Santiago tap water in drip coffee maker, safe?

Luperon

Who empowered China's crime against humanity?
Jun 28, 2004
4,510
294
83
I just found out I have been drinking tap water passed through a drip coffee maker. I have never been ill from it. Does that mean that the heat is sufficient to kill contaminants or that I am immune to them?
 

malko

Campesino !! :)
Jan 12, 2013
5,545
1,327
113
I use tap water for coffee in la greca, and also for cooking ( boiled stuff )....... 5+years.
If I have visitors from abroad, I use botteled water since they seem to get stomach aches.......
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
1,133
113
Water that comes to a rolling boil is bacteria/parasite/virus free. Water that maintains a temperature of at least 160 degrees for 10 minutes is considered pasteurized and is also bacteria/parasite/virus free. Neither method will remove any chemical contamination.

Some bacterial/viral beasties you can become immune to after exposure. Some you cannot. I would be very suspect of any coffee maker that you have not tested to ensure that the water entering the filter is 212 degrees and the coffee in the carafe is not kept at 160 degrees.

There can be amoebas and protozoa in the water that if not killed by heating can survive the acid in one's stomach and make you sick. These parasitic infections generally do not produce an immune response that will prevent a re-occurrence once you have successfully treated the infection with antibiotics.

Water/ice in a developing country, an ongoing concern at all times.
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
I just found out I have been drinking tap water passed through a drip coffee maker. I have never been ill from it. Does that mean that the heat is sufficient to kill contaminants or that I am immune to them?

Your drip coffee maker probably does not heat the water to a temperature that will sufficiently to kill germs in tap water. In addition the taste of the tap water will effect the taste of the coffee. I would go back to bottled water asap.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
one can live with a parasite for years, without knowing. after all a parasite loves you and it's not likely to advertise its presence, should you want to be so rude to kill it off.
 

malko

Campesino !! :)
Jan 12, 2013
5,545
1,327
113
I find that botteled water has no taste here. The label says 0 minerals, 0 thingy....... so hardly mineral water. I am suspicious of afua de bottellon too........
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
11,713
7,974
113
Even if you manage to kill any bacteria you might be drinking chemicals that could do you harm. Why take a chance?
 

thomasj

New member
Mar 31, 2010
82
16
0
Boiling does not remove heavy metals like Arsenic. Soil in most Caribbean islands contains a lot of Arsenic.
If you are eating local produce you are getting more than enough Arsenic in your fruits and vegetables. This is the price for living on this island. Why then add an extra load of heavy metals from your drinking water?
 

Jaime809

Bronze
Aug 23, 2012
1,152
0
36
I just found out I have been drinking tap water passed through a drip coffee maker. I have never been ill from it. Does that mean that the heat is sufficient to kill contaminants or that I am immune to them?

As mentioned, if you water hits at least 160*, you're probably fine from most things alive in the water. Heavy metals not so much, but you can filter (Brita et al) the water to remove most of those impurities.

If you are truly concerned, use bottled water and call it a day.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
6rj4wp.gif
 
May 29, 2006
10,265
200
0
I don't see anything online that mentions arsenic in the Dominican water supply. It's chlorine I stay clear of, which is a known carcinogen and makes the coffee taste like crap. Those $30 pitchers with filters take out most of the impurities out of tap water and boiling takes care of the rest. Those terra cotta cone filters infused with silver are suppose to be very effective and they are only about $30 in the DR.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
6,247
113
South Coast
I don't see anything online that mentions arsenic in the Dominican water supply. It's chlorine I stay clear of, which is a known carcinogen and makes the coffee taste like crap. Those $30 pitchers with filters take out most of the impurities out of tap water and boiling takes care of the rest. Those terra cotta cone filters infused with silver are suppose to be very effective and they are only about $30 in the DR.

I follow Filterpure on Facebook, looks like an amazing product, but I've never personally seen one:
http://www.filterpurefilters.org/index.htm
 
Last edited:
May 29, 2006
10,265
200
0
There are numerous forms of tech out there to purify water cheaply. Reverse osmosis is available for household use and I'm a big fan of UV systems. With a solar lens, you can trickle purify water all day~ that can be made from a sheet of plastic with a puddle of water in it. The Filterpure system is great because its made from local materials and is simple enough that maintenance isn't an issue.
 

arturo

Bronze
Mar 14, 2002
1,336
97
48
water for coffee

I AGREE!! Why take the risk? You don't notice acute symptoms because your system becomes accustomed to the contamination over time. Eventually, the dreaded gastritis takes hold. The incidence of gastro-intestinal ailments and worse (e.g. cholera) in developing countries is very high. It's inconvenient and very slightly more expensive to use bottled water for everything other than washing hands and dishes in the kitchen, but it's very much worth it in my opinion.

OK, now we will hear from all the long term experts who will declare it's OK to brush your teeth and drink the water. To them I say God bless and good luck with that.

Your drip coffee maker probably does not heat the water to a temperature that will sufficiently to kill germs in tap water. In addition the taste of the tap water will effect the taste of the coffee. I would go back to bottled water asap.
 

jstarebel

Silver
Oct 4, 2013
3,330
333
83
I don't see anything online that mentions arsenic in the Dominican water supply. It's chlorine I stay clear of, which is a known carcinogen and makes the coffee taste like crap. Those $30 pitchers with filters take out most of the impurities out of tap water and boiling takes care of the rest. Those terra cotta cone filters infused with silver are suppose to be very effective and they are only about $30 in the DR.

You're a smart man. I hear people all of the time talking about chemicals in the water supply. You're correct in that ordinarily there are none with exception of the chemicals used in the disinfection process. Another thing good about the terracotta cone filters other than the silver impregnation is that these when used as filters have a micron size of less than 0.5 microns which will filter out things like giardia. As a man that treats water for a living, your post made my day!
,
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
6,247
113
South Coast
I AGREE!! Why take the risk? You don't notice acute symptoms because your system becomes accustomed to the contamination over time. Eventually, the dreaded gastritis takes hold. The incidence of gastro-intestinal ailments and worse (e.g. cholera) in developing countries is very high. It's inconvenient and very slightly more expensive to use bottled water for everything other than washing hands and dishes in the kitchen, but it's very much worth it in my opinion.

OK, now we will hear from all the long term experts who will declare it's OK to brush your teeth and drink the water. To them I say God bless and good luck with that.

At our DR home, we have well water. It was tested a couple of years ago and was impressibly uncontaminated. Me, being the untrusting soul that I am, figures that a week after the testing who knows what contaminants could leach into the water. We used to use it for coffee, cooking rice/soups/etc., anything boiled, but last year we stopped and only use bottled water for all of that. I have a Brita pitcher in the fridge that I run the bottled water through.

Beginning last winter we started putting chlorine tablets in both the cistern and the tinaco, next trip we're bringing down the chlorine floating dispensers. Obviously, we no longer use that water for anything except bathing, washing dishes, doing laundry and irrigation.

I'd rather be safe than sorry.
 

chic

Silver
Nov 20, 2013
4,305
1
0
twice in my life i was in foreign lands and ordered water at the bar...in mexico and d.r. no bill i forgot...the consequences....mexico wasnt so bad (i was younger?) but santiago......what a nightmare.... i cant spell it but i had it....