22 replies to this topic

[Cyanide41]

I am not sure if it is safe to drink the water in TJ or not, so I don't do it. I don't even drink straight from the tap in the US. So currently the water I drink in MEX comes from the little corner abarrotes store. Which pour it out of a filtering system and god only knows how good it is, but I walk away happy.

So my question is does anyone filter their own tap water? If so, what are you using? I own a Brita Pitcher and it got the job done in the US, but I haven't put it through the TJ Tap Test.

[C-Lo]

Good question! I have wondered the same but don't think I am brave enough to try it. I have been happy with the water we've been getting and still can't believe how cheap it is compared to bottled water in the US!

[telomere]

BONAFONT. Buy Bonafont, comes in a orange clear 5 gallon and smaller bottles also. I like it because, there is never any floating debris in it, unlike all the others...

[Buen Amigo]

wE USE Bonafont as well.....Especially for the baby formula.....

But for regular ice cubes in the freezer, i use the tap water.....nothing wrong with me yet...

[Keyno]

wE USE Bonafont as well.....Especially for the baby formula.....

But for regular ice cubes in the freezer, i use the tap water.....nothing wrong with me yet...

WOW!...you couldn't pay me to drink water from the tap here in TJ, ice cubes included!

[Buen Amigo]

OOOHHHHH come on, stop exhagerating. I'm sure you do worse things in your everyday life. You could be in worst places/situations.....

[Aztec Eagle]

Im a local and i dont belive i know anyone that drinks tap water, all my life we have used bottle water here and in the U.S. wen i lived in the US i never ever would drink tap water hell know!! i only use it to shower and to wash my teeth.

[eclipse]

I only use it for tooth brushing (which, really? Is totally silly. If I'm afraid to drink it, I probably shouldn't be brushing my teeth with it!), showering, and cooking (for things like pasta that get boiled). In a pinch, I've used it for coffee (also because it boils), but I like the taste of coffee with bottled water better. My kids, however, have been known to drink it in the bathtub , and we haven't had anyone get sick.

[Keyno]

Well, my Enfermera* GF says "mucho bacterias" jaja. Oh, that's Nurse* in Spanish for you Gringos, haha.

[Cyanide41]

I don't even brush my teeth with it. So no one filters there own huh?

[Aztec Eagle]

I only use it for tooth brushing (which, really? Is totally silly. If I'm afraid to drink it, I probably shouldn't be brushing my teeth with it!), showering, and cooking (for things like pasta that get boiled). In a pinch, I've used it for coffee (also because it boils), but I like the taste of coffee with bottled water better. My kids, however, have been known to drink it in the bathtub , and we haven't had anyone get sick.

The water is safe to drink according to CESPET but because of the pipe system in the city which is in most part was built in the 50´s is not recommended how ever if you drink small amounts you will be just fine.

[libertythor]

The water in itself is okay to drink, but the problem is that "boil water orders" don't go out on the radio and tv when the pipes break, and that happens quiet a bit.

[NuttBoxer]

I was just wondering this myself. We are planning on moving to TJ in the next couple months. Our fridge has a filtering system in the US, but I'm guessing there might be some extra things that need filtering in Tijuana water. I guess someone would need to check with the local water district for a list of what's normally found in the tap-water. I can tell you that if you spend several hundred dollars on a reverse osmosis filtering system, you should be good to go, but anything less poses a risk without knowing whats in the water, and what your filter eliminates.

[jonerich]

I was just wondering this myself. We are planning on moving to TJ in the next couple months. Our fridge has a filtering system in the US, but I'm guessing there might be some extra things that need filtering in Tijuana water. I guess someone would need to check with the local water district for a list of what's normally found in the tap-water. I can tell you that if you spend several hundred dollars on a reverse osmosis filtering system, you should be good to go, but anything less poses a risk without knowing whats in the water, and what your filter eliminates.

You can Drink the water 100% if you use a reverse osmosis style filter (a good one) and if you really want to be a freak about it you could add a uv filter as well but ro is all you nee



RO SYSTEM

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[jonerich]

You can Drink the water 100% if you use a Reverse Osmosis style filter (a good one) and if you really want to be a freak about it you could add a UV filter as well but RO is all you need.



RO SYSTEM

I am sorry for the double post but the forum for me is written in russian all the buttons i cant figure out how to change it!!!!!! Driving me Mad.

[sugarpaws]

I am sorry for the double post but the forum for me is written in russian all the buttons i cant figure out how to change it!!!!!! Driving me Mad.

