# Bottled water.



## passiflora (Jun 28, 2012)

Am curious to try to understand why Spanish people don't seem to use water filters. Surely it would be more economic and less stressful to not to have to buy gallons of water from the supermarket regularly? We just use a couple of jug filters and the water tastes fine with no scummy tea!


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

passiflora said:


> Am curious to try to understand why Spanish people don't seem to use water filters. Surely it would be more economic and less stressful to not to have to buy gallons of water from the supermarket regularly? We just use a couple of jug filters and the water tastes fine with no scummy tea!


I don't think it's necessary to buy bottled water in many areas of Spain. We have never bought bottled water, but then the water in Madrid is supposed to be very good quality inasmuch as there isn't a lot of lime and it tastes good. Some years ago however we did buy a water filter system to take out various other nasties that can't be detected in the taste or appearance. It's fitted to the tap and is under the kitchen sink.
The water in Bilbao is horrible though and my MIL could do with something like that.


----------



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

We've never bought bottled water either, and we don't use a filter, just boil water and transfer it to a jug with lid once it has cooled down.


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Lynn R said:


> We've never bought bottled water either, and we don't use a filter, just boil water and transfer it to a jug with lid once it has cooled down.


Why do you boil it?


----------



## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

We're very lucky and have fantastic water straight from the tap. A lot of our water is piped all over Spain - a lot goes to Barcelona.


----------



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Why do you boil it?


Just in case!


----------



## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

well water, we do buy bottled, but because we have not got round to having it tested, most others I know drink straight from tap, I know very few Spanish who drink bottled water at home..... its not a third world country!


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

cambio said:


> well water, we do buy bottled, but because we have not got round to having it tested, most others I know drink straight from tap, I know very few Spanish who drink bottled water at home..... its not a third world country!


Exactly. In Bilbao MIL buys bottled because of the taste, not because it's dangerous.
I couldn't cope with buying bottled water to drink. Apart from the inconvenience - all that plastic, yuk.
If I lived in Bilbao I'd just get used to it (the taste of the water)- I think.


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Lynn R said:


> Just in case!


I don't think t's necessary. If the water was undrinkable surely there'd be a public outcry. Maybe you can introduce the local water into your diet bit by bit by diluting the boiled with unboiled over a course of weeks. That way you'd save on gas/ electricity and have one less task to do.


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

I dont know how true it is, but someone once told me that the tap water in most other countries is just as safe as anywhere else. The problem is in the purification, each country uses different methods/chemicals and it takes a bit of time to adjust - hence holiday makers and new arrivals may initially get "dodgy tummies" until they get used to it

Jo xxx


----------



## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Tap water here is not fit to drink, tap water 10 minutes away on the coast is fit to drink.


----------



## buble (Apr 29, 2011)

I believe that the reason that they use bottled water, is because of they are worried about the carcinogenic trihalomethanes (THM) found in their drinking water, caused by excessive chlorination. There was a case in Alicante a couple years ago, where the THMs were found to be 50% higher than that permitted. The European Commission gave them until 2014 to sort it out. 

[Chlorination of drinking water in Spain and bladder cancer].
[Article in Spanish]
Villanueva CM1, Kogevinas M, Grimalt JO.
Author information
Abstract
OBJECTIVES:

Drinking water chlorination generates trihalomethanes and other by-products with mutagenic and carcinogenic properties in animal experiments. Epidemiological studies have associated trihalomethanes to an increased risk of bladder cancer. We evaluate trihalomethane levels in four Spanish areas and calculate the bladder cancer risk attributable to this exposure.
METHODS:

Trihalomethanes have been analysed in 111 drinking water samples from four Spanish areas using gas chromatography. Water utilities were contacted and information on drinking water consumption in Spain has been collected. We reviewed the epidemiological studies that assess the association between bladder cancer risk and exposure to chlorination by-products. Attributable risk was calculated on the basis of these levels, mortality data per area and risk estimates obtained from the literature.
RESULTS:

Mediterranean areas present the highest levels of trihalomethanes with 81, 80, 61 and 52 µg/l in Sabadell, Alicante, Barcelona and Manresa respectively. Lower levels are found in Tenerife and Asturias with 7 and 20 µg/l respectively. The bladder cancer attributable risk in high trihalomethane exposure areas may be, on average, around 20%.
CONCLUSIONS:

The trihalomethane levels found are high compared to those of other European Union countries. In the high exposure areas, drinking water chlorination may generate a considerable number of bladder cancer cases. These estimations have to be carefully interpreted and verified with more extensive studies.

