Travel insurance company, AllClear, has shared holiday destinations where it is safe or unsafe to drink water straight from the tap.
AllClear based its findings on a Yale study, which measured life-years lost per 100,000 persons due to exposure to unsafe drinking water.
“To ascertain if a country’s drinking water is safe to consume, researchers used the data accessible at https://www.iswatersafetodrink.in/ to score countries, and a country was given a “yes” status if the WHO (World Health Organisation) and CDC (Centres for disease control and prevention) agreed it was safe for consumption.”
“Out of the top 15 countries the world is asking if they can drink tap water in, it’s only generally recommended to avoid drinking from the tap in two of them ― namely Cyprus and Turkey,” AllClear states.
Though it’s important to say that this is only from the list of most-searched countries ― if you want to be as crystal-clear on the topic as your ideal glass of water, check the water status for your destination.
After all, “Although the country might be listed as somewhere ‘safe’ to drink tap water, Spain for example, this can vary depending on where you are in the country.
“The water can be perfectly safe to drink in big, busy cities, but if you venture further out into more rural locations, or if you head to an island like Ibiza, the water quality can change drastically. Think twice if you’re travelling more remotely,” the insurer warns.
If you’re not sure about the water quality, be careful with more than just drinks, it adds.
“If you know you shouldn’t drink the tap water in the country you’re visiting, then remember to close your mouth while showering, and brush your teeth with bottled water too.
“It’s very easy to forget this, but if the tap water isn’t drinking quality, then even a small amount when showering or brushing your teeth could cause you stomach upset,” AllClear says.
They add that you should watch out for items like ice and salad, too.
“Ice should be made using filtered water, but you can’t guarantee this, so avoiding it altogether will help prevent you from getting sick.
“If you’re concerned, opt for beer or other chilled drinks where ice won’t be needed. Similarly, avoid salad and anything else that might be washed with tap water in locations where it isn’t a drinkable quality,” they add.
If you want to be extra-safe, bring water-purifying tablets with you on your travels.
