Water?

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jcarn

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Jun 28, 2004
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I am wondering what the deal is what the drinking Water in DR. When I went to Boca Chica earlier this month I was told not to drink water from the tap. While browsing through these forums I've noticed that many expatriates seem to have thier own water reserves.

I know that drinking water varies from country to country and if you drink the water in a foreign country you'll get sick due to how different the water is. I found this out the hard way when I took a weekend trip to toronto :dead: with a friend, stayed at some 4 or 5 star hotel (delta chelsea) and we both came back feeling sick as hell..... or at least we THINK it was the water :shrugs:

Is the water situation in DR similar to that in mexico, where the locals drink it but if you're from another country you get sick? Is it something where, if you were to move to DR and drink water from the faucet you'd get sick for a week but then would be okay and the water wouldnt affect you? Or is it something where the water is continually contaminated and drinking it would take ten or twenty someodd years off of your lifespan?

The other question I have is while you are in DR what do you guys do for water? Do you boil the water from the tap or use some filtering system or just buy bottled water or have some sorta water tower collector thing on the roof?

When I was in boca chica, I tried to buy some bottled water when I got there but couldnt because the guy at the supermarket couldnt break my 500 peso notes when trying to buy 150 pesos worth of water. :cry:
 
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Rocky

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Apr 4, 2002
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Water

jcarn said:
I am wondering what the deal is what the drinking Water in DR. When I went to Boca Chica earlier this month I was told not to drink water from the tap. While browsing through these forums I've noticed that many expatriates seem to have thier own water reserves.

I know that drinking water varies from country to country and if you drink the water in a foreign country you'll get sick due to how different the water is. I found this out the hard way when I took a weekend trip to toronto :dead: with a friend, stayed at some 4 or 5 star hotel (delta chelsea) and we both came back feeling sick as hell..... or at least we THINK it was the water :shrugs:

Is the water situation in DR similar to that in mexico, where the locals drink it but if you're from another country you get sick? Is it something where, if you were to move to DR and drink water from the faucet you'd get sick for a week but then would be okay and the water wouldnt affect you? Or is it something where the water is continually contaminated and drinking it would take ten or twenty someodd years off of your lifespan?

The other question I have is while you are in DR what do you guys do for water? Do you boil the water from the tap or use some filtering system or just buy bottled water or have some sorta water tower collector thing on the roof?

When I was in boca chica, I tried to buy some bottled water when I got there but couldnt because the guy at the supermarket couldnt break my 500 peso notes when trying to buy 150 pesos worth of water. :cry:
Click to expand...
The water reserves we have are for times when there is no water pressure from the town's system.
This water is not for drinking.
We all drink bottled water and so do most of the locals.
Some of the country folks drink the river water but they usually add lime to kill off the bacteria.
 
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Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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You can buy a product here called Purrissima. Comes in a blue bottle; there are various sizes. A drop or two of this in a glass of water kills the bacteria so that you can drink the water. My wife and I use it a lot, especiallyi when we go to Santo Domingo. We refill the bottles botted water comes in, put in a couple of drops , shake it, and drink the water. We have been doing this for years.

But like Rocky says, the tanks you see on the roof, called tinakas, are filled with the same water that comes from the faucet. When there is no water, or when the pumps that get the water to your apartment are out of service, then the water in the tank on the roof reaches you by gravity feed.
 
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Dolores1

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May 3, 2000
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Dominican tap water is generally considered not for drinking, but most Dominicans will brush their teeth in this water, so I would not say it is highly contaminated. Likewise, Dominicans and foreign residents living here, too, have become immune to lots that comes with the water.

Newcomers and tourists are recommended to buy bottled water that is sold all over.
 
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NV_

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Aug 4, 2003
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All the locals that I have seen drink water from the tap usually have to go home in a few hours with severe stomach cramps...

Dogs would have a hard time passing the local tap water I think....

I've brushed my teeth using the local tap water for the past 7 years and have never gotten sick from it (and I have an extremely sensitive stomach, I havent been able to eat in a Dominican restaurant for the past 5 years... most of them are extremely unsanitary IMHO). I do use Listerine everytime after tap water has been in my mouth in hopes of killing anything that might decide to stick around.

Just becareful while in the shower or brushing your teeth not to swallow any water and rinse out with Listerine afterwards and you shouldnt have any problems.
 
Hillbilly

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Let's be wise here

On the Coast, generally spaking, the water is not very good. The systems are antiquated and the supply itself is questionable.

In places like Mao, Santiago and La Vega the water is pretty good. In fact a brewery trucks water from La Vega to Santo Domingo to make beer.

Of course there are different bacteria than at home, but if you take your time and do not guzzle a bunch of water, you might experience some discomfort but not much. Personally I have been drinking Santiago water for over 40 years and it is fine-for me-and for my kids.....But Santiago has one of the finest water treatment facilities in Latin American and a very efficient management team.

However, on the coast, things are different. The watershed areas are, in themselves, contaminated by animal and human populations. And the rivers are much smaller with less flow. In the South salt is a major problem, as I suspect you know.

As for the water reserves, with all respect Ken, they are called "tinajas", and others have "aljibes" and cisterns. This is due to the poor quality of the systems in most areas. If the system is bad, so is the water.

For all first time visitors, I suggest using bottled water. It is common sense.
For long-term residents, build up a tolerance....Pepto-Bismol, and Imodium are made for that....Be sensible, of course.

And for the really queasy-use that Purissima that Ken referred to.. I will try to find some for my own use in the hills and outback...

HB, iron gut
 
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Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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Have used tap water for teeth brushing for 12 years with no problem, in Puerto Plata. Would not drink tap water, but our dogs do, with no ill effect. I always thought it was the chemicals in the tap water which gave unsuspecting tourists wind/bloating problems. I don't know what these chemicals are. We put a small amount of chloro in the cysterna from time to time & I use tap water for cooking vegetables when they will be on the boil for a while. But for items where water will be absorbed (eg. soaking dried beans overnight) I always use purified water.
 
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