Tap water in Beijing

[allmodcons]

Hey,

I know there's quite a big thread elsewhere on tap water in China but thought I'd start a specific thread for Beijing.

I'm going to be studying at Beihang University and was just wondering what the deal is with the tap water in Beijing? I've heard there have been recent declarations that it is safe to drink but I'm still a bit suspicious! Is the water safe to drink straight from tap or boiled? Or is it best just to drink bottled water and use it for boiling (tea, coffee, etc) and cooking?

Thanks!

[greenarcher]

Home delivery mineral/distilled drinking water is very cheap in Beijing, don't risk drinking from the tap.

[Jane_PA]

No, I would not recommend that you drink the tap water directly. At my home, we usually boil the water and drink it when it cooled down. We used water machine (饮水机,yin3 shui3 ji1, a guy delivers a big barrel of water to our home to use that water machine) or bottled water for some years. But recently, my mom assumed the old way, boiling the water and drink it when it cooled down.

[Meng Lelan]

I wouldn't brush my teeth with tap water either. Use bottled water for that.

A decade ago the hotels would tag their faucets with a sign saying "non potable". This year coming back to China I didn't see such a tag in any of the hotels but still I would assume tap water anywhere is nonpotable.

[Elwin]

I know that I come from a country that has the best drinking water in the world (Holland, and my water at home is like Spa, ugh), so my experience in Beijing might be a little bit more extreme than some other foreigners, but the normal tap water here is really quite awful, and so undrinkable. Luckily in this flat we have a tap which provides drinking water, but it's very uncommon. I do brush my teeth and wash my wash preferably with this water.

Just never drink the normal tap water, it smells strongly which is not a good sign.

[Ayane]

I was wondering the same thing!

Seems like it's best to boil it, just to be safe...

But it should be boiled even for brushing teeth?

What about bath water? >w<

[greenarcher]

Never had problems using tap to brush my teeth.

[valikor]

I occasionally drink tap water if there's nothing else around. So far, I can't say I've ever gotten sick from it. Seems that most people--foreign and Chinese--don't drink tap water directly, though.

[doraemon]

I definitely wouldn't drink tap water in Beijing, but I don't think I'll go as far as using bottled water to brush my teeth. I mean, it's not like you're gulping down much of the tap water when you're brushing anyway. But I don't think Beijing tap water is as bad as Shanghai though. Last time I went to Shanghai, the tap water had a weird smell to it, a bit like sewers.

[knadolny]

But I don't think Beijing tap water is as bad as Shanghai though. Last time I went to Shanghai, the tap water had a weird smell to it, a bit like sewers.

I just got back from my trip to Shanghai and was thinking the same thing. I didn't remember the water being so bad when I was in Beijing.

And yeah bad water might not have any effects on you now, but years later the effects can start to surface. I would drink bottled water. I believe the government puts something in the tap water to make it safe to brush your teeth though.

[gougou]

I believe the government puts something in the tap water to make it safe to brush your teeth though.

Like what, lead?

[skylee]

In HK fluoride is put into tap water to reduce tooth decay. Not sure about what happens in Beijing, though.

Tap water in HK is potable, though most people drink it after boiling it. I've noticed that my neighbour orders bottled water. I am not sure if it is really necessary ... I think reducing consumption of bottled water = reducing plastic bottles = more environmental friendly? Views?

[knadolny]

Like what, lead?

If you leave water in a bottle for a day or so then white powder accumulates at the bottom. That stuff. I believe lead would be grey?

I think reducing consumption of bottled water = reducing plastic bottles = more environmental friendly? Views?

Completely agree. The amount of resources that are put into making tap water available is already substantial. To boat water from Fiji or wherever seems totally unnecessary. However, you need to live in a place that has clean tap water first.

[gougou]

In HK fluoride is put into tap water to reduce tooth decay.

Yeah, many places around the world do that. While that is beneficial to your dental health, it doesn't do anything against possible contaminants in the water, which if I recall correctly in Beijing mostly were due to old piping (which, for example, would give off lead). I'd be surprised if there was anything you could put into the water to get rid of these impurities.

I think reducing consumption of bottled water = reducing plastic bottles = more environmental friendly?

I completely agree with this as well. Nevertheless, while I am just short of militant about environmental causes, I would not risk drinking tap water in Beijing. That being said, I would also never drink bottled water that had to be imported from far away (and I can't believe that some people even insist on only drinking certain brands like San Pellegrino or Evian...).

[doraemon]

I would drink bottled water. I believe the government puts something in the tap water to make it safe to brush your teeth though.

Now that you mention it, I think I've heard something like that as well. But yeah, you should probably only drink bottled water or the ones in big tanks which practically every home has. My relatives in China like to filter the tap water first, boil it and then drink it. If the water still isn't potable after that then I don't know what to say...

[deathtrap]

Just get yourself a portable reverse osmosis unit. That will take everything out of the water. Bacteria, minerals, lead, whatever.

[knadolny]

portable reverse osmosis unit

Now that is unfortunately an environmentally bad idea especially for a dry place like Beijing. The big disadvantage is waste. From wikipedia:

"they recover only 5 to 15 percent of the water entering the system. The remainder is discharged as waste water."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_osmosis#Disadvantages

[skylee]

My relatives in China like to filter the tap water first, boil it and then drink it.

This is exactly what I do. Mine is a very basic filter which takes out the red colour and the foul taste and smell in the water.

[jbradfor]

Now that is unfortunately an environmentally bad idea especially for a dry place like Beijing. The big disadvantage is waste.

So the choices are

1. Reverse osmosis -- waste ~80% of the water
   
2. Boil water -- energy to boil it, plus if you live in a place that has A/C on a lot (e.g. Hong Kong), the cost to cool the air heated by cooling the water
   
3. Bottled water -- cost to get the water, cost and environment damage to make the bottle and dispose of it, cost and energy to transport the water
   

I haven't done the carbon footprint analysis, but I think Reverse osmosis is clearly the win here.

[skylee]

Boil water -- energy to boil it, plus if you live in a place that has A/C on a lot (e.g. Hong Kong), the cost to cool the air heated by cooling the water

hmmm... I think I have mentioned before, I don't use A/C at home, at all ... but not everyone is willing to try or get used to the heat.