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Pat ditches her tap water in favour of the font water. She says it tastes like a fresh cool mountain stream
Feel free to research this, but generally speaking, tap water in EU countries is safer and cleaner than water supplied in bottles, and a lot more eco-friendly. I never drink bottled water. Get it from the tap. this will also save you quite a lot of money bearing in mind that when you buy bottled water, you are mainly paying for the plastic bottle, not the contents.For those who stayed in hotels, what is your experience filling up your bottles with drinking water the night before? Is this readily available at the hotels you stayed at? I will be doing the Camino Portuguese from Porto.
Spain is a civilised country. Water is safe unless specified otherwise.Hello,
I tried searching the forum threads but didn’t seem to find anything on topic.
I plan to stay in hotels for my Camino next year and, unlike albergues which likely have pantry areas with complimentary drinking water available to pilgrims for refills, hotels may or may not provide complimentary drinking water in their rooms, and not all may have restaurants/bars on site that supply such water to guests or pilgrims.
I normally start my daily morning routine at home drinking 2 full cups of water first thing when I get up. And this is before I’m even out the door. On top of this, when I’m on the Camino, I’ll need to carry an extra 1 liter with me for the initial stage of that day’s walk.
So, this means I’ll need to stock up on drinking water for each morning the night before.
For those who stayed in hotels, what is your experience filling up your bottles with drinking water the night before? Is this readily available at the hotels you stayed at? I will be doing the Camino Portuguese from Porto.
Thanks in advance!
I think if 10 million Portuguese and 47 million Spanish people can drink the tap water you should be OK.
OR Flint, Michigan, USA!tap water in Spain and Portugal is perfectly drinkable. I’ve been going to Spain and Portugal for many many years, and the tap water is fine.
The Iberian peninsula isn’t Mexico or Cuba!
Still, it does no harm to be a litttle bit streetwise about this: not every basin is connected to the mains, so sometimes the water can sit in a tank for a while, which can, very rarely, lead to problems.I think if 10 million Portuguese and 47 million Spanish people can drink the tap water you should be OK.
"Never" fill your bottles with water from bathroom it is not drinking water and may come from roof tank directly to bathroom and taps can hold ecoli and other contamination.I fill my bottles with water from the bathroom tap, same as at albergues. Indoor tap water in Spain is perfectly safe.
This is not true of the tap water in bathrooms in Spain."Never" fill your bottles with water from bathroom it is not drinking water and may come from roof tank directly to bathroom and taps can hold ecoli and other contamination.
I was a hotel engineer for 20 years.
A very cogent comment. A few years back here ( Australia, and I think it was Sydney), an accredited laboratory tested bottled waters on sale which advertised their purity etc.Feel free to research this, but generally speaking, tap water in EU countries is safer and cleaner than water supplied in bottles, and a lot more eco-friendly. I never drink bottled water. Get it from the tap. this will also save you quite a lot of money bearing in mind that when you buy bottled water, you are mainly paying for the plastic bottle, not the contents.
Trecile it's not simply the water coming from the taps it's the risk of cross contamination from the bathroom use,This is not true of the tap water in bathrooms in Spain.
Dick with all due respect we were talking about bathroom taps, which is entirely different than kitchen mains water, as a Facility engineering manager for a multinational hotel group for 30 years we had to carryout water sampling laboratory checks on a quarterly basis.Feel free to research this, but generally speaking, tap water in EU countries is safer and cleaner than water supplied in bottles, and a lot more eco-friendly. I never drink bottled water. Get it from the tap. this will also save you quite a lot of money bearing in mind that when you buy bottled water, you are mainly paying for the plastic bottle, not the contents.
Good point. As I understand it, kitchen taps are fed from a rising main whereas bathrooms etc are often fed from a cold water tank. Hence the difference between sink and basin.bathroom taps, which is entirely different than kitchen mains
Thanks for sharing your expertise and making this point.as a Facility engineering manager for a multinational hotel group for 30 years we had to carryout water sampling laboratory checks on a quarterly basis.
