Is all tap water in Mexico unsafe to drink?

Question

I might go to Acapulco next year but the problem is what if the tap water over there has bacteria? I went to Nuevo Laredo this year and the water is unsafe and when I was over there I was a complete germaphobe! I hardly ate anything over there becuase I was afraid if the food was cooked in that water ugh! So please I need to know if the water in Acapulco is safe to drink and if the food is cooked in bottled water.

Answer 1

cooked food doesn't have the same issue that water does. the water in mexico isn't unsafe, it just isn't the same as here. If you moved to Mexico for instance, your body would acclimate to the bacteria in the water and your reaction would subside. Since you are only visiting, ask at the resort you are staying in. Most resorts have on site water filtration systems which allow guests to safely drink the water on their site and thru their pipes. But like another answerer said, it is best to drink only bottled water. As far as the food is concerned, stay away from street vendors and you will be fine. If it is cooked food the bacteria has been killed in cooking.

Answer 2

They all drink, and cook with bottled water. Hotels have bottled water to brush your teeth.

Answer 3

resturants use clean bottled imported water. And most hotels provide bottle water.

Answer 4

when travelling to mexico, its always a good idea to bring your own water bottles. no matter where you go. just play it safe.

Answer 5

If your staying in a nice hotel then the water is usually safe to drink but when out on the town drink bottled water.

Answer 6

Funny, don't bring bottled water, who wants to carry several pounds in water???? c'mon you can buy bottled water everywhere: convenience stores, supermarkets, vending machines, bars, restaurants. Do not drink water from the tap at all, and when it's used for cooking it won't do any harm since it boils and that process kills whatever needs to be killed. But in most restaurants they use bottled water to cook and most certainly to make beverages. Just avoid food from street carts because you are not used to it and that may upset your stomach.

Answer 7

The answers here are good though mexicans just don't drink tap water because of cultural differences more than the water is unsafe. Water quality varies from each municipio, students from my university faculty did a test with finding bacteria with an ultra sensitive machine with water from various random locations in Mexico City (including a toilet from a public restroom in the subway) and tap water from the university faculty and found nothing, but it's well-known that the water in Iztapalapa (when they have water that is) is never clean.

I can eat in the taco joints in the street all I want and won't get sick (I went to eat some tacos today actually), but my body is used to the bacteria and diseases because I've lived here for so long.

As for being a germophobe, I'm seriously wondering why are you visiting Acapulco in the first place. I don't want to precisely spoil the trip for you, but it's a well-known fact that ahem.. sewage is drained into the ocean with no treatment in that city. Oh and it's not like the sewage is dropped 40 km away from the city, it's drained right in middle of the hotel area. The PRI government has known this and has never bothered to spend the cash to put a sewage treatment plant. However don't worry too much about this, the government still does enforce the city that if the amount of bacteria in the water is too high, tourists can't swim (though some idiots still do it).

I will say though that if you think that Acapulco is a hipster beach resort of the super rich, it's false. You will indeed experience families of 40 people cramped inside of 1 little truck going together for the weekend and where small children will wade in the water wearing dirty diapers. Been over 5 years since I last went there, but I do remember seeing that and I grossed out a lot. Fortunately I guess the tides of the water in the bay area are so severe that you can't really swim in the ocean at all so it won't be an issue. You may as well just swim in the hotel pool and ou'll probably get more out of doing that than swimming in the ocean (unless you're going to the hotel Princess where you can swim in the ocean safely).

Answer 8

Tap water is unsafe to drink here in mexico, but not  crawling with bacteria, if food is cooked in it it won't do you any harm, although in most places they cook with filtered water