Is the water in Mexico safe to drink?

Tall shot glass holding a green and a a red jalapeno pepper. Superimposed text reads "Is the water in Mexico safe to drink?"

Mexico is a popular place for travel, but the sanitation levels are held to a different standard than what our bodies are normally used to. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, the tap water in Mexico is still not safe to drink during your stay, which is why it is important to come prepared. 

If not filtered properly, local water can create issues with traveler’s tummy and diarrhea. In extreme cases, it can also cause unnecessary exposure to bad bacteria, viruses, or parasites that could create gastrointestinal issues and ruin a perfectly good trip. 

Martinez Salgado from the National Polytechnic institute says, “Several studies have documented the detection of aerobic and coliform bacteria in bottled water at counts that exceed national and international drinking water limits for human use.” 

With that in mind, here is what you should consider when drinking water while in Mexico. 

What To Consider When Drinking Water In Mexico

Purify With a Water Bottle Filter

When water is different from what we are used to in our home country, consider using a water purifier filter bottle. Make sure to ask if your accommodation has purified water, or consider buying a water bottle with a filter to bring along with you. We recommend using Water-to-Go’s Active Water Bottle that is fast and easy to use while in transit. 

Avoid Ice Cubes

Ice cubes are tricky during travel, and often something we do not think about when it is offered. If the ice cubes came from a filtered water system, then it is safe to consume. If it is uncertain where the water came from in the ice cube, then it is best to avoid. No one wants a ruined vacation from one iced drink. 

Rethink Leafy Greens, Fruits, and Veggies

It sounds strange to avoid healthy food items at first, but leafy greens, fruits, and veggies are often rinsed in unfiltered water. If a germ solution is used to rinse the fruits and veggies, then it is safe to eat. More than likely a germ solution is hard to find, which means eating fresh fruits could be risky.

Brush Teeth With Filtered Water
Brushing teeth with purified water is important while traveling through Mexico. Tiny droplets can contain contaminated water, which can affect the digestive tract rather quickly. Stay safe when it comes to dental hygiene by using purified water or keeping a water purifier filter bottle on hand. Remember to keep singing to a minimum in the shower, as tiny droplets can find their way from the tap system into the digestive tract.

Chart offering suggested ways to stay safe.

Filtered Water Purification Systems Keep Travel Safe

Filtered water purification systems differ depending on which kind of filter water bottle that is chosen. Most filter water bottles only have charcoal filters that work for most microbiological contaminants, but many lack the ability to protect us from viruses like Hepatitis A, chemicals, pesticides, and dangerous heavy metals like lead. 

Water purification bottles for travel have advanced significantly in the last decade, which means now there are options that have multiple stages of filtration technology. Water-To-Go has a 3-in-1 filter that removes bacteria, parasites, viruses, chemicals, pesticides, and heavy metals that can be found in the water in Mexico. 

Woman hiker drinking from pink Water to Go "classic" bottle

The Push Away From Single-Use Plastic Bottles 

Bottled water is easy to find while traveling in Mexico, but increasingly single-use plastics are becoming a problem in our environment. While single-use plastic bottles are convenient in the moment, they pose a greater issue for our collective future. 

If single-use plastic is the only option, make sure the brand is reputable and the cap is sealed. Dasani, Evian, Fiki, Voss, Bonafont, and Ciel are reputable options to choose from. If there is an option to refill the bottle, make sure it is from a purified water source. 

Single-use plastic water bottles no longer hold their secret about the harm they do to the environment. With industries that are adding plastics that harm where we live and our wallets, it is important to consider and implement options that are available. 

For context, there are one million plastic water bottles that are bought around the world every minute. More than 17 million barrels of oil are required to produce enough plastic water bottles to meet the demand. 79% of plastic is not recycled and ends up in landfills, in our oceans, and on our beaches. As a solution, one Water-to-Go 26 oz filter equals 400 single-use plastic bottles, which lowers the amount of plastic that harms our planet.

Plastic water bottle polluting a beach

Carry More With Less Weight

While hiking and touring around Mexico, a water purifier filter bottle gives more with less weight. One bottle can be filled from any water source and filtered through to provide clean water wherever travels follow. As a result, we carry around less plastic, produce less plastic waste, and look after our health while traveling with clean water. 

Conclusion: Play It Safe With Purified Water

To make it a vacation of dreams, it is important to play it safe when it comes to drinking water. Operate with caution with water, food, and ice to ensure everyone stays healthy during the trip. 

If you made it this far in reading this article, you can get a 15% discount on Water-to-Go bottles. Use coupon code “MEXICO15” to get your discount. 

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