# Advise On Drinking The Water In Merida, Yucatan



## flybeech

My casita in Fraccionamiento Las Americas North of Merida is served water by Japay, with a modern water treatment less than 4km from the house. The fraccionamiento is rather new and I doubt water touches anything older than 10 years. The water bill says "agua potable" right next to the cost of water consumed, yet no one I know will drink the water from the tap. I have had it drilled in my head not to drink the water of Mexico, so I don't drink the water from Japay.

I am having trouble believing the water in my fraccionamiento is not perfectly safe to drink. Japay says it is good, clean and potable water. The water bill charges me for "agua potable", the infrastructure is fairly new and I drive by a water treatment plant that is far newer than any I know in my home town in the US.

Is the old "don't drink the water" warning going by the wayside? Am I worried for nothing, along with my Mexican neighbors about drinking water straight from the tap in a new neighborhood, served by a modern water treatment plant of Japay?


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## AlanMexicali

*Water*



flybeech said:


> My casita in Fraccionamiento Las Americas North of Merida is served water by Japay, with a modern water treatment less than 4km from the house. The fraccionamiento is rather new and I doubt water touches anything older than 10 years. The water bill says "agua potable" right next to the cost of water consumed, yet no one I know will drink the water from the tap. I have had it drilled in my head not to drink the water of Mexico, so I don't drink the water from Japay.
> 
> I am having trouble believing the water in my fraccionamiento is not perfectly safe to drink. Japay says it is good, clean and potable water. The water bill charges me for "agua potable", the infrastructure is fairly new and I drive by a water treatment plant that is far newer than any I know in my home town in the US.
> 
> Is the old "don't drink the water" warning going by the wayside? Am I worried for nothing, along with my Mexican neighbors about drinking water straight from the tap in a new neighborhood, served by a modern water treatment plant of Japay?



I would not know the answer to this but I am sure a quick visit to the Secretaria de Salud clinic near you would have suggestions about if it would be safe or not. We got very ill from the tourist restaurant row on the beach in Punta de Mita last year and the Dr. at the clinic there was very aware of what was wrong with us and what restaurants were on his list to report if they did not clean up their act pronto. Our dinner was from the first one he mentioned. I get a couple garrafones of reverse osmosis water filled and loaded in the car and it is so easy I never think about it very much.


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## Gupi

While the water could arrive at your house in perfectly potable condition, what happens to it then? Does it go into a below-ground cistern, from which you pump it up to a tinaco on the roof? The cistern could become contaminated with runoff during heavy rains, and the tinaco sitting in the sun might grow ... stuff. I'm not saying the water isn't safe, but these are things you might consider.


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## AlanMexicali

*Water systems*



Gupi said:


> While the water could arrive at your house in perfectly potable condition, what happens to it then? Does it go into a below-ground cistern, from which you pump it up to a tinaco on the roof? The cistern could become contaminated with runoff during heavy rains, and the tinaco sitting in the sun might grow ... stuff. I'm not saying the water isn't safe, but these are things you might consider.


We don't have cistern underground tanks or pumps and tinacos on the border except possibly on ranches but do in San Luis Potosi and I see rooftop tincos in most of Mexico. Your are more than probably correct about the quality of the water coming from a system where they are needed.


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## joaquinx

Every town that I have visited and lived in Mexico claims "agua potable", yet I buy drinking water by the garafon. I brush my teeth with the water coming out of the tap and, no doubt, swallow some and have never been sick from the water. I know of some people who drink the water right from the tap, but I don't. I would never suggest that you "try" some of the water from the tap.


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## sparks

Never drink street water or cistern water in this climate. Buy the bottles (garafones) from street vendors. I would not trust a Mexican (clean) water system


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## HolyMole

sparks said:


> Never drink street water or cistern water in this climate. Buy the bottles (garafones) from street vendors. I would not trust a Mexican (clean) water system


Puerto Vallarta has been saying for years that their water was drinkable, but that the pipes carrying that water made it unsafe, which probably means that only the poorest drink it, with predictable consequences.

