Drinking water precautions?

[Lorenzoid]

Chances are higher that they have their ice delivered - ice machines aren't very common in restaurants. That ice is all nice and pure and stuff. Any ice machines that are being used will have good filtration, lest the ice taste bad and look cloudy. . .

My American love affair with ice is showing. All but the smallest restaurants in the US couldn't survive without an ice machine, and a bar--no way could a bar manage on bagged ice. In the US a restaurant generally figures a pound of ice per customer--potentially hundreds of pounds per day.

 

[chorse]

Montezuma's Revenge remedy that works for me usually in 24hrs; Angostura aromatic bitters. A few drops in water from a BOTTLE a couple of times right after you know something is brewing down below. I sometimes will take a precautionary swig of it if I'm traveling to places I suspect might be a problem.. Grocery stores in the US sell it and bars usually have a bottle for some types of alcoholic beverage. Not many countries have bitters at their bars. One thing's for sure, you'll never find it when you really need it. Bring the stuff with you in your suit case not the hand carry. Could save your week. ​

 

[halocline]

I'm really hoping someone with good knowledge of Cozumel will reassure me/us that any bar serving drinks on ice has a proper filter on their ice machine. If not, wouldn't people be getting sick left and right?

That is absolutely true. Mexican nationals are just as susceptible to stomach bugs as Americans, despite popular belief. I'm sure that there is some bad ice in spots throughout the country, (I've seen a few questionable food stalls in open air markets in less touristy parts of the country) but Cozumel is such a well developed tourist destination that I'm sure the ice is filtered just like the bottled water.

 

[mcohen1021]

I have been to Cozumel 7x in the last 7 yrs, eaten and drank all over the island and have never questioned the ice in any of the places I went and never been ill.

Back in the 90s, it was a real concern, but not today.

 

[halocline]

Locals also have different immunities than a traveler. Travelers can easily get sick from eating and drinking foods and beverages that have no adverse effects on local residents.

Nope. Locals are just better at avoiding bad food, and unfortunately, locals in areas with poor water do get sick quite a bit.

 

[KathyV]

A little E Coli never hurt anyone

Except for a lot of people!
E. Coli Outbreaks Fast Facts - CNN

 

[mcohen1021]

Except for a lot of people!
E. Coli Outbreaks Fast Facts - CNN

you're such a party pooper

 

[KathyV]

you're such a party pooper

It's just that I have seen, with my own eyes during my clinical career, a lot of people get very ill from contaminated food and water. Some of them contracted it locally but many were on vacation to beautiful foreign places. Right now I am remembering a family that got Salmonella in Mexico. The father didn't get sick at all, the mother and some of the kids got very ill but recovered quickly, and their little boy died. Memories like that make it hard to shrug it off with a laugh.

Chances are that you probably won't get sick, but why take the chance? It's not that difficult to exercise a few common sense precautions.

 

[seeker242]

Nope. Locals are just better at avoiding bad food.

Medical doctors who study travel medicine disagree.

 

[mcohen1021]

Chances are that you probably won't get sick, but why take the chance? It's not that difficult to exercise a few common sense precautions.

^^Agree - thats why i wont even brush my teeth with mexico water...

I mean you see bottled water at the store, ever seen one called Fresh Mexican Drinking Water?