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Has anyone had any stomach problems drinking the local water from fountains etc along the camino Frances . Should we just buy bottled water ?? We come from Sydney and are wondering if any other fellow Aussies have had any problems ..
The other sign you might see is 'sin purificado' or something similar - essentially that the water has not been treated. I found these in the first few days between Roncesvalles and Pamplona. I didn't have to use these, but you could carry a couple Puritabs or the like, just in case. Once past Pamplona, I don't recall having any particular problem finding water in towns or villages, but did find that many of the fonts along the way were dry.Water from the fountains along the camino frances is safe to drink unless it is mentioned that the water is non- potable. If in doubt, you can always ask the waiters or owners at the cafe-bars to replenish the water for you.
there is some risk in fountains and springs, specially in Galicia
We come from Sydney
Hi, Just walked September, October 2013. I did become ill. Awoke in Calzadilla de la Cueza unable to walk, stayed another day in a private room and slept the entire day. Thank goodness I had Imodium with me and antibiotics too (Z-Pack), which I took. My next stop (as I could barely walk 8 miles) was Hostal Moratinos, in Moratinos. When I checked in there the owners told me that it is common knowledge not to drink tap water on the Meseta (they don't drink their own tap water), because it is "iffy". I had never heard this on the trail or on this forum. I lost my appetite and was exhausted for another 3 days. I had it easy though. I know of 5 other people who were much sicker, and one who had to receive IV fluids in the ER. After this I only drank bottled water. Also, I did not drink from the fountains at all, as I had enough H2O at the start of the day. Of course as dougfitz says, you never really know what causes these illnesses and I may have not actually needed to take an antibiotic but I had them, so I did.
I have never been sure what to make of this information about water on the Meseta. I'm interested if anyone else heard this.
I have the distinct opinion that this is true. Water from a fountain? If in doubt, NEVER!Such incidents are unfortunate but it seems to be a sporatic problem and maybe some are just more prone to pick up bugs than others.
I got sick on the Meseta at Carrion, and at least six others I knew got sick the few days around there. I can't be sure but I think it was the water that did it - I'd been warned about the water there from another woman but stupidly ignored the advice... But to avoid spending a night on the albergue's toilet floor I would suggest not drinking the water around that area of the Meseta.
Hi Piglow
Can I ask how drinking soda "con gas" but with sugar (e.g 7 up) can help with tummy bugs? I was told that you should avoid sugar as the bugs feed on this.
Is it the bubbles that assist?
I was told that open bottles could be tap water, but a sealed bottle should be what it says it is and as such would not be from a tap. A
HH
Last year, PepsiCo came under fire for its Aquafina brand because the label featured mountains, suggesting the water came from a mountain spring. It's actually processed tap water.
YHas anyone had any stomach problems drinking the local water from fountains etc along the camino Frances . Should we just buy bottled water ?? We come from Sydney and are wondering if any other fellow Aussies have had any problems ..
Yes, I drank both local water from Bars, Cafe's, hostels etc. and re-filled my bottle from the local Fuentes along the Way. I did get a 24hour bug when I was at Castrojeriz, along with a few others who were staying at the Albergue, but, I don't necessarily blame the water for this....the bug could have come from anywhere. I stayed at the Albergue for another night and was really well looked after by the Hospitilero.Has anyone had any stomach problems drinking the local water from fountains etc along the camino Frances . Should we just buy bottled water ?? We come from Sydney and are wondering if any other fellow Aussies have had any problems ..
Let me know the name of the albergue you're staying in please.---drink plenty of soda with gas like seven up, sprite, even mineral water with gas to get rid of the harmful impurities in your stomach.
Let me know the name of the albergue you're staying in please.After sharing a room with 3 French guys on VdlP, I have learned to hate gas...
Last year, we were warned not to drink from the fountains between Burgos and Leon due to pesticides in the water. Evidently, there hadn't been enough rain last year in that section. You can check with people along the way or at the pilgrim offices. But if it says "aqua potable" in the villages, you're generally safe to fill your bottles there. If in doubt, the bars will fill your bottle for you.Has anyone had any stomach problems drinking the local water from fountains etc along the camino Frances . Should we just buy bottled water ?? We come from Sydney and are wondering if any other fellow Aussies have had any problems ..
blood test did show water poisoning. .
