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Originally Posted by dilanesp
(Post 31437785)
I don't buy this. Those machines are not ordinary taps. They are enclosed and make it very hard to access the downward facing taps.
I suspect there may be a cohort out there who doesn't trust tap water (or maybe even thinks drinking tap water is beneath them). But really, it's more likely that commercial bottled water will be insufficiently purified than for these machines to collect microbes. See, for example, the CDC's recommendations with respect to cryptosporidium: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/crypto...revent_ic.html Simlarly, the SF Public Utilities Commission (you know, the people who provide the water to SFO) says: Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons, such as those with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly people and infants, can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their healthcare providers. https://sfwater.org/index.aspx?page=634 |
Immunocompromised travelers could consider a water bottle with built-in filter. Such devices are commonly marketed to backcountry hikers.
Katadyn makes collapsible water bottles with built-in filters that protect against cryptosporidium. They're available in both 20oz and 33oz (1L) sizes. https://www.rei.com/product/116364/k...ttle-338-fl-oz LifeStraw also makes one but it's not collapsible: https://www.lifestraw.com/products/lifestraw-go/ (My mother has chronic leukemia, I should buy her one of these...) |
While this may be yet another challenge for " immunocompromised travelers ", it was neither UA and SFO decision to make this move. The decision to not allowed the sale of smaller plastic bottled water is a City of SF decision about offering such items on city property. UA and SFO had no choice and the discussion if this is a good idea or not is not in the scope of this forum
so as mentioned earlier
Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
(Post 31434262)
For those that want to discuss what led to this ban (a city ordinance against plastic water bottles sales on city-own property), please see
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/san-francisco/1981309-sfo-bans-sale-single-use-plastic-water-bottles.html Let's not get OMNI here either WineCountryUA UA coModerator Complains should be aimed at the City/County of SF elsewhere. WineCountryUA UA coModerator |
Approved water for sale: https://www.flysfo.com/approved-bottled-water-list This policy covers drinking water in a sealed box, bag, can, bottle or other container intended mainly for single-service use and having a capacity of 1 liter or less. These items may not be provided or sold in airport concessions, vending machines, or lounges. This policy only applies to unflavored water, including purified water, mineral water, unflavored carbonated or sparkling water, and unflavored electrolyte-enhanced water. https://www.flysfo.com/environment/plastic-free |
Originally Posted by returnoftheyeti
(Post 31438472)
... These items may not be provided or sold in airport concessions, vending machines, or lounges. ... Guess no more free bottles at the Polaris! ----- As for the whole health concern regarding the fountains, I think the bigger issue is our own dirty bottles that only get washed every few days! Edit: don't most of the UA lounges have signs discouraging people from refilling their own bottles? |
Originally Posted by chavala
(Post 31437305)
Most people aren’t carrying that around the terminals in the side pocket of their backpacks. I suspect he had no intention of heading airside ...... |
Originally Posted by greg99
(Post 31437666)
I'll be the contrarian here. I get the waste issue, but this punishes immunocompromised travelers who can't safely drink from water fountains.
The airport environment is unique in that passengers are not permitted by regulation to bring their own safe water from home. I've seen people do absolutely disgusting things with the water dispensers at SFO. It's not safe for certain people to drink from those sorts of dispensers, and they are solely dependent upon the availability of water that can be purchased at vendors. This is particularly acute at SFO, where people may be traveling on flights that has them on board for well over 18 hours from gate to gate. For people who have been at SFO since the ban, are large bottles of water still available? Are the aluminum bottles available at all vendors?
Originally Posted by dilanesp
(Post 31437735)
SFO actually has special fountains for filling personal water bottles.
I would imagine the SFO water bottle fillers, which feature a downward facing tap, are safe for all humans. There's no real way for microbes to congregate there.
Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
(Post 31434410)
There a number of user-supplied bottle refill stations at SFO. Such as by the food court area of concourse F and in concourse E Gate 68
https://www.flysfo.com/content/hydra...ons-terminal-3 with Hetch Hetchy / Sierra water Enter Hydration Stations on https://www.flysfo.com/maps or https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...3e83e1f14b.png |
Originally Posted by ExplorerWannabe
(Post 31440780)
As has been said before, the hygiene standards for tap water in most major municipalities are higher than for bottled beverages. Now, I realize that doesn't mean the water tastes good -- having lived in Philadelphia, Maryland, Virginia, and central Florida, I have experienced tap water that wasn't quite putrid but definitely made you want to reach for something bottled but I found a Brita water filter took care of that. I have a Brita travel cup that's nearly 20 years old and still works just fine but I have since migrated to something even better -- the Sawyer mini-filter which filters to 0.1 micron, weighs about 2 ounces, and costs $25 for mini filter, faucet kit, bottle adapter, and roll-up water bottle. There are adapters to put it inline to backpack hydration kits. The filter itself is smaller than the case for my sunglasses and the whole shebang fits easily in a pint-size bag.
Thanks for the map, very useful if/when I go through SFO but they do need to put more in and make them more convenient with this ban in place. Also, I believe that map is showing only the push-button standalone stations; there are additional wall-mounted combined drinking fountain / sensor-fill dispensers in a few places not shown. |
Originally Posted by jp12687
(Post 31435741)
Before I board a tpac or even transcon flight I buy between 2-4 water bottles. Staying properly hydrated on a flight is very important. It is too easy to get dehydrated. im not going to travel with 4 big water bottles they take up too much space. i am all about being green. But airplanes is the one place it makes sense to use single use. |
Originally Posted by ExplorerWannabe
(Post 31440780)
Thanks for the map, very useful if/when I go through SFO but they do need to put more in and make them more convenient with this ban in place.
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I do hope UA will still be able to board the individual Dasani bottles provided to all passengers on INTL flights. Even if they have to be flown in from PDX or whatever. |
Originally Posted by uastarflyer
(Post 31441501)
I do hope UA will still be able to board the individual Dasani bottles provided to all passengers on INTL flights. Even if they have to be flown in from PDX or whatever. |
Originally Posted by docbert
(Post 31441496)
That map is either old and/or wrong. SFO claims they have over 100 filling stations, and there are a number that I'm aware of that are not on that map.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...f0786dcbee.png |
Originally Posted by docbert
(Post 31441496)
That map is either old and/or wrong. SFO claims they have over 100 filling stations, and there are a number that I'm aware of that are not on that map.
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They should also ban UA from handing out that disgusting
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