Recondite

Generalising the whole of India as one is a bit naive.

Brush teeth, even drink tap water in some rural places... it massively varies.

tentseller

Where would you place Hong Kong?

Beltway2A

Are there people who actually believe this? That's absurd, it's just water. Avoid the pani puri and you'll be just fine.

nrr

In the warmer months throughout Switzerland there are drinking fountains with continuousy running water, over the last 50 years when visting Switz. I've imbibed with no ill affects. [Particularly in Zermat, the cold moutain water is really nice!]

greggarious

No water (like from the toilet!) is 100% safe unless it has been chemically treated. This is why I prefer to stick to Gatorade

EuropeanPete

What is this 100% safe thing you are talking about? Are you sure any water is 100% safe, and are you only doing things which you consider to be 100% safe?

greggarious

Yes, absolutely. There is zero chance you missed a joke in my reply - you are very smart to have noticed my illogical choice! Congratulations special boy!

shorthauldad

Got a definition for "free"?

More importantly, got a definition for "chemicals"?

...or it could that the water's fine and [some] people are irrational and/or paranoid

YVR Cockroach

Something other than dihydrogen monoxide?

Not even talking about heavy metals and synthetic chemicals from factories and chemical plants.

One of the biggest threats is the result of chlorine treatment of water with organic materials (tannins, etc.). Both are fairly safe by themselves but when mixed together.... Hence the more-recent preference for ozone sterilization but this has its limitations.

I'm fine drinking tap water for the most part but where I have recently moved to, well water used to be the main source of drinking water (very deep wells into small pockets of water), we've noticed, anecdotally, that there have been a apparently high incidence of cancer among the long-time neighbours. The place is very rural and has hardly any industry but lots of farms in the past. Fortunately we now have municipal water (hopefully safe).

transportprof

Any guesses/experience about Penang and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia?

YVR Cockroach

The water in Malaysia is generally safe (biologically) to drink - was in KL and down the whole east coast in October. There are some places where i'd be a bit worried chemically.

gfunkdave

Neither does Portland, Maine. Sebago Lake is the second clearest lake in the country (after Crater Lake in Oregon) and they just don't bother. It always seemed odd that they let people boat and swim in the lake (though nowhere near where the water intakes are)

aquamarinesteph

I live in the US, and I prefer to drink bottled/filtered water as opposed to tap water. (I will drink tap water in the US, but I can't swear it's clean. Think Flint, Michigan.)

eyeballer

Depending on the brand of bottled water you drink you may be drinking US tap water anyway...

muji

very true; see here: http://clark.com/deals-money-saving-...ottled-waters/