We are told the same here for the treatment of stomach bugs ..... but the the 7up must be flat, eg shake it up or leave the cap loose to get rid of the gas. It is to insure you are not drinking contaminated liquid plus getting the added value of electrolytes etc. We still use it when the grand kids get a tummy bug.Sodas like seven up, sprite work like dioralytes which is recommended by chemists for treatment of stomach bugs. This is used for rehydration of the body to replace the electrolytes and salts lost. And also replaces the carbonhydrates in the system. It also helps clean out the system. This was recommended to me by a medical doctor when i got sick with a stomach bugs and diarrhea.
I met 10 persons that got I'll of tap water in Carrion de los Condes in the end of august 2013. They all filled up at a fountain or at the same albergue. I stayed at Santa Clara and filled my bottle from their tap without getting sick. 4 of them got really sick and had to go to hospital in León.I too got very very sick on the Meseta from drinking tap water, in Carrion de los Condes. I always stayed away from potable fountains, but did fill up with tap water, being told it was safe... Anyways, I was out for 3 days in Carrion with some of the most violent vomiting and diarrhea I've ever had...and I have an iron stomach. Must have been a particularly strong strain of e-coli, imo. Took nearly a week to get my strength totally back. I limped along, eating Digestivo crackers and drinking Aquarius.
I heard later there was a tap water advisory in Carrion during that time, but no pilgrims were told. I know of at least 4 others that were very very ill with same symptoms during this time....towards the end of September 2013.
Has anyone had any stomach problems drinking the local water from fountains etc along the camino Frances . Should we just buy bottled water ?? We come from Sydney and are wondering if any other fellow Aussies have had any problems ..
Sorry can't answer that, but it was the water that caused the problem , don't think the over drinking of water.Do you mean pesticide or water poisoning? I thought water poisioning meant drinking too much water. I forget the latin/medical term for this.
I'm wondering how ancient some of the surviving fuentes might be - and whether the piping is lead from Roman times or more recent galvanised iron or something completely different. I'm thinking especially of fuentes from a natural spring.
Also I noticed that fuente termal (would that be fuentes termales plural?) occur as well and I wondered if there were any thermal springs on the Camino del Salvador, Primitivo or on the way to Muxia or Fisterra.
Mary
Thanks for this link Margaret. I googled some of the locations and some even look to be not too far from Oveido or Leon. Maybe a quiet soak is just the thing on a rest day! Even a warm puddle to soak feet in is a luxury.Mary,
There is an antique thermal spring on the Portugues Camino within Galicia at Caldas de Reis. You can read the city's history here. For more about spa tourism in Spain see this web site.
Margaret Meredith
My father's view of water was that, "having tried it [he] didn't like it..." Maybe a generational thing. I find more flavours in my scotch when "loosened" with a little water and always carry a litre of the stuff in case of need.Despite my father's advice that water was only good for washing in, I generally find that I stay healthier when I drink the water than when I don't.
My father's view of water was that, "having tried it [he] didn't like it..." Maybe a generational thing. I find more flavours in my scotch when "loosened" with a little water and always carry a litre of the stuff in case of need.
In the Australian bush, I would carry a filter and purification tablets. I also carry purification tablets when travelling overseas, including on the Camino, but I have never felt the need to carry a filter as well.Having read most of the replies, this was a question I have asked several past pilgrims, with as many different replies as have been here. I however have not seen anyone comment about taking a water filtration system. There are a couple of very light ones that would add very little weight to ones pack. As I hike a bit I have a Sawyer Squeeze filter that weighs about 200g with the large ltr bag. I have always filtered any water that I drink in the field whether it says its potable or not.
Anyone have any experience with the Steropen? I had no problems on the CF with tap water but am planning some other treks where water may an issue. Tablets take 4 hours to kill Cryptosporidium, and filtration systems are bulkier and heavier. Anyone actually used the Steropen?Additionally, tablets and drops as well as Products like Steripen DO provide instant purification by using UV to kill viruses and bacteria do nothing to address chemical toxicity (e.g. pesticides, dissolved /QUOTE]
Steripen. Yes. It is light, and it works. It was not really necessary; there are just too many secure water sources, but if I insisted on drinking out of random water supplies, I would use it.Anyone actually used the Steropen?
Thanks. I agree it's not necessary on the Camino but we're thinking of doing the Annapurna Circuit where I think water will be more of a problem.Steripen. Yes. It is light, and it works. It was not really necessary; there are just too many secure water sources, but if I insisted on drinking out of random water supplies, I would use it.
