[Greenlady]

Hi. Been quite awhile. We built a gorgeous home in Tulum just over a year ago and can't retire for another year or so. We have long term renters (thank you God!!!) who have discovered several problems (mostly plumbing grrr!).

However the latest is something we didn't imagine given we were sold on how there was an endless supply of water. Okay, this is Mexico. From what our renters tell us , the water supply in Tulum is being inspected by the federal government and it appears is contaminated by raw sewage. Somehow this does not surprise me with the lack of standards. (No wonder it is so cheap to build there). This apparently came to light when many tourists returned to the U.S. with Hepatitis A.

Can anyone corroborate this or provide more information?

 

[chicois8]

Recently in Playa anyone going by a certain cenote were able to smell raw sewage around it.. One reason I did not purchase a home in Merida.
Think about it, all these underground rivers running all over the northern Yucatan and probably most connected to each other and lots of building without a sewer system just septic systems that can possibly leech human waste into the ground and to the underground rivers...
It is probably to late to have a moratorium on new buildings but it not too late to build sewage treatment plants............

 

[Hound Dog]

I don´t quite inderstand this thread. We live in the historic center of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas. The river that runs through that center is disgustingly filthy with raw sewage and stinks to high heaven all about the surrounding environs. We also live on Lake Chapala and walk our dogs there almost daily. It´s not as bad as it used to be when we moved here in 2001 but the raw sewage draining into that huge lake is appalling.

One, if one has half a brain, does not drink the ground wáter here. So-called "purified" wáter is easily available in "garrafones" delivered by truck or available at a nearby store whereevr you live in Mexico. People in their right minds do not ever partake of tapwater here. Actually, ingesting wáter where versus beer or wine is not a great idea but we have lived here for 15 years drinking only purified wáter in garrafones or smaller bottles available at any store and, while, especially in Chiapas, we have experienced some serious illnesses, such is life among humans.

Do not trust anyone and NEVER drink tapwater in Mexico. Actually, looking back on it, I can´t believe I drank tapwater in the United States. Drink beer, I say

 

[Isla Verde]

... NEVER drink tapwater in Mexico.

Excellent advice, HD! I will admit, though, to brushing my teeth with tap water, and so far (since 2007) have not suffered any ill effects.

 

[cuerna1]

Our well water is pretty good quality. We had it tested when we were thinking of putting a whole house filtration system in. They said the water was at least as good as the bottled water. But - we have still have been buying bottled water for drinking. We brush our teeth from the tap - no problems.

We did just buy a reverse osmosis system from Home Depot - 4200 pesos. It has four separate filters. We are having it installed at the kitchen sink and will stop buying bottled water. Neighbors have already done this and recommend it.

 

[sparks]

Agree 100% ...... Hepatitis A is from contaminated water or food and anyone drinking tap water in Mexico should wake up. If it has been that serious I would even wash/disinfect veggies in bottled water. Cheap insurance

 

[chicois8]

I did not read where the OP mentioned drinking water,
I thought she was talking about tap water...
Maybe Dawg showers from a garrafon but I can not,LOL
I guess showering in contaminated water is OK as long as you keep your mouth shut........

 

[Hound Dog]

I did not read where the OP mentioned drinking water,
I thought she was talking about tap water...
Maybe Dawg showers from a garrafon but I can not,LOL
I guess showering in contaminated water is OK as long as you keep your mouth shut........

Who, pray tell, suggested I actually shower and keeping my mouth shut is a daunting task.

 

[chicois8]

I believe that statement......

 

[cuerna1]

Our well water is pretty good quality. We had it tested when we were thinking of putting a whole house filtration system in. They said the water was at least as good as the bottled water. But - we have still have been buying bottled water for drinking. We brush our teeth from the tap - no problems.

We did just buy a reverse osmosis system from Home Depot - 4200 pesos. It has four separate filters. We are having it installed at the kitchen sink and will stop buying bottled water. Neighbors have already done this and recommend it.

Ok - 350 pesos for installation and our new reverse osmosis system is all setup.

btw : from the CDC website...

"Reverse Osmosis Systems

Reverse Osmosis Systems use a process that reverses the flow of water in a natural process of osmosis so that water passes from a more concentrated solution to a more dilute solution through a semi-permeable membrane. Pre- and post-filters are often incorporated along with the reverse osmosis membrane itself.
A reverse osmosis filter has a pore size of approximately 0.0001 micron.
Reverse Osmosis Systems have a very high effectiveness in removing protozoa (for example, Cryptosporidium, Giardia);
Reverse Osmosis Systems have a very high effectiveness in removing bacteria (for example, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli);
Reverse Osmosis Systems have a very high effectiveness in removing viruses (for example, Enteric, Hepatitis A, Norovirus, Rotavirus);
Reverse Osmosis Systems will remove common chemical contaminants (metal ions, aqueous salts), including sodium, chloride, copper, chromium, and lead; may reduce arsenic, fluoride, radium, sulfate, calcium, magnesium, potassium, nitrate, and phosphorous."

Here's the link
CDC - A Guide to Drinking Water Treatment Technologies for Household Use - Camping, Hiking, Travel - Drinking Water - Healthy Water

And here is a link to the system we installed
Sistemas de Agua | Rotoplas - Purificador con Ósmosis Inversa

 

[chicois8]

Nice you got your RO installed but you do not shower at the kitchen sink...

 

[cuerna1]

Nice you got your RO installed but you do not shower at the kitchen sink...