But we can't brag here in Canada, where we reportedly have the world's largest supply of clean, fresh water. The stuff coming out of our taps is often cloudy or smells, and is sometimes too yellowish to wash clothes. We too have a healthy bottled water industry.


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## joebetoblame

Maybe you could have it tested?


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## BK79

Hi there-- I don't know about the water in Merida, but I actually DO drink the water straight from the tap here in Querétaro. I have not had a problem yet. I also buy the garafones for my water cooler, because it saves space in the refrigerator.


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## pappabee

*Lakeside Water*

My wife and I have lived in two different homes, in two different sections of Ajijic and in both cases we've had filtered drinking water in the homes. 

As far as drinking water when we are eating out, we have probably eaten at over 100 different places since we came down here for a visit in November 2009 (we moved in May 2010) and have never had a problem. Water is my choice of drink at meals and I've never had a problem. I've been told that any restaurant that does not serve filter water and ice cubes would go out of business very quickly. Here because of the large number of expats, the eateries tend to cater to us. But I was told when we drove in from the border not to drink anything but bottled water or soda (in the container and not over ice).

So again a lot of what goes on depends on where you are trying to get it to go on>


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## abscissa

joaquinx said:


> Every town that I have visited and lived in Mexico claims "agua potable", yet I buy drinking water by the garafon. I brush my teeth with the water coming out of the tap and, no doubt, swallow some and have never been sick from the water. I know of some people who drink the water right from the tap, but I don't. I would never suggest that you "try" some of the water from the tap.


Ditto ... we sometimes forget and drink the water out of the tap and have had no problems.

We live just north of you ... flybeach ... in San Crisanto


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## AlanMexicali

*Bars in Ensenada*



pappabee said:


> My wife and I have lived in two different homes, in two different sections of Ajijic and in both cases we've had filtered drinking water in the homes.
> 
> As far as drinking water when we are eating out, we have probably eaten at over 100 different places since we came down here for a visit in November 2009 (we moved in May 2010) and have never had a problem. Water is my choice of drink at meals and I've never had a problem. I've been told that any restaurant that does not serve filter water and ice cubes would go out of business very quickly. Here because of the large number of expats, the eateries tend to cater to us. But I was told when we drove in from the border not to drink anything but bottled water or soda (in the container and not over ice).
> 
> So again a lot of what goes on depends on where you are trying to get it to go on>


We went to Ensenada for a few days with 3 couples visiting us and they all had Margaritas in several bars the last night we were there and my wife and I had sodas from the bottle. All six were sick with cramps and diarrhea that night and on the trip back to the border and for 24 hours or more. I thought it had to be the ice that was not filtered properly or the filtering system was not serviced regularly as we ate most of the same food and my wife and I felt fine. They had no problem the previous 3 days at all from the food or sodas and beers they had.


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## maryellen1952

I've been living in Tijuana for the past 8 months and use a ZeroWater filter for drinking water from the tap and so far not been sick. I keep a large bottle of drinking water which has been boiled for 30 minutes in the microwave for drinking. 
Most people don't know that Mexico has the largest bottle water industry in the world so there is some question as to why people tell you not to drink the water and are you subscribing to a created industry by Pepsico which supplies the majority of water to Mexicans. A couple of people who see American doctors here in TJ were told the water here is fine to drink.
I would never drink any water in any city I've lived in the U.S. without first filtering it as well.


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## AlanMexicali

*Bottled water*



maryellen1952 said:


> I've been living in Tijuana for the past 8 months and use a ZeroWater filter for drinking water from the tap and so far not been sick. I keep a large bottle of drinking water which has been boiled for 30 minutes in the microwave for drinking.
> Most people don't know that Mexico has the largest bottle water industry in the world so there is some question as to why people tell you not to drink the water and are you subscribing to a created industry by Pepsico which supplies the majority of water to Mexicans. A couple of people who see American doctors here in TJ were told the water here is fine to drink.
> I would never drink any water in any city I've lived in the U.S. without first filtering it as well.