What happened to the thermos of hot water?I never bothered with carrying any water at all
As far as I can tell, iodine tablets are not effective against Cryptosporidium, a major water problem, at least in the US. I'm don't know if medical iodine would be any better. Chlorine based products are effective but take 4 hours.The golden rule is either water that you have SEEN being boiled for at least 5 minutes, or iodine purification tablets, or 2 drops of medical iodine to 1 litre of water
I carry and use a steri-stick. I bought it at REI, but it is made in Germany. It is about the size of a Churchill cigar, operates a ultraviolet light from two small batteries. Purifies a liter of water in 45 seconds. On one of our day hikes here at home, we took a liter of water from runoff water crossing the trail, we used the steri-stick on it, then took it to be tested, it tested cleaner than the city's water. We have used it everywhere on the Caminos for all of our drinking water. One set of batteries reportedly will do 50 liters.Having read most of the replies, this was a question I have asked several past pilgrims, with as many different replies as have been here. I however have not seen anyone comment about taking a water filtration system. There are a couple of very light ones that would add very little weight to ones pack. As I hike a bit I have a Sawyer Squeeze filter that weighs about 200g with the large ltr bag. I have always filtered any water that I drink in the field whether it says its potable or not.
Taking all the above postings on board, here is the summary:
On the Camino Frances:
BTW, When I left Carrion the first week of May this year, I carried three 1.5 liter water bottles I bought at the Dia supermercado in Carrion (2 in side mesh pockets and one lashed at the bottom of my pack) AND four .5 liter water bottles. By the time I arrived at a friend's home in Moratinos, 31 Km later, I was down to less than .5 liters in one small bottle. I did share water with other pilgrims who did not know this. To prevent them from using fountains in the agricultural area, I gave away water. It's what pilgrims do for other pilgrims. But, had I not given the water away, I would have drunk most of it.
- Fountains are safe unless they have a sign nearby that says "no potable," "agua non potable," or a water tap symbol in a red circle with a diagonal line through it.
- Mountain springs ARE NOT safe potable water sources no matter how pure they look. They contain surface runoff with manure and pesticide residue in them. Yes, they are beautiful. But take nothing away but the photo, video and the memory.
- Public water sources at albergues and cafes can be assumed to be safe unless otherwise posted. Be careful in toilets at cafes as the toilet sink may NOT use potable water for handwashing purposes. A rainwater cistern may be the water source. This is especially the case if the toilet is located in an outbuilding or a separate structure.
- As a general rule, and except for public water systems that come from a water treatment plant and not a private well, Carrion de los Condes is generally the last assumed safe water source until you reach Leon. Generations of agriculture, farming and shallow private wells caused this problem.
- Moratinos obtains its potable water from a regional water treatment authority. Thus, water from the tap in the hostal, albergue, cafes, or most private homes that are CONNECTED to the public system, may be assumed to be potable.
Yes, water is heavy. But consider the alternative. The WORST thing that can happen to you on the Camino, at least IMHO, is to contract a serious gastrointestinal infection. Broken bones, blisters, sun burn, sprains, bed bug bites, and tendonitis are all painful and are inconvenient. Some injuries can even end your Camino.
But serious diarrhea is not only a headache to deal with in the middle of nowhere. No bathrooms, no pharmacies, no bus stop of taxi stand. Aside from the esthetic issues, you MUST consider that diarrhea causes serious dehydration. The dehydration can lead to heat stroke, organ impairment, organ failure, and eventual death. It is more serious than most people consider.
All you can do is be prepared. Read the forum. Carry more water than you think you will need over those stretches where it is better to be smart than brave. You can always give away or dump the unused potable water. But if you are in the middle of the Meseta and NEED it, you do have a problem with no ready solution.
I hope this helps.
I wonder if the water is safe for those with a strong immune system. I had to cut my camino short in July due to a face infection! I do have an auto-immune disorder... but did contract something in the first five days of my camino that did this to my face... oh so painful... did get morphine and antibiotics at the hospital. I will never really know what it was..it was in my mouth, my gums, my cheeks, and my eye. in hindsight...knowing my compromised immune system, I would probably have done bottled water. That being said, laying low and having the lovely people of spain take care of me was so very special. I have not been tucked into bed for a number of years!!
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We are from Australia and never bought a bottle of water in Spain unless it was at a restaurant to have with a meal. We bought 2 X 600 ml empty plastic water bottles from Australia (they are stronger than the EU ones) and filled them up whenever we could, and never got sick. We re-used these bottles for the entire Camino.
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