Traveller’s Guide to Tap Water [Infographic]

Matthew Gates 3m 677 #water

The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.

Where In The World Can You Drink Water

When it comes to life, aside from sunlight, water is the most essential ingredient that allows us to thrive on this Earth. Up until a century ago, most humans could drink from just about any water source without worrying about what they were drinking. There was never a thought to filter water, and if there was, the traditional boiling water with heat would do. In some places, however, not all water was safe to drink, especially for people who were native to the area, who would often drink up microscopic bacteria and worms, often leading to temporary illness or permanent death.

Adding to this contamination of water on nearly every continent was the start of the Industrial Revolution and modernization, in which factories began to dump their waste into lakes, rivers, and oceans, polluting drinking water for all humans. In modern days, most people will not drink water directly from their faucets, relying on Brita or other filters or processes such as reverse osmosis, which removes many types of microscopic bacteria and other things from the water source, allowing for safe drinking water without any issues.

There are plenty of places in the world where any human can drink the clear water without any filtration or worry about harmful bacteria. If you are on the go and do not trust the water anywhere, you may want to invest in a LifeStraw Personal Water Filter or Sawyer Mini Filter, which is able to remove 99.9% bacteria, without added chemicals such as chlorine, iodine, and fluoride, so no taste or flavor is noticeable.

Of course, you can still carry around and drink bottled water, if you prefer.

If you are daring enough to drink the water without any treatment, this infographic covers the places where it is mostly safe to drink the water without any issues.

Infographic courtesy of neomam.com

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A Traveller’s Guide To Tap Water

*According To The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevent*

We all know the importance of staying well-hydrated when on the move. But with travellers’ diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid, and cholera, among the illnesses that can be transmitted with bad water, it pays to know where it’s safe to drink the water.

But according to the CDC, you might drinking bottled water more often than you might think.

CONTINENT OF AFRICA

Countries with safe water: None

CONTINENT OF ASIA

Countries with safe water: Brunei, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea

CONTINENT OF EUROPE

Countries with safe water: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and Vatican City

CONTINENT OF NORTH AMERICA

Countries with safe water: Canada, Greenland, and United States of America

CONTINENT OF OCEANIA

Countries with safe water: Australia and New Zealand

CONTINENT OF SOUTH AMERICA

Countries with safe water: None

IT’S NOT JUST THE WATER YOU DRINK

Check that natural bodies of water are safe before you swim.

Be picky with the water you use to brush your teeth, wash your dentures or ice your drink – these are all potential sources of contamination.

Keep your mouth closed in the shower, and always use soap!

HOW TO MAKE UNTREATED OR BADLY TREATED WATER SAFE

BOILING

60 Seconds

Water should be brought to a rolling boil for 1 minute.

100%

Should kill all pathogens.

2000M

If at high altitudes, boil water for 3 minutes.

EMERGENCY?

Leave a clear bottle of water on a reflective surface in the bright sunlight for at least three hours. It should be safe to drink – but this technique won’t work on cloudy water.

Or disinfect with 8 drops of regular, unscented household bleach per gallon of water. Stir well and wait 30 minutes before drinking.

You can’t live without water, but the wise traveller knows how to drink safe and make the most of their journey.

Presented by Neoman Studios

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