We never ever recommended drinking from bathroom taps
"Never" fill your bottles with water from bathroom it is not drinking water and may come from roof tank directly to bathroom
All hotels have tap water in their bathrooms and tap water is fine to drink in Spain - consistently good, especially when compared to the U.S.Hello,
I tried searching the forum threads but didn’t seem to find anything on topic.
I plan to stay in hotels for my Camino next year and, unlike albergues which likely have pantry areas with complimentary drinking water available to pilgrims for refills, hotels may or may not provide complimentary drinking water in their rooms, and not all may have restaurants/bars on site that supply such water to guests or pilgrims.
I normally start my daily morning routine at home drinking 2 full cups of water first thing when I get up. And this is before I’m even out the door. On top of this, when I’m on the Camino, I’ll need to carry an extra 1 liter with me for the initial stage of that day’s walk.
So, this means I’ll need to stock up on drinking water for each morning the night before.
For those who stayed in hotels, what is your experience filling up your bottles with drinking water the night before? Is this readily available at the hotels you stayed at? I will be doing the Camino Portuguese from Porto.
Thanks in advance!
Not true, no point continuing this discussion you believe your correct dispite facts to the contrary.All hotels have tap water in their bathrooms and tap water is fine to drink in Spain - consistently good, especially when compared to the U.S.
In Spain generally, but with a few exceptions, all domestic water comes directly from the rising main and isn't stored, so drinking from any tap is usually safe
In Ireland and the UK however, normally only the kitchen cold tap is fed off the rising main, everything else from a storage tank, so only kitchen tap water should be considered safe for consumption (though this is slowly changing too, as old gravity fed systems are being replaced with more efficient combi-boilers which can run directly off mains water, doing away with the storage tank.
An outside garden tap or a washing machine might be plumbed from the kitchen too, but conventional practice is that everything in the bathroom is gravity (or pump) fed from the storage tank.That's interesting, thank you.
I had not been aware of this difference between the UK (and Ireland) and other countries in Europe. Until now, I had not even been aware that there are houses / countries where there is a storage tank for cold water that feeds all the cold water taps except the tap in the kitchen. Is that the reason perhaps why one sees so often two separate taps for washbasins in the UK instead of one tap with a mixing valve? This arrangement has been a puzzle to me and other visitors from the Continent for all our lives.
Trecile in the recent past a documentary on hotel hygiene found the housekeeping staff cleaning the toilet brushes in the bathroom sink, drink heartily Trecile and Alex.I don't think that hotels would put water glasses next to the sinks if the water was not potable.
Gravity saves the day. They are not polishing the tap with the brush, I think.Trecile in the recent past a documentary on hotel hygiene found the housekeeping staff cleaning the toilet brushes in the bathroom sink, drink heartily Trecile and Alex.
Thanks for your kind offer of several free pints when in Dublin Alex.Gravity saves the day. They are not polishing the tap with the brush, I think.
But on a serious note: If your stomach is that sensible, just buy bottles. Problem solved.
Buy a Guinness for me next time at St. James gate....
No way: I'm the guest: in your country You pay. Common hospitality. See the movie "GriswoldChristmas".Thanks for your kind offer of several free pints when in Dublin Alex.
Second half pending, I will set your up in Dublin with several pints of beautiful clear Dublin tank water.No way: I'm the guest: in your country You pay. Common hospitality. See the movie "GriswoldChristmas".
To finish off: I drink water in Spain unless it's marked "No potable". Game over.
We are off topic. Water in Spain is safe. Toilet brushes in America don't make water in Spain bad.Second half pending, I will set your up in Dublin with several pints of beautiful clear Dublin tank water.
Màith thu Chrissy, you know it makes sence.I have often had a complimentary bottle of water in my room at a hotel, guest house or bnb. I have been known to drink the bathroom water, although I must admit that it is not very refreshing and sometimes tastes a bit "off". I think other than brushing my teeth in the sink, I will refrain from drinking it in the future after reading some of these posts.
This video is also from nearly 15 years ago. I was traveling 50% plus of the time for work when it came out and it caused an enormous backlash. Covid changed *all* of this, so not really sure how good a 15 year-old video from an "investigative report" is as evidence of sanitation in a Spanish property.Gravity saves the day. They are not polishing the tap with the brush, I think.
