Quality of Drinking Water in LA
 

I think everyone from HI is pretty sensitive to drinking water in other places. I've always enjoyed the drinking water in BOS, NYC, IAH. How does the drinking water fair in LA compared to other cities. It's been awhile since I traveled there, but hopefully someone like FlyinHawaiian or another FTer could provide some comparison re: LA drinking water vs. HI drinking water (and whether we might need some bottled water for our short hop there).

MAHALO plenty for all your help.

aloha

Well I grew up on LA tap water and love it. Everyone that visits me and my family have no problem drinking it either (in the San Fernando Valley anyway).

The local tv news stations have done tests in the past to see if people could tell which was which (LA tap water, bottled water, tap water from other cities) and the LA water always fared well.

So dont be scared - drink up!!! :)

There have been some isolated problems with L.A. Basin water, over the past five or so years. Specifically water from wells in the San Gabriel Valley (above common accepted levels of carcinogens).

A lot of water in L.A. comes from the Owens Valley (Sierra Nevada Mtn's run-off) up toward Lake Tahoe. This is generally considered to be high quality water. Some areas though, are fed by local wells. The taste of well water vs. Owens Valley is night and day.

Well, I'll have to differ a bit with olympicnut. LA Water is acceptable, but not exceptional. It does not have a bad taste, but it is quite hard. It is not as sweet as New York and certainly could not hold a candle to Hawaii. Almost everybody I knew growing up bought bottled water or had a filter, and many people have water softeners installed in their house. But the real trick is that it depends what neighborhood you're in.

Most urban water in the LA area comes from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which imports water via the Los Angeles Aqueduct (i.e. Owens Valley) and the Colorado River Aqueduct. But local water districts and municipalities also operate wells and reservoirs (even if they are MWD members), and a lot of blending occurs. My hometown (in north Orange County) publishes a map showing three zones where different parts of the city get their water.

I drink tap water here in LA and really don't mind it much, but, without a doubt, Hawaiian tap water tastes better. The best I can describe the difference is that the Hawaiian water tastes sweeter and fuller. LA tap water is flat, sharp, and a touch metalic. I almost aways ask for a lemon wedge in my water.

Thanks all for your responses! ^

aloha

I grew up here and there seems to have been a decline in teh water quality over my lifetime. I use Britta.

The water in LA is pretty good. The water in my college town, Davis, California, was awful.

I lived in LA all of my life and like my tap water. I am sure you get used to the water that you have been drinking for your entire life, so when you go to another city that has different tasting water, you think it is strange.

:rolleyes:
I stayed in downtown LA at the Marriott for a couple of days during a convention at the beginning of this month and that water was nasty. I live in Redondo Beach and our water is OK but I used bottled water to drink. Just a matter of taste I guess.



ab53 :eek:

You must have amazing taste buds. ;)

Thanks again for all your replies. I'll take my chances and just drink tap water, although I don't see how it could hurt. I ask because once when on a trip to Seoul, drinking the local water (from a hotel's restaurant) made me sick for the rest of the trip. Never had such a problem with water in the States, but you never know.

aloha

LA isn't a different country last I heard....
 

I read the original post & decided not to be offended but to let others reply who would know better (and folk did via Owens Valley, viaduct, etc). I've drank Hawaiian water & didn't think about it one way or the other, just as I have in LA. I certainly didn't compare Hawaiian water to a different country, although one could make that case ;)

Even when the initial water supply is good quality water, a particular building's (and sometimes regional area) pipes can influence the taste of the water.

If you are ever in a brand new or recently re-piped building, for example...you may notice a metallic taste to the water.

I live in Los Angeles and frequent good restaurants. When the server asks me what water I would like, I always say "tap or Brentwood "water. Works for me and I save about $10.00

SkiAdcock, with Arnold as gov. you never know what might happen in terms of LA/Calif. becoming a different country... ;)

Thanks again all for your trips. I'll make sure to ask for "tap or Brentwood".

aloha