In Mexicali and TJ I have noticed the bottled water in stores is very cheap but most people buy something else with flavor or caffeine. The homes and restaurants all have bottled water they serve and even cook with. It also is very cheap. In other parts of Mexico where cistern and tinacos are needed I would presume it would be more beneficial to use bottled, filtered or distilled water because of the possibility of contamination. Also the age of the water supply pipes in some areas. I see many leaks of potable water and black water in some places while driving around.


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## Gupi

Another thing to consider about Mérida is the amount of flooding it's subject to. Drainage is slow, so deep puddles form. The pressure inside the water delivery pipes already isn't very strong and the pipes aren't buried very deeply if my front yard is any indication, so I don't know if a possibly dubious pipe joint submerged under a deep flood would keep out all the floodwater.


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## AlanMexicali

*Water line leaks*



Gupi said:


> Another thing to consider about Mérida is the amount of flooding it's subject to. Drainage is slow, so deep puddles form. The pressure inside the water delivery pipes already isn't very strong and the pipes aren't buried very deeply if my front yard is any indication, so I don't know if a possibly dubious pipe joint submerged under a deep flood would keep out all the floodwater.


Here in San Luis Potosi which is built on the high plateau and is almost solid stone I can spot numerous water main leaks daily when out and about. They repair them and the holes they dig are very shallow, less than a meter in most that I have walked by. There are thousands of holes in many streets from these constant water main breaks. Years ago I though that was why the water pressure in the homes was so low [ the higher your tinaco the more pressure] and I am still not convinced they have low pressure because of lack of modern pumping stations and local water storage tanks because I notice them now all over the place. Another possibility is that many of the pipes cannot take the high pressure as they are old and outdated. Another possibility is lack of reserves of water. How knows the many reasons why? Also when watering the grass from the direct line separate from the cistern and pump it trickles out most times. We have a pump and can switch it on to help but still have to rinse the cars by throwing buckets of water on them. In Mexicali my house has great water pressure and no tinaco system.


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## TundraGreen

I was told by a friend who works for CONAGUA (Comision Nacional de Agua) that the water coming from the treatment plants is safe. As noted above, the problem is that the pipes are old and have leaks. This allows water to leak out but also allows ground water to leak in. 

In every restaurant I have been in, water is either served in a bottle or comes from a garafon (20 l, 5 gal) bottle.


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## AlanMexicali

*Old pipes in some areas.*



TundraGreen said:


> I was told by a friend who works for CONAGUA (Comision Nacional de Agua) that the water coming from the treatment plants is safe. As noted above, the problem is that the pipes are old and have leaks. This allows water to leak out but also allows ground water to leak in.
> 
> In every restaurant I have been in, water is either served in a bottle or comes from a garafon (20 l, 5 gal) bottle.



In Guadalajara is the water pressure very low or on a restricted use schedule? I notice the tinacos on the roofs there as in most places in Central and West Central Mexico. Do you notice many water main breaks when you are out?


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## TundraGreen

AlanMexicali said:


> In Guadalajara is the water pressure very low or on a restricted use schedule? I notice the tinacos on the roofs there as in most places in Central and West Central Mexico. Do you notice many water main breaks when you are out?


The water pressure is very low in Guadalajara and all the cities I have visited in Central Mexico. And it is not uncommon for the water to be off occasionally. Older houses have an aljibe (cistern) under a patio in addition to the tinaco on the roof. Then there is a pump to pump the water from the aljibe to the tinaco. It actually took me more than a year to fully understand the water supply to my house in Guadalajara. The street water flows into both the aljibe and the tinaco. There are toilet tank type float valves in both to shut off the water when they are full. Then there is another switch that turns on the pump if the water in the tinaco falls too low.

In addition it is common to see very large holes in the streets, large enough for a car to fall in. These occur when the water pipes develop a serious leak and the leaking water washes away a lot of soil and undercuts the street. I have seen maybe half a dozen of these in my neighborhood over the course of 4 years.


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## AlanMexicali

*Cistern tank*

We have 95% completing building our house in San Luis and have a plastic cistern tank under the carport floor and a tinaco on the roof and so does our old house and all the houses there that I frequently visit. I don't expect the water pressure to be higher than that of our old house.