But on a serious note: If your stomach is that sensible, just buy bottles. Problem solved.
Buy a Guinness for me next time at St. James gate.... In a glass, please
Edit: Judging by your video, this was some Holiday Inn hotel in America: Not exactly European standard...
I've been traveling for more than 40 years in developed and developing countries in North America, South America, and the Caribbean, and have yet to experience any issues. (Not even in Mexico, which at that time was a poster country for not drinking the waterlAs for the first, regardless of how the water is processed, if you are in countries *very* unlike your home, it's likely that you will contract the trots, unless you're drinking and brushing your teeth with *only* carbonated beverages.
I mostly stayed at hotels after the first week. My understanding is that tap water in Spain is as good as any other industrialized country. It's chlorinated and fluorinated expect for the few that have well water. Given that the water is treated, there's little chance of bacterial contamination. My bigger concern, both here in the USA and elsewhere in the world are organic contaminants, particularly chloramines which can result from the chlorination process. That is why I always filter my drinking water here and when I travel. At home it's pretty easy with efficient and easy to use refrigerator filters that are readily available.Hello,
I tried searching the forum threads but didn’t seem to find anything on topic.
I plan to stay in hotels for my Camino next year and, unlike albergues which likely have pantry areas with complimentary drinking water available to pilgrims for refills, hotels may or may not provide complimentary drinking water in their rooms, and not all may have restaurants/bars on site that supply such water to guests or pilgrims.
I normally start my daily morning routine at home drinking 2 full cups of water first thing when I get up. And this is before I’m even out the door. On top of this, when I’m on the Camino, I’ll need to carry an extra 1 liter with me for the initial stage of that day’s walk.
So, this means I’ll need to stock up on drinking water for each morning the night before.
For those who stayed in hotels, what is your experience filling up your bottles with drinking water the night before? Is this readily available at the hotels you stayed at? I will be doing the Camino Portuguese from Porto.
Thanks in advance!
I've been offered a cold glass of water upon checking in on a hot day, but never a bottle of water. That's definitely not something I've experienced on the Camino except in a hotel room.I do find it interesting though the observation in original OPs post about "complimentary water" available to Pilgrims in albergues.
I don't recall that on my Camino
Portugal and Spain are first world countries. Water from municipal sources is potable, no need to treat...again.It only takes once…now I try not to use bathroom taps and fill up at bars/kitchen taps. Otherwise, I run it though a gravity filter. Just takes a minute and I don’t have to think about GI beasties.
To clarify, fountains and taps are usually only marked if the water is non potable.go ahead and drink from hotel taps and taps from bars, cafes etc and all fountains marked as potable. No need to treat it and no need to buy bottled water.
Does this get rid of the chlorine taste? I’m very spoiled when it comes to tasty tap water and really struggle with the high chlorine content in Spain. Not worried about the chemical composition but purely the taste aspect.I mostly stayed at hotels after the first week. My understanding is that tap water in Spain is as good as any other industrialized country. It's chlorinated and fluorinated expect for the few that have well water. Given that the water is treated, there's little chance of bacterial contamination. My bigger concern, both here in the USA and elsewhere in the world are organic contaminants, particularly chloramines which can result from the chlorination process. That is why I always filter my drinking water here and when I travel. At home it's pretty easy with efficient and easy to use refrigerator filters that are readily available.
When traveling (such as on the Camino), I carry a squeezable Britta filter bottle. This allows me to drink the tap water in my room and also to fill up my hydration bladder each morning before heading out. If I need more water along the way, I can easily filter more in less than a minute by squeezing it through the bottle. It's so much less expensive and friendlier to the environment than purchasing drinking water.
Not quite true. While chlorination appears to be the most common purification treatment, flouridated water is only available to about 10% of the population (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_fluoridation_by_country).It's chlorinated and fluorinated expect for the few that have well water.
