Water Quality on Camino Frances?

[ElliotfromAus]

Hello Everyone.

This is my first post on this forum. Looking to walk in September/October. I was wondering what the general quality of the water is like on the Camino Frances? Do you need a water filter?

Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks in advance.

E.

 

[markmcilroy]

Hi Elliot, the water is excellent!! and that probably explains why the beer is so good. Most towns/villages have a central water source like a fountain where you can fill your bottles. I think most if not all the water comes from mountain feeds. If the water is not suitable to be drunk then a "Non Potable" sign will be shown. Don't worry about a filter.

I walked the CF last year and am doing it again this year leaving SJPDP around 10th Sept.

Buen Camino

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

No need for a filter , the quality of the water is good as already stated.
Wish you well,Peter.

 

[evanlow]

Never bought watet. Fountain or tap water all drinkable.

 

[ElliotfromAus]

Thank you everyone. One of my many questions answered.

 

[SYates]

Welcome to the forum @ElliotfromAus Fire away more of your many questions ;-) Buen Camino, SY

 

[markmcilroy]

Thank you everyone. One of my many questions answered.

That was an easy (but good) to answer question....ask about bed bugs, blisters, training, pack weight, the need for a sleeping bag...oh and the reason you are doing it.....those answers get more interesting!

 

[ElliotfromAus]

Haha. True.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

No. Drink whatever is being served in albergues, bars, etc. If you want to be cautious about "non potable" sources them don't fill up there, even if villagers do.

More than 250k people walk thos way. How tricky can it be?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Avoid troughs, free flowing taps, streams, rivers, and supplies marked "non-potable" or similar. All municipal taps are treated, so water from albergues and bars is great. You will see local residents filling bottles from roadside springs. They might be risky for you; locals will have developed an immunity for anything in that source, an immunity you may not have!

If you buy bottled waters, do the camino a service by recycling your bottles, and pick up a few others discarded by your fellow bottled water drinkers as penance for your choice! There are many recycle bins along the way, and the empty will be a far smaller burden than the full bottle was ...

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

If you want to be cautious about "non potable" sources them don't fill up there, even if villagers do.

Some villages will put up signs at the fountains indicating that the water is non-potable or that the water quality is not guaranteed even if the townspeople get water from the fountains. This saves the locals the cost of periodic water testing. You can take chances if you want but I'm not going to.

 

[IngridF]

Like the "penance pun"..

 

[t2andreo]

IMHO and experience, short of death, the worst thing that can befall a pilgrim on a Camino is a gastrointestinal illness... Broken bones and blister are an annoyance, but "jelly belly" can REALLY spoil your day.

Consequently, I try to stick to bottled water, when available, as I have chronic medical issues and a somewhat delicate GI system. However, when not feasible, and as others have correctly stated, water from places like albergues, hotels, cafes, bars, homes, etc. is perfectly safe.

I use four, standard .5 liter water bottles, purchased with water in them, on my Caminos. When the bottles are either damaged or just too grungy to reuse, I recycle them and by another. Funny how they come already filled with water...

I hope this helps.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

IMHO and experience, short of death, the worst thing that can befall a pilgrim on a Camino is a gastrointestinal illness... Broken bones and blister are an annoyance, but "jelly belly" can REALLY spoil your day.

Peg got a bad case of food poisoning near Carrion de Condes. She suffered during a full recovery day, a couple of short walking days (6, 15, 15, 7 km) and two more recovery days before getting her stomach and legs back. When moving on from Villafranca del Bierzo we took the mountain trail near Pradela to Trabadelo and used up our water. I was taking some photos as Peg reached the fountain in Trabadelo. When I got there she handed me a half-full bottle of water saying "It's wonderful; have some!" I said "No thank you," poured the water out and pointed out a sign and translated it as "water quality is not guaranteed." Peg was near panic mode thinking about getting sick again but we picked up something to eat in a tienda and ate outside. We noticed a local woman going to the fountain and getting water. In a short conversation with her we learned that the water actually was safe to drink.