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## WBTravis

*the water in Merida*

I live Merida. You can probably drink the water if the tank on your roof is clean and kept clean. Most people don´t because of it´s taste, the water here is really hard, and JAPAY must pour a ton of chlorine in to clean it since it has that taste to it. Water really shouldn´t have a flavor. Most people have little faith in the government, so that may be a reason as well. I´ve been here for almost 20 years, I don´t drink it. As far as getting ill, it´s generally not the water but the fresh fruit and uncooked vegetables that will get you. Just remember you are in the tropics and "things" love to grow here.


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## chicois8

It is no use describing the water situation in Tijuana, Guadalajara or anywhere else than the Yucatan and Merida because no other place has its infrastructure...Merida has no sewer system, every house, apartment,hotel and business has a septic system, that means all liquids filter down through the limestone into the water table...Reports show at least the first 20 meters of water is unfit for human consumption, combine that with ranch waste and farming pesticides I would not drink any tap water in the whole peninsula...buen suerte

http://www.rmz-mg.com/letniki/rmz50/rmz50_0217-0219.pdf


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## flybeech

chicois8 said:


> It is no use describing the water situation in Tijuana, Guadalajara or anywhere else than the Yucatan and Merida because no other place has its infrastructure...Merida has no sewer system, every house, apartment,hotel and business has a septic system, that means all liquids filter down through the limestone into the water table...Reports show at least the first 20 meters of water is unfit for human consumption, combine that with ranch waste and farming pesticides I would not drink any tap water in the whole peninsula...buen suerte
> 
> http://www.rmz-mg.com/letniki/rmz50/rmz50_0217-0219.pdf


Astonishing! Thank you for the link! Very revealing!


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## AlanMexicali

*Septic systems*



chicois8 said:


> It is no use describing the water situation in Tijuana, Guadalajara or anywhere else than the Yucatan and Merida because no other place has its infrastructure...Merida has no sewer system, every house, apartment,hotel and business has a septic system, that means all liquids filter down through the limestone into the water table...Reports show at least the first 20 meters of water is unfit for human consumption, combine that with ranch waste and farming pesticides I would not drink any tap water in the whole peninsula...buen suerte
> 
> http://www.rmz-mg.com/letniki/rmz50/rmz50_0217-0219.pdf


I see the agriculture and "poorly" managed waste treatment and direct injection are to blame.

Don't the septic systems or underground holding tanks collect all the waste and the pump trucks take it away and very little overflows as septic fields are not the norm there? The article is not really clear on the cities systems or how the towns depose of the pump truck waste, possibly in specialized vegetation grown pools that decompose the waste, not chemically treated cess pools.

At any rate a conversation limited to the OP would be short lived if the exact topic was adhered to. IMHO. Informative posts are, at least, appreciated by some to keep topics from drying up rapidly.


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## flybeech

AlanMexicali said:


> I see the agriculture and "poorly" managed waste treatment and direct injection are to blame.
> 
> Don't the septic systems or underground holding tanks collect all the waste and the pump trucks take it away and very little overflows as septic fields are not the norm there? The article is not really clear on the cities systems or how the towns depose of the pump truck waste, possibly in specialized vegetation grown pools that decompose the waste, not chemically treated cess pools.
> 
> At any rate a conversation limited to the OP would be short lived if the exact topic was adhered to. IMHO. Informative posts are, at least, appreciated by some to keep topics from drying up rapidly.


AlanMexicali, I completely agree and welcome "hijacking" of my thread for diverse water discussion, since it all applies to "drinking the water". As for me, I really like water and anything on the subject interests me. Perhaps this, or another thread could take it further and discuss all things water.

I confess, I knew little of the water in Yucatan. I just pay JAPAY and buy gafons. I'm ready to delve deeply into water discussion.


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## AlanMexicali

*Water*



flybeech said:


> AlanMexicali, I completely agree and welcome "hijacking" of my thread for diverse water discussion, since it all applies to "drinking the water". As for me, I really like water and anything on the subject interests me. Perhaps this, or another thread could take it further and discuss all things water.
> 
> I confess, I knew little of the water in Yucatan. I just pay JAPAY and buy gafons. I'm ready to delve deeply into water discussion.


