Don't Drink the Water
 

I just saw an AP story on EPA tests done on airlines drinking water. The tests found coliform bacteria in the drinking water of one in every eight planes tested. They also found e-coli bacteria in two of the planes tested. Even though they claim it is just as safe as municipal water supplies, I think I will stick to my bottled water!

Didn't someone else just post this story recently?

I drink tap water everywhere I go including all over Europe. I've never had a problem. Friends of mine drink only bottled water, then when they do drink some "plain" water, they invariably get sick. I think adding a few miscellaneous bacteria to my system actually helps prevent many more illnesses. Besides I usually like tap water better than the tasteless bottled stuff.

The absolute worst tap water I've ever had is at the beaches in Pinellas County (St. Pete, Indian Rocks, Sunset, Treasure Island, etc.). They pipe their drinking water from well fields in Pasco County. By the time it gets to the beaches it's picked up every piece of rust and dirt possible along the way. I'd prefer to drink sewer water. Well, OK, that's really drastic. I would not drink sewer water.

When I saw the header for this thread, I thought it was going to be about the new research showing the contaminants and hazards in bottled water, which is not regulated as closely as municipal tap water:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...er_bacteria_dc

Mary, if your body loses the natural ability to fight off even water bacteria, do you know what it means? It means it's time to finish it off!

Stop spreading the panic.

It wasn't my intention to spread panic. I drink tap water and I don't worry. I just had never given much thought to the water on airplanes and the process of transporting it to the plane and how it was stored on the plane. I usually carry bottled water so I don't have to bug the flight attendants and I can keep from getting dryed up on the plane.

I'm with Mary on this one. Airplanes are nototious for spreading germs. My SO works in healthcare and as apart of her job recieves public health updates from the CDC. Since seeing recent bulletins, she has stopped using the tap water on planes - especially not to "wash" her hands. We now bring antibacterial gel on flights with us.

Have you ever read the label of bottled water? One popular brand said on the label it was Chicago City Water...

I don't drink bottle water, just tap water but when I fly I have never drank water from the plane. Never. Probably the water is better now perhaps than years ago. Even for convenience I would take bottled water, especially now when service is not that great on flights. An no, I am not slamming the overworked attendants. Not at all. It is just all the cost cutting airlines have done.

Many bottled waters are filterd and treated municipal waters. In some states this is 100% LEGAL. Research this for your area.
Also, in some areas you can find a free water test. True, here. You can provide a sample from your kitchen sink, from your refrigerator's filtered water dispenser, etc. This way, you can track the composition of the water. Especially useful before and after a copper re-pipe of a home that was originally plumbed with galvanized or lead pipes.

When I fly, I always see the FAs pour water out of large bottles...is someone suggesting that they're refilling these from the tap?

I always order juice anyway (gotta get my money's worth) and bring a bottle of water. I still catch all my colds from flying, though...I think it's the dry air and being cooped up with sick people.

In all my years of airline travel I have never seen or heard of passengers drinking "tap water". But bottled water has less quality control than most municipal water systems.

The obvious solution is to fly first or business and drink the wine,lol.
M

I have done a lot of research on bottled water. In my opinion, one of the best domestic bottled water is Poland Spring from Maine.

Worldwide one of the best is Fiji Water. I wish these companies though, would put their water in glass bottles because there is tainting of water from all plastic water containers.

Suzanne drinks juice. And, where do they get the water to make the juice? And for Coke, Pepsi etc....it's concentrate plus water. I always wonder where that water comes from! Does anybody know?

Gene, where on earth are you getting this information?

My juice is always served out of a can.

I don't drink the tap water either. Yet I'm not overly concerned about this drinking water story.

It does provide an "excuse" to either bring your own, or order a beer!

I would never consider drinking tap water from one of the restrooms on an airplane. Every flight I've been on has served bottled water.

Now, the coffee is probably made from the airplane tap water. Don't drink the coffee or tea. Stick with the bottled water, soft drinks, beer, wine, juice. ((b))