One of
the
chief
concerns
of many
prospective
visitors
to India
is
whether
the
water is
safe to
drink.
To put
it
simply,
it's not,
though
your
unfamiliarity
with
Indian
micro-organisms
is
generally
more of
a
problem
rather
than any
great
virulence
in the
water
itself.
As a
rule, it
is not a
good
idea to
drink
tap
water
,
although
in big
cities
it is
usually
chlorinated.
However,
you'll
find it
almost
impossible
to avoid
untreated
tap
water
completely:
it is
used to
make
ice,
which
may
appear
in
drinks
without
being
asked
for, to
wash
utensils
and so
on.
Bottled
mineral
water
is
widely
available
and
cheap.
Always
check
that the
seal is
intact,
as
refilling
bottles
is not
uncommon;
some
brands
are
better
than
others
with
Bisleri
being
the
best,
though
you
don't
always
have a
choice.
Always
crush
bottles
after
use and
dispose
of them
properly.
Note
that
plastic
is a
real
menace
to the
environment
especially
in
fragile
areas
such as
the
mountains;
try to
recycle
where
possible,
or
purify
your own
water.
If
you plan
to go
somewhere
with no
access
to
bottled
drinks (which
really
only
applies
to
travellers
venturing
well off
the
beaten
track)
you'll
need to
find an
appropriate
method
of
treating
water
,
whether
your
source
is tap
water or
natural
ground
water
such as
a river
or
stream.
Boiling
it for a
minimum
of five
minutes
(longer
at
higher
altitudes)
is
sufficient
to kill
micro-organisms,
but is
not
always
practical
and does
not
remove
unpleasant
tastes.
Chemical
sterilization
is cheap
and
convenient,
but
dirty
water
remains
dirty,
and
still
contains
organic
matter
or other
contamination.
You can
sterilize
water by
using
chlorine
or
iodine
tablets,
but
these
leave a
nasty
aftertaste
(which
can be
masked
with
lemon or
lime
juice).
Pregnant
women,
babies
and
people
with
thyroid
problems
should
avoid
using
iodine
sterilizing
tablets
or
iodine-based
purifiers,
or use
an
additional
iodine-removal
filter.
The
various
kinds of
filter
only
remove
visible
impurities
and the
larger
pathogenic
organisms
(most
bacteria
and
cysts);
however
fine the
filter,
it will
not
remove
viruses.
Purification
, a
two-stage
process
involving
both
filtration
and
sterilization,
gives
the most
complete
treatment.
The Aqua
Pure
Traveller
water
bottle
(£34.99)
has a
filter
top that
turns
contaminated
water
into
safe,
clean
drinking
water.
Tested
and
approved
by the
London
School
of
Hygiene
and
Tropical
Medicine,
it uses
replaceable
filters
to
strain
out even
the
smallest
viruses
and
pathogens.
Each one
lasts
for 350
litres,
making
it money
saving
as well
as
environmentally
friendly.
Available
from
most
good
outdoor
stores
and
large
pharmacies,
and
www.thirstpoint.com
.
Another
supplier
of water
purifiers
is
Pre-Mac
- for
suppliers
contact:
Pre-Mac
Ltd
Unit 5
Morewood
Close,
Sevenoaks,
Kent
TN13
2HU,
England
tel
01732/460333,
www.pre-mac.com
.
All
Water
Systems
Ltd
Unit
2018,
Citywest
Business
Campus,
Faggart,
Dublin,
Ireland
tel
01/466
0133.
Travel
Medicine
351
Pleasant
St,
Suite
312,
Northampton,
MA
01060,
US tel
1-800/872-8633,
www.travmed.com
.
Nomad
Travellers
Store
and
Medical
Centre
3-4
Wellington
Terrace,
Turnpike
Lane,
London
N8 0PX
tel
020/8889
7014,
fax 8889
9529,
www.nomadtravel.co.uk
.