It was informative and yet no one seems to know for sure if it is safe to drink tap water in any location. As I said before and a few others have stated, everyone I know or restaurants I frequent and the street vendors [you can notice the garrafons around someplace] use the garrafons to my knowledge also. After all is $9.00 pesos much to spend and I like the exercise getting them into the house and upside down in the dispenser.


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## chicois8

As a retired plumber for 50+years I use a system of 3 filters:

first a filter to remove particles...
second a charcoal filter to remove most chemicals...
third a black light to remove bacteria....

I live now on an organic farm and my well is tested every month
to keep certified, I also collect rain water for the animals and garden
and have a 27,000 liter cistern under my front room...


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## chicois8

AlanMexicali said:


> I see the agriculture and "poorly" managed waste treatment and direct injection are to blame.
> 
> Don't the septic systems or underground holding tanks collect all the waste and the pump trucks take it away and very little overflows as septic fields are not the norm there? The article is not really clear on the cities systems or how the towns depose of the pump truck waste, possibly in specialized vegetation grown pools that decompose the waste, not chemically treated cess pools.
> 
> At any rate a conversation limited to the OP would be short lived if the exact topic was adhered to. IMHO. Informative posts are, at least, appreciated by some to keep topics from drying up rapidly.


I have been visiting Merida since 1952 and have never seen a septic tank pumping truck, I suggest most if not all (except brand new) of the septic tanks in Merida leak into the porous limestone and trickles downward into the fresh water supply...once the contaminated water hits the underground rivers who knows if people are getting sick 5,10 or 20 miles from Merida...


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## AlanMexicali

*Pump trucks*



chicois8 said:


> I have been visiting Merida since 1952 and have never seen a septic tank pumping truck, I suggest most if not all (except brand new) of the septic tanks in Merida leak into the porous limestone and trickles downward into the fresh water supply...once the contaminated water hits the underground rivers who knows if people are getting sick 5,10 or 20 miles from Merida...


I would assume they have to be around as the most common system from the past is homemade cement underground black water storage tanks and still is used today where municipal sewage hook up is not available or they choose not to pay for a hook up. The people with money to spend install septic tanks that have to be emptied every couple of years, depending on the type and household use. that article still doesn't feel to me like ground water in your area is not probably contaminated with waste. There is a septic system commonally used described on another thread here recently that stated they leach off top water into the ground but leach fields are not used, but still have to be pumped every few years.


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## chicois8

Alan, I doubt that a town with 2,3,4 or even 500 year old building have septic tanks at all or if they do they leak........the only time someone will have a septic tank cleaned is if it overflows, if it is leaking and never overflows then it is last on your honey do list....

Last week I was in Rio Lagardios and most every house near the lagoon was dumping waste into the lagoon were the flamingos were feeding, pretty soon you can visit the brown flamingoes instead of pink ones!!!!!


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## AlanMexicali

*Septic systems*



chicois8 said:


> Alan, I doubt that a town with 2,3,4 or even 500 year old building have septic tanks at all or if they do they leak........


Limpieza_de_fosas_septicas En Mexico

Here are some sewage pump truck companies.

I wouldn't be surprised if someone here knows how the sewage is disposed of in zonas historicas in Mexico. It might be some are hooked into a central sewage line or have large underground black water storage tanks etc. I know in San Luis Potosi they have two central black water covered channels above ground, one on each side, that is over 100 years old running along the Rio Santiago parkway that was the river at one time before they dammed it and have a reservoir, these channels are made out of granite blocks. It leaks quite often onto the road and smells bad. The parkway is below grade to the rest of the level city streets.


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## chicois8

AlanMexicali said:


> Limpieza_de_fosas_septicas En Mexico
> 
> Here are some sewage pump truck companies.
> 
> I wouldn't be surprised if someone here knows how the sewage is disposed of in zonas historicas in Mexico. It might be some are hooked into a central sewage line or have large underground black water storage tanks etc. I know in San Luis Potosi they have two central black water covered channels above ground, one on each side, that is over 100 years old running along the Rio Santiago parkway that was the river at one time before they dammed it and have a reservoir, these channels are made out of granite blocks. It leaks quite often onto the road and smells bad. The road is below grade to the rest of the level city streets.



