an image out there of us being some sort of flea bitten, rancid third world outpost>>
I don't think the OP would be going there if she thought that way!
heymom - I lived in Scotland for a year and drank tap water. No problems. Scotland is beautiful and the people are very nice. Have a great trip!
Jul 20th, 2011, 05:04 AM
#58
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>>>>>
And unfortunately, it speaks volumes about the naïvété/ignorance/lack of education of so many Americans. It also smacks of a certain type of American superiority that is really deplorable
>>>>>>
we will never settle on whether or not the water is 'ok to drink', however, i think we all agree that this is not a stupid question, it does not mean the OP is ignorant and without education, naive or superior.
quite the opposite, i think that it is naive, ignorant, lacking in education and arrogant to assume that everywhere in the world is blessed with the same plumbing as in america. as cambe has explained, we britons have some of the dodgiest plumbing in the free world. only those of us with educations and intelligence are aware of this.
And unfortunately, it speaks volumes about the naïvété/ignorance/lack of education of so many Americans. It also smacks of a certain type of American superiority that is really deplorable
>>>>>>
we will never settle on whether or not the water is 'ok to drink', however, i think we all agree that this is not a stupid question, it does not mean the OP is ignorant and without education, naive or superior.
quite the opposite, i think that it is naive, ignorant, lacking in education and arrogant to assume that everywhere in the world is blessed with the same plumbing as in america. as cambe has explained, we britons have some of the dodgiest plumbing in the free world. only those of us with educations and intelligence are aware of this.
Jul 20th, 2011, 07:51 AM
#59
You can get a reasonable indication of overall water safety by looking at the incidence of Cryptosporidium disease. Although most cases are a result of exposure to untreated, often recreational water (lakes, canals etc), there is occassionally a city wide outbreak, usually following flooding/severe rains where the watr treatment plants are overwhelmed.
Unlike bacteria, Cryptosporidium cannot be killed by chlorination. When we get the occassional "people in the (XXXX) area are advised to boil their water before use" messages, it is nearly always Cryptosporidium.
"only those of us with educations and intelligence are aware of this."
I have an education, I spent far too long at sewage works and water purification plants while studyig microbiology. As part of my job I regularly see the public health bulletins regarding outbreaks of water borne pathogens in the UK.
What are your qualifications for discussion of water safety and comparitive plumbing ?
Unlike bacteria, Cryptosporidium cannot be killed by chlorination. When we get the occassional "people in the (XXXX) area are advised to boil their water before use" messages, it is nearly always Cryptosporidium.
"only those of us with educations and intelligence are aware of this."
I have an education, I spent far too long at sewage works and water purification plants while studyig microbiology. As part of my job I regularly see the public health bulletins regarding outbreaks of water borne pathogens in the UK.
What are your qualifications for discussion of water safety and comparitive plumbing ?