PMID:
11333625
[PubMed - in process] 

Free full text


----------



## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

We drink bottled water in my house during the warm months of the year. That's because our tap water comes via a water storage tank which we have in our back yard. We have to have the tank because the water supply doesn't reach our house with enough pressure to be able to go directly to the taps, so it accumulates in a tank first. When it's hot and the tank is baking in the sun I don't trust that the water stays in optimum condition to drink. If I had tap water coming straight into my house from the mains I'd drink it with no hesitation.


----------



## bandit1250 (Aug 5, 2014)

jojo said:


> I dont know how true it is, but someone once told me that the tap water in most other countries is just as safe as anywhere else. The problem is in the purification, each country uses different methods/chemicals and it takes a bit of time to adjust - hence holiday makers and new arrivals may initially get "dodgy tummies" until they get used to it
> 
> Jo xxx


when I first moved here I was drinking the tap water and getting a slight gippy stomach, I just put it down to drinking 'hard' water as opposed to the nice 'soft' water of the Pennines for the last 5# ahem years, its the different Ph I think, anyway its tap water all the time now (always get a few of the big bottles in for guests, just in case its not the Ph).


----------



## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

We have one of those filter units under the sink here but wont have one at the new house so will probably go back to using Brita jugs or similar.


----------



## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Many Spanish and expats in our area collect drinking water from springs. The piped water is very hard and ruins your kettle and coffee machine.

I drink tap water.


----------



## atomheartmother (Jun 7, 2015)

Everyone I met in Salamanca drinks tap water, and it's considered by most of the people a great water to drink.


----------



## bandit1250 (Aug 5, 2014)

jimenato said:


> Many Spanish and expats in our area collect drinking water from springs. The piped water is very hard and ruins your kettle and coffee machine.
> 
> I drink tap water.


''The piped water is very hard and ruins your kettle and coffee machine.''------only if you neglect to remove it,,,,, I have a bottle of cheap cider vinegar that I use to de-scale, half a cup in, swill around leave for half an hour and bingo scale completely gone, rinse a couple of times and surprising no after taste/smell of vinegar.


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

We brought a Brita filter jug with us and used it initially because, every so often, that stuff from the tap had a strong chlorination smell and taste. The tap water here is also very hard. Our solution was to have a water softener installed and had a bleed off that passes through a four stage, filter system to provide drinking water.


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

jimenato said:


> Many Spanish and expats in our area collect drinking water from springs. The piped water is very hard and ruins your kettle and coffee machine.
> 
> I drink tap water.


In Madrid the water is soft and I think that accounts in part for the good taste. Apparently it's the area where least bottled water is consumed. They also say Bilbao is good, but I don't like it.
Madrid - the best water quality in Spain
Valencia- the worst
El agua de grifo de Madrid es la que tiene más calidad de toda España - 20minutos.es


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> In Madrid the water is soft and I think that accounts in part for the good taste. Apparently it's the area where least bottled water is consumed. They also say Bilbao is good, but I don't like it.
> Madrid - the best water quality in Spain
> Valencia- the worst
> El agua de grifo de Madrid es la que tiene más calidad de toda España - 20minutos.es


They say that personal taste in water depends on what you were brought up on. I was brought up on very water that we hand-pumped from a well that was fed constantly by a spring. All tap water to me, tastes horrible.


----------



## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

jimenato said:


> Many Spanish and expats in our area collect drinking water from springs. The piped water is very hard and ruins your kettle and coffee machine.
> 
> I drink tap water.