I remember that you mentioned the "Russian" thing before..that is the weirdest thing! It is such an odd thing to have happen and must be very frustrating, it would drive me crazy! I hope that someone can help you put the Blog back on English ( or Spanish if that is your thing ). I have no idea how to do that but I feel for you!

[Mary Ellen]

I've been living here for 3 weeks and do not use bottled water. I have a ZeroWater pitcher water filter (at Target & Walmart) which is double the price of the Brita. I would not rely on Brita and esp. a refrigerator water filter. Read the product info and you will find most of those filters have limitations. I keep the ZeroWater filter full (it takes a couple of hours to filter through) and I then boil the water in the microwave and place in a large water bottle. Haven't had any problems so far. I also use this for my dog's water. I have a Brita water filter and use that water only if I plan to cook using heat.
The ZeroWater filter is the most thorough water filter you can buy short of a Reverse Osmosis.

[Keyno]

I've been living here for 3 weeks and do not use bottled water. I have a ZeroWater pitcher water filter (at Target & Walmart) which is double the price of the Brita. I would not rely on Brita and esp. a refrigerator water filter. Read the product info and you will find most of those filters have limitations. I keep the ZeroWater filter full (it takes a couple of hours to filter through) and I then boil the water in the microwave and place in a large water bottle. Haven't had any problems so far. I also use this for my dog's water. I have a Brita water filter and use that water only if I plan to cook using heat.
The ZeroWater filter is the most thorough water filter you can buy short of a Reverse Osmosis.

Been sick for 5 days now, bacterial infection from consumption. Doctors think could be a bad egg(Salmonella)or filtered water from these small mom and pop water filtering outlets. Well, im only drinking bottled water now, and gonna order these test strips for water. The eggs, anyone know where they sell guaranteed fresh eggs?
2 days on meds, tomorrow the penicillin injection, next week, hope to be healthy again. Never had this problem before, never had Salmonella either.
Us expats retires need to be carefull of what we eat and drink in a 3rd world country, because medical help might also be 3rd world level.

[Mary Ellen]

Been sick for 5 days now, bacterial infection from consumption. Doctors think could be a bad egg(Salmonella)or filtered water from these small mom and pop water filtering outlets. Well, im only drinking bottled water now, and gonna order these test strips for water. The eggs, anyone know where they sell guaranteed fresh eggs?
2 days on meds, tomorrow the penicillin injection, next week, hope to be healthy again. Never had this problem before, never had Salmonella either.
Us expats retires need to be carefull of what we eat and drink in a 3rd world country, because medical help might also be 3rd world level.

I can vouch from RECENT eye surgery here in Tijuana that the U.S. is more 3rd world when it comes to healthcare; at least one can afford health care here as compared to most can't in the U.S.
Also I've read (and heard on NPR) that the average wait time for the ER nationwide/U.S. is 3 HOURS to see a doctor so don't think the U.S. is so much better.
I wonder if you forgot to read about all the Salmonella poisonings (and deaths) recently in the U.S. so that can happen anywhere in the world including the U.S. If you read the news often, there are always reports of some kind of food poisoning in the U.S. something like 1 in 6 so there is no immunity in the U.S. anymore than the rest of the world.
Perhaps you are a vet and don't have to use regular healthcare like many of us. I would any day choose Mexican healthcare over the crappy U.S. healthcare...and I won't have to file bankruptcy because of it.
Everyone has a different tolerance to germs, bacteria, organisms, etc. Some have a better immune system than others.
I think if you do some reading online you are going to find the U.S. is steadily going into 3rd world status. The Huffington Post even has a book published "Third World America" so it's apparent we aren't too far away from that.
And not everyone living in Mexico is retired and/or with a hefty pension plan, Social Security, Medicare, etc, etc., like many baby boomers. Those days are pretty much gone for many of us.

[NuttBoxer]

Been sick for 5 days now, bacterial infection from consumption. Doctors think could be a bad egg(Salmonella)or filtered water from these small mom and pop water filtering outlets. Well, im only drinking bottled water now, and gonna order these test strips for water. The eggs, anyone know where they sell guaranteed fresh eggs?
2 days on meds, tomorrow the penicillin injection, next week, hope to be healthy again. Never had this problem before, never had Salmonella either.
Us expats retires need to be carefull of what we eat and drink in a 3rd world country, because medical help might also be 3rd world level.

This reply is a bit dated but hopefully still useful. For the eggs you may want to look into purchasing organic as non-organic means the chickens are exposed to very poor conditions(i.e. wallowing in their own feces). For the water I've heard Berkey filters are pretty good. If you can pony up the cash, APEC offers a fairly decent RO system that will save you money over time(2 cents a gallon).

Watch Food Inc, you'll never want another non-organic animal product again.