Don't drink the water! 12% of commerical aircraft have bacteria in the water
 

Noticed in the paper today that the EPA stated that 12% of commercial aircraft had water quality that was below standards and that 2 of the 158 planes they checked had e coli bacteria in the water.

Now, this may simply be alarmist as I would imagine that water from most municipal water systems contain some level of bacteria by the time it reaches your faucet. I'm sure a full reading of the report tells the levels and as the article states, there were no reported cases of illness.

Guess I'll stick to the bottled water.

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/sto...p-201074c.html

Did you realize that water out of your faucet is usually of much better quality than bottled water?

Water out of your faucet is regulated by the EPA while bottled water has no regulations.

GoTravel,
While technically you are correct, the EPA doesn't regulate bottled water, you're not entirely correct.

The FDA is responsible for bottled water regulation as it is considered a food product. In addition, several states have their own regulations as it relates to water sold in their state, regardless of the source. In addition, to the extent a product is sold in multiple states, an entirely new set of regulations related to food preparation and interstate commerce kick-in.

Now, testing that water is another story.

(BTW, the reason I know about the bottled water issue is from a friend who is at a senior level at Perrier USA.)

Seems to me that most often on commercial flights now, if you ask for water to drink you get bottled water. And it's for sure I never drink out of the restroom faucet.

I want to know who is drinking out of the lavatory faucet on an airplane?? When the beverage cart rolls around, I have only seen them give out bottled water.

People do brush their teeth in the lavs. And I bet the coffee and tea aren't made with bottled water.

The irony is that many of those same people who fret about a few bacteria (which will typically be obliterated by the inhospitable pH of the stomach if ingested) go to their chain hotel room and touch a bedspread laden with 1000 times more bacteria, touch the door handles of the airplane lav/restaurant/hotel door/rental car steering wheel etc etc which harbor 1000's of times more pathogens, then go and eat something with those same 'contaminated' fingers.
Forest for the trees!

Bottled water on planes, w/o a doubt. Simply ask for it - you'll be given all you desire. No need to take risks.

Another caveat..

On some long flights when the bottled water runs out....they refill the water bottles out of the aiplane tap.

Eeeeuw -- airplane water AND used bottles?!

Just because WQ is "below standards" doesn't mean it's unsafe: standards are really quite high.

As far as e coli ... how much is in the water as opposed to what you'll be ingesting during today's lunch? Life is too short to obsess about every little risk.

I must have a good immune system--I brush my teeth in the airplane bathrooms (on int'l flights) and sleep on those crusty pillows.

Kikahead: so do I. But there may be another reason: no self-respecting bacteria would bother...

Something to be said for maintaining a (very low)level of exposure to pathogens, esp. before middleage, else immune system (if not otherwise compromised) can't learn to recognize and deal with them.

That said, I have been known to pull a "Monk" and whip out a handi-wipe or Purel bottle from time to time.

Hey kikahead, I drool. Beware of soggy pillows!:(I)

Funny post! Enjoyed reading it.
How many of us grew up drinking from the garden hose and letting the dog lick our face?!!

I'm sure we could start onto the air we breathe during flights as well...
;-)

Ah, Faina that could be the answer!!

I couldn't believe that story when I read it a couple of days ago. I am with Mazey, who the heck drinks the water our of the lavatories??? YUCK!

I never use the lavatories even to go to the bathroom (not even on 8+ hour flights), never need to and would prefer not to. If I had to brush my teeth I would use bottled water. It just cracks me up at how urgent that article sounded, I would have never guessed that so many people would drink that water.

Maybe a better strategy would be to just LET all the terrorists on to our planes.

They could then come SWIM in our polluted ocean, EAT our pesticide-ridden vegetables, BREATHE our smoggy air and all die of cancer.