Just behind St Pedro de Alcantara in the campo there was a spring coming out of a hill. Often there were cars queuing to fill containers and bottles. One day it was revealed that the water was contaminated by phosphates running off farmers fields nearby.

Tap water for me although I do buy some con gas when I want a fizzy drink.


----------



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

I know quite a few Spanish people in our village who drink bottled water because until a few years ago, when we got a new treatment plant, tap water was often contaminated. It's also a sign of affluence, or at least it used to be, and old habits die hard.

In Cadiz earlier this year a whole barrio was warned not to drink tap water for a fortnight because of contamination. Ours is a bit brown sometimes but I still drink it.


----------



## el romeral (May 8, 2012)

We have no tap water. I had our well water tested many years ago and it appeared to contain quite high levels of heavy metals. It put us off a bit and we have never drunk it in all the years we have lived there. Mind you a Spanish cleaning lady we used to have did drink it and she seemed fine - well more or less :lol:
Must get a new test done to see how it is now.

70 cents for 8 litres at Mercadona has been our water supply.


----------



## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

I find the cheapest bottled water tastes quite salty


----------



## bandit1250 (Aug 5, 2014)

wasn't there an only fools and horses 'special' that dealt quite well with the issue of 'spring' water.


----------



## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

bandit1250 said:


> wasn't there an only fools and horses 'special' that dealt quite well with the issue of 'spring' water.


Yes- it glowed in the dark !


----------



## bandit1250 (Aug 5, 2014)

extranjero said:


> I find the cheapest bottled water tastes quite salty


I cant bring myself to say why that may be lol!!!!,,,,, and its got nothing to do with sea water.


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

extranjero said:


> I find the cheapest bottled water tastes quite salty


Some water softeners leave a salty taste in the water so it may be that somebody is just putting it through a softener, then selling it on.


----------



## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

bandit1250 said:


> I cant bring myself to say why that may be lol!!!!,,,,, and its got nothing to do with sea water.


Please clarify, I'm intrigued!


----------



## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

I drink the water here and so far no problem, but my daughter brought me a fly eating plant which must have bottled water sprayed on it. So I have been,thinking about that.


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Justina said:


> I drink the water here and so far no problem, but my daughter brought me a fly eating plant which must have bottled water sprayed on it. So I have been,thinking about that.


But there is bottled water and bottled water. If I were you, I would use distilled water - usually using the defrostings from the freezer which you know will have no additives that might harm the plant.


----------



## DunWorkin (Sep 2, 2010)

We use filtered water for cooking or in the kettle but prefer bottled water for drinking. I drink a lot of water and don't like the taste of our tap water even after it has been filtered.

Bringing it home from the supermarket is not a problem as we have a free delivery once a month.


----------



## passiflora (Jun 28, 2012)

extranjero said:


> Please clarify, I'm intrigued!


I expect it's like the little piggy that ran all the way home crying.................


----------



## Calas felices (Nov 29, 2007)

'my daughter brought me a fly eating plant which must have bottled water sprayed on it'
Sarracenias should only be grown in rain water. Distilled water will not contain the low nutrients that the plants require and which they top up with the nutrients gained from anything they catch. All you want is full sun and rain water - easier said than done in some parts of Spain!


----------



## passiflora (Jun 28, 2012)

Calas felices said:


> 'my daughter brought me a fly eating plant which must have bottled water sprayed on it'
> Sarracenias should only be grown in rain water. Distilled water will not contain the low nutrients that the plants require and which they top up with the nutrients gained from anything they catch. All you want is full sun and rain water - easier said than done in some parts of Spain!


I have some of those too and so far, despite having hardly any rain here also we manage to collect it with guttering and tanks to keep my sarracenias and bromeliads happy.


----------



## virgil (May 3, 2012)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Why do you boil it?


Boiling tap water will help to get rid of the disinfectant, I mean chlorine :spit:


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

virgil said:


> Boiling tap water will help to get rid of the disinfectant, I mean chlorine :spit:


oh but boiled water tastes..... revolting :spit:

Jo xxx


----------



## virgil (May 3, 2012)

jojo said:


> oh but boiled water tastes..... revolting :spit:
> 
> Jo xxx


Not as revolting as chlorine, shirley


----------



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

MIL used to have a summer house in Algorta where the water was heavily chlorinated. They used to let it sit in a jug for a day and that helped with the chlorine according to them.


