TAP WATER ON THE GO tips on how to get safe drinking water

Bringing along your water bottle on a trip is not just a fashion statement or a trend. There is a real reason behind it.

It actually takes 3 times as much water to produce 1 L of bottled water, not to mention all the plastic waste floating around in our oceans. Tap and filtered water is becoming increasingly available and all you need is a bottle.

3 drinking water tips

Here are 3 tips on how to stay hydrated and healthy, while keeping your water footprint to a minimum while travelling.

1. Bring along your water bottle

There is an abundance of choice when it comes to water bottles. However, if you are going to a country listed (see below map) as lacking safe tap water, bring along a bottle with a water filter. There is an increasing number of countries that publish public water fountains maps, an example being fontanelle.org in Italy listing nearly 70’000 water fountains.

2. Check if water is safe to drink at your destination

Drinking water safety is a subjective matter. While the below map labels two thirds of world countries lacking safe tap water, it availability  may vary from region to region. So, ask the place you are staying and locals how to get access to drinking tap water. You may be in for a surprise. Some hotels and restaurants have their own water filtering systems. If not, use a bottle with a filter.

3. Water intake is not only about drinking water

If you have concerns about the safety of water in a place you are visiting, also consider that your water intake is not limited to the water your drink. Consider how you brush your teeth, what you drink (e.g. freshly made lemonade, ice cubes) and what you eat (e.g. salad and fruit).

 

WATER BONUS

And if everything else fails here are National Geographic’s recommendations on how to sanitize water plus a drinking water quiz.

Water is one of our guiding principles, +principle 6. Subscribe for more water tips and authentic and sustainable guides.

TAP WATER MAP