
Avoid Drinking Tap Water When Traveling to These Countries
Summer is a great season to travel with your kids off of school holidays and weekends in the future. Americans don’t hesitate to take advantage of summer vacations off work. Recent research has shown that American summer vacation spending rose by 12.5 percent. It is crucial to ensure our safety as we prepare to join the elite global jetsetters group this year.
Americans are used to certain conveniences, such as drinking tap water. This luxury is not available in many other countries, including major tourist destinations. Did you know that Fiji does not have tap water? The island is the reason why the popular brand for bottled water was so named. Before you travel, make sure to check whether your destination is on this list.

1Ukraine
Tourist sites in Ukraine warn against drinking tap water. Ukraine’s water supply is polluted by industrial and agricultural run-off, and most infrastructure dates back to the Soviet era.
2The Bahamas
The CDC recommends you get vaccinated against hepatitis A and typhoid before traveling to The Bahamas. These two diseases can be easily contracted by drinking tap water in The Bahamas. Many resorts offer bottled water for free. To avoid getting sick in this country, we recommend you get bottled water.
3Brazil
Brazil, host country for the 2016 Summer Olympics would naturally be more gentrified. Brazil has suffered from serious water shortages for a while. Brazil has 207 million people, but only five million have access to clean water. The rest of them are in constant drought.
4China
China is home to the world’s largest population, but its water resources are still a major problem for the country’s economic strength. According to some reports, 85 percent was declared unfit to drink in 2015. Nearly 40% of Beijing’s water, China’s biggest city and most popular tourist destination, was declared unfit for drinking in 2015.
5Fiji
According to U.S. News & World Report, Fiji ranks fifth as a popular destination for honeymooners. Fiji’s tap water is unsafe for drinking, despite the claims of some bottled water companies. In 2011, nearly half of Fiji’s population had safe drinking water. While some resorts have their own water filtration systems it is still important to check before you drink the tap water in Fiji.
6Mexico
Nearly all tourists who visited Mexico were advised to avoid tap water. One travel website states that even locals don’t drink tap water in southern Cancun. With 8.23 billion gallons, Mexico is the third largest consumer of bottled water.
7Russia
Sochi Winter Olympics clearly showed the dangers and real problems Russia’s tap water poses. Chicago Tribune journalist, Lisa Johnson, reported that she found a note in her tap water at her Sochi hotel. It said, “Do not use it on your face because it contains something extremely hazardous.”
8Cuba
Its outdated infrastructure is the reason for the Cuban water crisis. The University of Miami discovered that these structures were constructed before the 1959 Cuban Revolution. They have not been updated in a long time. Professor Helena Solo Gabriele stated that the river was leaking all of its sewage into the aquifer, putting the drinking water in danger.
9Puerto Rico
Residents of Puerto Rico have had to rebuild their lives since Hurricane Maria struck. Residents’ drinking water is now contaminated with runoff, hazardous waste, and other issues. Puerto Ricans are still struggling to obtain clean water several months after Hurricane Maria. Water systems remain offline because the electricity has not been restored.
10Taiwan
Taiwan’s water situation isn’t much better than that of its Chinese neighbor. Kaohsiung, Taiwan has water that contains arsenic. This can lead to serious health problems. Reputable HVAC companies recommend that restaurants in large cities boil the water to remove contaminants. These water heater pros find lots of nasty sediments when they provide water heater flush services to their commercial and residential customers. This happens in all countries but some more so than others.
For more information on the challenges of clean drinking water, watch this video.