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

virgil said:


> Boiling tap water will help to get rid of the disinfectant, I mean chlorine :spit:


No it doesn't, it just makes it taste like TCP.


----------



## virgil (May 3, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> No it doesn't, it just makes it taste like TCP.


Howls about if you stick a tea bag in it for a few minutes, then add milk to taste


----------



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

baldilocks said:


> No it doesn't, it just makes it taste like TCP.


Our water, after being boiled, doesn't taste of anything as far as I can tell, certainly not like TCP.


----------



## extranjero (Nov 16, 2012)

Boiling all your drinking water does seem an expensive method though, probably works out cheaper to buy it


----------



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

extranjero said:


> Boiling all your drinking water does seem an expensive method though, probably works out cheaper to buy it


I have actually thought the same, but as we don't have a car we don't want to carry 8 litre water containers uphill from the shops.

Every time we're having a cup of tea or coffee we just fill the kettle full and let the excess cool down to use for drinking water. It doesn't seem to affect my electricity bills unduly as they are only €45-50 per month.


----------



## virgil (May 3, 2012)

extranjero said:


> Boiling all your drinking water does seem an expensive method though,*probably works out cheaper to buy it*


Or buy a jug type water filter.


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

rd400e said:


> whats the tap (grifo, sorry learning spanish) water like around benalmadena??


Wet! 

Sorry, couldn't resist it.


----------



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

virgil said:


> Or buy a jug type water filter.


Do you think it would be cheaper, taking into account the cost of the jug and replacement filter cartridges? How long do the cartridges last for, normally?

As I said, our electricity bills are pretty low so it's not something I'm particularly worried about.


----------



## virgil (May 3, 2012)

Lynn R said:


> Do you think it would be cheaper, taking into account the cost of the jug and replacement filter cartridges? How long do the cartridges last for, normally?
> 
> As I said, our electricity bills are pretty low so it's not something I'm particularly worried about.


I'm a crank, Lynn. What price health? .. I use a fairly expensive jug-type filter being as my water comes from a bore hole. I do have the water tested every couple of years to see just what it does contain 

Also, my water is quite acid with a pH of about 5.5, so I have to correct that as well to around 7.5 
(I told you I was a crank )

This is similar to the one I use:

Fill2Pure / Seychelle 3L Water Filter Jug Removes Toxins, Fluoride, Chlorine: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home


----------



## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

virgil said:


> I'm a crank, Lynn. What price health? .. I use a fairly expensive jug-type filter being as my water comes from a bore hole. I do have the water tested every couple of years to see just what it does contain
> 
> Also, my water is quite acid with a pH of about 5.5, so I have to correct that as well to around 7.5
> (I told you I was a crank )
> ...


Thanks for the info, if this method suits your needs all well and good. As our boiled water doesn't seem to have affected our health in any way so far, I think I'll stick to my kettle, though.


----------



## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Pazcat said:


> We have one of those filter units under the sink here but wont have one at the new house so will probably go back to using Brita jugs or similar.


The likes of Brita jugs don't remove bacteria but may improve taste a tad.






For £20 its worth having one or two to hand...Just in case.


----------



## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

bob_bob said:


> The likes of Brita jugs don't remove bacteria but may improve taste a tad.
> 
> Sawyer Mini Water Filter - YouTube
> 
> For £20 its worth having one or two to hand...Just in case.


You can get these through amazon.co.uk or amazon.es (NOTE: the prices are much lower on the uk site.)


----------



## el pescador (Mar 14, 2013)

Think if you live well in land or in an area where they dont use seawater im sure you will be fine.
I never used to drink tap water from London so no chance of tap water from Andalusia.
System doesnt even handle tap water for coffee!!!!

Nightmare when going out for coffee so thats a rarity ...


----------