We are only concerned with our drinking water. And aside from the filter we have at the street the well also has filters. I feel pretty comfortable with our situation at the moment. Gosh - even in the States we were randomly subjected to boil water alerts. And that only concerned drinking water - obviously.

We used to dive a lot. Off the coast of South Florida they run waste pipes out perhaps as much as 1/4 mile or so. I'll never forget one dive where someone flushed the recycling plant and the very clear water turned very murky. The trouble is - the warmer water breeds marine life, which makes for interesting dive sites. But you can never know when someone is going to flush.

 

[TundraGreen]

I don´t quite inderstand this thread. We live in the historic center of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas. The river that runs through that center is disgustingly filthy with raw sewage and stinks to high heaven all about the surrounding environs. We also live on Lake Chapala and walk our dogs there almost daily. It´s not as bad as it used to be when we moved here in 2001 but the raw sewage draining into that huge lake is appalling.

One, if one has half a brain, does not drink the ground wáter here. So-called "purified" wáter is easily available in "garrafones" delivered by truck or available at a nearby store whereevr you live in Mexico. People in their right minds do not ever partake of tapwater here. Actually, ingesting wáter where versus beer or wine is not a great idea but we have lived here for 15 years drinking only purified wáter in garrafones or smaller bottles available at any store and, while, especially in Chiapas, we have experienced some serious illnesses, such is life among humans.

Do not trust anyone and NEVER drink tapwater in Mexico. Actually, looking back on it, I can´t believe I drank tapwater in the United States. Drink beer, I say

I have drunk spring water coming from hot springs in the bottom of the canyon on the northeast side of Guadalajara. The streams running off the surface into the canyon are disgusting. But there are hot springs that come out of the ground in the canyon bottom. Any ground water reaching them has been filtered through 500 meters of soil. It is hot, so not an ideal thirst-quencher but it tastes great when hiking in the canyon on a hot day without enough drinking water. And, in the absence of any testing, I believe it is perfectly safe.

 

[ojosazules11]

I have a confession to make. It's a confession because it is NOT what I would generally recommend to others. No, I do not drink the tap water, but...

Tepoztlan has several community taps where people can fill up their garrafones. Apparently this is spring water which is piped from natural springs starting at source higher up the mountain (where no one is living, so no septic tanks, etc.) This is a different source than the municipal tap water or the pipas which come to fill up the cistern.

When my husband first went to fill up our garrafones at one of these public taps, I was not in agreement, sure we'd pick up some bichito or other. He then pointed out that friends of ours whom we have often stayed with (before we bought our house) only use this water. I had been confidently drinking from their garrafones for years with no idea that this was the spring water from the community taps (I didn't even know about the taps). My husband assures me that the water is tested regularly (but he might just be trying to put my mind at ease...). Anyway, this is our source of drinking water, and so far we've stayed healthy.

Addendum: I just read TG's post after I had posted mine. Thanks, Tundra. Your opinion of spring water is reassuring.

 

[vantexan]

It's strange that Nicaragua, the 2nd poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, has potable tapwater in it's biggest cities while most(all?) of Mexico does not. Is it just not possible given the size of the population and the percentage impoverished? There are far more extremely poor people in Mexico than the total population of Nicaragua.

 

[cuerna1]

I have a confession to make. It's a confession because it is NOT what I would generally recommend to others. No, I do not drink the tap water, but...

Tepoztlan has several community taps where people can fill up their garrafones. Apparently this is spring water which is piped from natural springs starting at source higher up the mountain (where no one is living, so no septic tanks, etc.) This is a different source than the municipal tap water or the pipas which come to fill up the cistern.

When my husband first went to fill up our garrafones at one of these public taps, I was not in agreement, sure we'd pick up some bichito or other. He then pointed out that friends of ours whom we have often stayed with (before we bought our house) only use this water. I had been confidently drinking from their garrafones for years with no idea that this was the spring water from the community taps (I didn't even know about the taps). My husband assures me that the water is tested regularly (but he might just be trying to put my mind at ease...). Anyway, this is our source of drinking water, and so far we've stayed healthy.

Addendum: I just read TG's post after I had posted mine. Thanks, Tundra. Your opinion of spring water is reassuring.

We are at an elevation perhaps higher than the highest peak at Tepoztlan - but maybe 15 miles away. We live in an old volcanic crater - at a pretty high elevation.

 

[Hound Dog]

When I first moved to Paris in 1965 at age 23, I was advised to never drink the tap wáter so I survived on wine, cognac, aged cheese and ground liver. I´never drank the wáter but loved the wine and food and am now 73, 50 years later. Probably just plain luck.

 

[Hound Dog]

It's strange that Nicaragua, the 2nd poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, has potable tapwater in it's biggest cities while most(all?) of Mexico does not. Is it just not possible given the size of the population and the percentage impoverished? There are far more extremely poor people in Mexico than the total population of Nicaragua.

The wáter coming from the springs in both Chapala and San Cristóbal is not impure and is considered safe to drink. What happens is that that wáter, of necessity, since it is only delivered periodically, sits in roof or underground wáter storage tanks and becomes contaminated as a result. Go on down to the store and buy youself a case of beer, Vantexan. You will not be disappointed by the result.

 

[chicois8]

We are only concerned with our drinking water.

I understand that but I was addressing the original posters comments. you putting an RO kitchen sink faucet does nothing for them.

 

[cuerna1]

No ?