That is true but, as we observed, there are occasional problems that do occur in the municipality supplied water. We have always drank tap water in Portugal, Spain, Italy, etc. until we ran into the localized problem this past October. Hence my motto, if it is clear no fear.Portugal and Spain are first world countries. Water from municipal sources is potable, no need to treat...again.
I mean do what you want to do, obviously but I would say to the uninitiated first time pilgrim on the Portugues or the Frances and other popular routes, to go ahead and drink from hotel taps and taps from bars, cafes etc and all fountains marked as potable. No need to treat it and no need to buy bottled water.
I would say the overwhelming majority of GI sickness on the Camino is from traveler type virus such as the Norovirus. Caused by your fellow pilgrim's filthy hands because they didn't wash them properly after going to the loo and then they touched cups, glasses, utensils, doorknobs etc. Gross.
I usually prefer less travelled routes, haven’t been on the Frances since 2012 and haven’t walked the Portugués yet. So I think it depends on where you are. good point about the Noro, though. Here’s to healthy walking!Portugal and Spain are first world countries. Water from municipal sources is potable, no need to treat...again.
I mean do what you want to do, obviously but I would say to the uninitiated first time pilgrim on the Portugues or the Frances and other popular routes, to go ahead and drink from hotel taps and taps from bars, cafes etc and all fountains marked as potable. No need to treat it and no need to buy bottled water.
I would say the overwhelming majority of GI sickness on the Camino is from traveler type virus such as the Norovirus. Caused by your fellow pilgrim's filthy hands because they didn't wash them properly after going to the loo and then they touched cups, glasses, utensils, doorknobs etc. Gross.
Nothing like warm, smelly water on a hot day.Does this get rid of the chlorine taste? I’m very spoiled when it comes to tasty tap water and really struggle with the high chlorine content in Spain. Not worried about the chemical composition but purely the taste aspect.
Nothing like warm, smelly water on a hot day.
Interesting. I took 3 L of water over the Hospitales because I had been advised to, in July, and only ended drinking 1.5-2 L of it.::::chuckle::: I've told the anecdote before; please forgive me.
I took 2.5 L of water and electrolytes over Hospitales in 60ish-70ish weather, as I sort of recall, plus three tiny containers of tomato spread to go with the bread I bought in Campiello - and that was after breakfast, 2 grande cafe con leches, and juice. Rationed it on the back half, still drained it dry with a couple of km to go, drank all three little containers, and upon arrival at the cafe/albergue, promptly drank 3 12 oz Radlers and the rest of someone else's water glass. Threw away the bread.
*That* was one day where I did *not* care about water taste. ;-)
But back to OP's question, I suspect they more than have their answer.
For the most part, yes. The higher the efficiency of the filtration system, the more of the "chlorine taste" that's removed. I find that the Britta squeeze bottles are not quite as good as the carbon block system in my refrigerator at home, but they do an excellent job. The main thing to keep in mind is that filtering efficiency decreases with time and amount of water that is filtered. I change my bottle filters about ever 2 to 3 months, depending on how often I use them. If I'm preparing for a major hike (such as the Camino, I change them the day before I leave.Does this get rid of the chlorine taste? I’m very spoiled when it comes to tasty tap water and really struggle with the high chlorine content in Spain. Not worried about the chemical composition but purely the taste aspect.
Interesting. I took 3 L of water over the Hospitales because I had been advised to, in July, and only ended drinking 1.5-2 L of it.
I took two, (and just to keep On topic, from the Albergues tap!), plus a half litre of Aquarius. It was a warm but misty day, and whilst I gave away around 250 mils to a companion who'd run out, I finished the rest. Plus water, two fresh OJ's and another Aquarius in the very first bar. From memory I was a week behind David. (Third week of July).I deeply suspect I weigh a lot more than you do, sir. ;-)
For Americans who might be reading this post, 'Aqua Aquarius' is a European electrolyte drink that is similar to Gatorade or Powerade. At first, I was disappointed at not finding many electrolyte drinks along the Camino when a friend pointed of that 'Aqua Aquarius' is such a drink. I tried it and became my go to drink on Camino breaks. To my knowledge, it's not available in the USA, or at least I haven't seen it anywhere. Good stuff!plus a half litre of Aquarius
And not as sickly sweet!Gatorade or Powerade.