Alan, great link, closest truck to Merida is Campeche, and remember we are trying to stick to the OP original question which deals water quality about Merida not SLP ....


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## AlanMexicali

*Septic service*



chicois8 said:


> Alan, great link, closest truck to Merida is Campeche, and remember we are trying to stick to the OP original question which deals water quality about Merida not SLP ....



Limpieza_de_fosas_septicas En Mérida

I put in Merida in the "Donde" spot on that website and came up with a 1/2 dozen local companies there.


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## chicois8

Alan, All I can do is repeat my earlier post: 

"the only time someone will have a septic tank cleaned is if it overflows, if it is leaking and never overflows then it is last on your honey do list...."

Alan, have you ever been to Merida or the Yucatan Peninsula???


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## AlanMexicali

*Agreed*



chicois8 said:


> Alan, All I can do is repeat my earlier post:
> 
> "the only time someone will have a septic tank cleaned is if it overflows, if it is leaking and never overflows then it is last on your honey do list...."


I probably see where this thinking comes from and know the status quo is don't spend money where no apparent problem exists. If it is old or poorly constructed I would also assume the top black water will not accumulate, only the solids will, because of leakage and your patio or yard will sometimes give off an offensive smell. In some places open sewer gas smells are more common than other places and much more common in the past, especially on hot days. At any rate this is one more good reason everyone uses the garrafones to drink from.


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## tepetapan

As i tell people who move here, bottled water is cheap insurance.:spit:


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## chicois8

AlanMexicali said:


> I probably see where this thinking comes from and know the status quo is don't spend money where no apparent problem exists. If it is old or poorly constructed I would also assume the top black water will not accumulate, only the solids will, because of leakage and your patio or yard will sometimes give off an offensive smell. In some places open sewer gas smells are more common than other places and much more common in the past, especially on hot days. At any rate this is one more good reason everyone uses the garrafones to drink from.


Well I use my filtration system at both homes in Nayarit and GTO so I do not have the problems others may face...I did not purchase a home in Merida because of heat,waste and drinking water issues...I do wonder about tourists swimming in local cenotes, hope they keep their mouths shut......LOL


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## AlanMexicali

*Merida*



> Alan, have you ever been to Merida or the Yucatan Peninsula???



No I haven't but have an in law who just moved to Merida and we were planing to visit her in July, but ended up in San Diego instead. We have talked about going early next year for a couple of weeks.


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## JeffS

*Get it checked*

Take a sample and have it tested. There are labs everywhere. Maybe a reverse osmosis filter would be worth the investment



flybeech said:


> My casita in Fraccionamiento Las Americas North of Merida is served water by Japay, with a modern water treatment less than 4km from the house. The fraccionamiento is rather new and I doubt water touches anything older than 10 years. The water bill says "agua potable" right next to the cost of water consumed, yet no one I know will drink the water from the tap. I have had it drilled in my head not to drink the water of Mexico, so I don't drink the water from Japay.
> 
> I am having trouble believing the water in my fraccionamiento is not perfectly safe to drink. Japay says it is good, clean and potable water. The water bill charges me for "agua potable", the infrastructure is fairly new and I drive by a water treatment plant that is far newer than any I know in my home town in the US.
> 
> Is the old "don't drink the water" warning going by the wayside? Am I worried for nothing, along with my Mexican neighbors about drinking water straight from the tap in a new neighborhood, served by a modern water treatment plant of Japay?


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## abscissa

Flybeach ... this maybe a better forum to ask this question ... all the posters are from the Merida Progreso area
Yolisto


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## RVGRINGO

We have a simple set of filters and an ultra violet light for our household water, which we drink out of the tap.


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## JoParsons

Good grief! I don't drink water out of the tap here in Oregon and won't down there either; a water snob, I guess.


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