I use four, standard .5 liter water bottles, purchased with water in them, on my Caminos. When the bottles are either damaged or just too grungy to reuse, I recycle them and by another.

When hiking in the mountains we like to take one Lexan water bottle with us in addition to one or more reused PET bottles. We save the water in the Lexan bottle for last in case the lightweight PET bottle gets punctured or bursts in a fall. We also take a water filter and use it to refill the bottles as needed.

 

[wcsjms]

Hello Everyone.

This is my first post on this forum. Looking to walk in September/October. I was wondering what the general quality of the water is like on the Camino Frances? Do you need a water filter?

Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks in advance.

E.

The water is good, but if you want to be sure or to be able to access any water for drinking then I suggest this. We have one each.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BWIWX9K/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[wcsjms]

Peg got a bad case of food poisoning near Carrion de Condes. She suffered during a full recovery day, a couple of short walking days (6, 15, 15, 7 km) and two more recovery days before getting her stomach and legs back. When moving on from Villafranca del Bierzo we took the mountain trail near Pradela to Trabadelo and used up our water. I was taking some photos as Peg reached the fountain in Trabadelo. When I got there she handed me a half-full bottle of water saying "It's wonderful; have some!" I said "No thank you," poured the water out and pointed out a sign and translated it as "water quality is not guaranteed." Peg was near panic mode thinking about getting sick again but we picked up something to eat in a tienda and ate outside. We noticed a local woman going to the fountain and getting water. In a short conversation with her we learned that the water actually was safe to drink.


When hiking in the mountains we like to take one Lexan water bottle with us in addition to one or more reused PET bottles. We save the water in the Lexan bottle for last in case the lightweight PET bottle gets punctured or bursts in a fall. We also take a water filter and use it to refill the bottles as needed.

May I suggest this : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BWIWX9K/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

May I suggest this : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BWIWX9K/?tag=casaivar02-20

Thanks but we use this product. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FA2RLX2/?tag=casaivar02-20

Really they are pretty similar except that the water bottle that comes with our gizmo is a sack of lightweight mylar. You can squeeze the sack through the filter to your mouth or, like us, to a real bottle. We have extra sacks in case of a puncture but if things really go bad you can stick one end of the filter into the water source and suck on the other end.

 

[Gareth Griffith]

If unsure stick to beer.

 

[wcsjms]

Thanks but we use this product. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FA2RLX2/?tag=casaivar02-20

Really they are pretty similar except that the water bottle that comes with our gizmo is a sack of lightweight mylar. You can squeeze the sack through the filter to your mouth or, like us, to a real bottle. We have extra sacks in case of a puncture but if things really go bad you can stick one end of the filter into the water source and suck on the other end.

They are pretty different, with Berkey, you just fill the bottle with whatever source you have, put the lid on and drink through the mouthpiece on the lid. The filter is at the bottom of the mouthpiece straw inside the bottom of the bottle. No need to squeeze anything or transfer anything. You fill it then drink it.

 

[JillGat]

IMHO and experience, short of death, the worst thing that can befall a pilgrim on a Camino is a gastrointestinal illness... Broken bones and blister are an annoyance, but "jelly belly" can REALLY spoil your day.

Consequently, I try to stick to bottled water, when available, as I have chronic medical issues and a somewhat delicate GI system.

I would be willing to BET that your stomach problems were from something you ate or a virus; not the water.

 

[JillGat]

If unsure stick to beer.

And if you're not sure about the source of the beer, stick to wine.

 

[jerbear]

Water is great. Just make sure you drink lots.

 

[t2andreo]

My personal GI issues are chronic, and not directly related to what I eat and drink. I just cannot afford to take chances.

Normal tap water across Spain is safe, for the great majority of pilgrims with normal immune systems. I just choose to err on the side of caution.

At the risk of TMI, allow me to close by saying that, when on Camino, intestinal regularity cannot be undervalued.

I hope this helps.