I finished a Camino in early October and stayed in a variety of accommodations along the way. Although I never heard of anyone staying at these accommodations having an issue with the water, I never drank anything but bottled water. After a bout of dysentery in Egypt many years ago, my digestive system became extremely sensitive and I found that anything but bottled water was might cause a risk. I just spent too much time and money planning the Camino and saw no reason to jeopardize it by taking a chance. I guess I’m just saying that if you want to be absolutely certain about the water, drink bottled water while on the Camino.Hello,
I tried searching the forum threads but didn’t seem to find anything on topic.
I plan to stay in hotels for my Camino next year and, unlike albergues which likely have pantry areas with complimentary drinking water available to pilgrims for refills, hotels may or may not provide complimentary drinking water in their rooms, and not all may have restaurants/bars on site that supply such water to guests or pilgrims.
I normally start my daily morning routine at home drinking 2 full cups of water first thing when I get up. And this is before I’m even out the door. On top of this, when I’m on the Camino, I’ll need to carry an extra 1 liter with me for the initial stage of that day’s walk.
So, this means I’ll need to stock up on drinking water for each morning the night before.
For those who stayed in hotels, what is your experience filling up your bottles with drinking water the night before? Is this readily available at the hotels you stayed at? I will be doing the Camino Portuguese from Porto.
Thanks in advance!
Hello,
I tried searching the forum threads but didn’t seem to find anything on topic.
I plan to stay in hotels for my Camino next year and, unlike albergues which likely have pantry areas with complimentary drinking water available to pilgrims for refills, hotels may or may not provide complimentary drinking water in their rooms, and not all may have restaurants/bars on site that supply such water to guests or pilgrims.
I normally start my daily morning routine at home drinking 2 full cups of water first thing when I get up. And this is before I’m even out the door. On top of this, when I’m on the Camino, I’ll need to carry an extra 1 liter with me for the initial stage of that day’s walk.
So, this means I’ll need to stock up on drinking water for each morning the night before.
For those who stayed in hotels, what is your experience filling up your bottles with drinking water the night before? Is this readily available at the hotels you stayed at? I will be doing the Camino Portuguese from Porto.
Thanks in advance!
Spain ain't Egypt. What do you drink at home? Bottled or Tap?I finished a Camino in early October and stayed in a variety of accommodations along the way. Although I never heard of anyone staying at these accommodations having an issue with the water, I never drank anything but bottled water. After a bout of dysentery in Egypt many years ago, my digestive system became extremely sensitive and I found that anything but bottled water was might cause a risk. I just spent too much time and money planning the Camino and saw no reason to jeopardize it by taking a chance. I guess I’m just saying that if you want to be absolutely certain about the water, drink bottled water while on the Camino.
If you have never had a bout of amoebic dysentery than you are not aware of the lingering issues that typify the infection. Any change in drinking water can cause a problem for me even if the water is potable and the changes slight. There is a significant difference in the flora and fauna of potable drinking water, changing from location to location, particularly in small localized water systems that typify northern Spain. This is acerbated by differing amounts of additives like chlorine, fluorine, ozone and other oxidizers. No, I don’t drink bottled water at home but we do filter our tap water. I even drink bottled water when traveling in the US. I made my suggestion that drinking bottled water on the Camino was one way of guaranteeing that your trip would not be interrupted by a drinking water situation. So if you are fortunate and can tolerate changes in drinking water, good for you.Spain ain't Egypt. What do you drink at home? Bottled or Tap?
Looks like you have issues back home: https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/state.php?stab=SC
For 15 years I have been drinking tap/fountain water on various Caminos in Spain. No problems.Spain ain't Egypt. What do you drink at home? Bottled or Tap?
Water in Europe is perfectly safe. Food poisoning can be had everywhere. I have had it in Norway, from oysters. Unless you have medical issues regarding water, water is safe everywhere in Europe, including (not least) Spain. No need to buy something you can get for free.I seem to have no issues with drinking tap water in Europe, but I had food poisoning once, not on the Camino, and it was awful.
So true, Alex. I have had food poisoning once in Italy from anchovies on a salad buffet (to the best of my knowledge), and once in my home state from cold shrimps on a seafood buffet...twice was two times too many.Food poisoning can be had everywhere.
Yes, it's sh*t....twice was two times too many.
I don't understand how you can reach this conclusion. The almost complete lack of transparency about what water sources are used, how the water is treated and what contaminants are present suggests to me that you are relying on the marketing hype of the bottled water suppliers. I would also suggest that is going to be the least reliable source of water quality information. It appears you are prepared to suggest people trust advertising over independent scientific testing.I don’t know how I can make this any clearer, but I’ll try. I am not comparing Spain’s drinking water to Egypt. I am simply saying that people who have alimentary issues are better served by drinking bottled water while on the Camino.
Indeed. Hysteria for normal people. And I emphasise "normal people"I don't understand how you can reach this conclusion. The almost complete lack of transparency about what water sources are used, how the water is treated and what contaminants are present suggests to me that you are relying on the marketing hype of the bottled water suppliers. I would also suggest that is going to be the least reliable source of water quality information. It appears you are prepared to suggest people trust advertising over independent scientific testing.
I think I can tick-off three bouts of amoebic dysentery in my career ( career as in an uncontrolled down hill progression) through life. On each occasion I most likely acquired the infection because some shit didn’t wash the shit off their hands before juggling my lunch. Fecal contamination of tap water just doesn’t happen in Europe unless you’re in a war zone. Just now, if I was in Ukraine I’d probably be willing to pay the premium for bottled water. In Gaza I’d be embarrassed by my wealth. And in Spain I’d be content to take the tap water as safe. As safe as the streets, as safe as the Barrios as safe as any of us are anywhere anywhen.If you have never had a bout of amoebic dysentery than you are not aware of the lingering issues that typify the infection. Any change in drinking water can cause a problem for me even if the water is potable and the changes slight. There is a significant difference in the flora and fauna of potable drinking water, changing from location to location, particularly in small localized water systems that typify northern Spain. This is acerbated by differing amounts of additives like chlorine, fluorine, ozone and other oxidizers. No, I don’t drink bottled water at home but we do filter our tap water. I even drink bottled water when traveling in the US. I made my suggestion that drinking bottled water on the Camino was one way of guaranteeing that your trip would not be interrupted by a drinking water situation. So if you are fortunate and can tolerate changes in drinking water, good for you.
I think Quahaug has made it clear that their situation is not "normal", but also, they expect, not unique. See post #85.Indeed. Hysteria for normal people. And I emphasise "normal people"
So then we can finish this discussion by saying that if you cannot drink ordinary water in Spain, you will need to buy bottles or bring your own water. Interesting, to say the least. There must be some serious health issues, which I of course respect, going on if you can't drink ordinary water in Spain. But then again, I prefer red, so no problem for me.I think Quahaug has made it clear that their situation is not "normal", but also, they expect, not unique. See post #85.
I found it was easy to buy a gallon of water in most places. If the hotel didn't provide it I would buy it, drink my fill, fill my bottles and then donate the rest to a pilgrim down the hall or just left it.Hello,
I tried searching the forum threads but didn’t seem to find anything on topic.
I plan to stay in hotels for my Camino next year and, unlike albergues which likely have pantry areas with complimentary drinking water available to pilgrims for refills, hotels may or may not provide complimentary drinking water in their rooms, and not all may have restaurants/bars on site that supply such water to guests or pilgrims.
I normally start my daily morning routine at home drinking 2 full cups of water first thing when I get up. And this is before I’m even out the door. On top of this, when I’m on the Camino, I’ll need to carry an extra 1 liter with me for the initial stage of that day’s walk.
So, this means I’ll need to stock up on drinking water for each morning the night before.
For those who stayed in hotels, what is your experience filling up your bottles with drinking water the night before? Is this readily available at the hotels you stayed at? I will be doing the Camino Portuguese from Porto.
Thanks in advance!
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