Drinking water precautions?

[stuartv]

I'm leaving Sat for Coz, with my g/f. Staying at the Iberostar for a week.

My parents went to Coz a few years ago. My mom was not careful and ended up spending a full day of her vacation riding the porcelain choo choo. Or talking to Ralph on the big white phone. Not sure. Don't really want to know.

What precautions do we need to take regarding the water there?

Can we rinse toothbrushes in the tap water? Rinse our mouths with tap water after brushing?

Is it safe to order drinks with ice cubes in them? What about at places off the resort?

Any concern about sticking my reg in mouth after it has been rinsed in a fresh water dunk tank?

Thanks for any advice!!

 

[Samuel Rodriguez]

My personal rule: any water that touches my mouth is from a bottle. I specifically ask for no ice on my drinks and for them to be cold (in case they need to be). As for brushing my teeth I use bottled water too. I follow this rules when traveling in Africa too and have had no problems so far.

 

[sefuchs]

In approximately 15-17 trips to Coz the last 5 ish years and nobody in our group has has issues with water. We do take the "standard" precautions; don't drink from from the tap including rinsing toothbrush with bottled water. Most hotels say they purify their water but we don't risk it. Using Ice has never been a problem. Myself, I think there is more risk from unwashed lettuce or limes, probably should rinse with bottled water or small amount of disinfectant (chlorine).

 

[stuartv]

I'm really wondering how to deal with drinking bar drinks (e.g. a margarita or any other drink that really requires ice). Do I need to stick with beer and straight liquor, served neat? (not that that is actually a problem... well, except that my g/f is likely to want "girly" (used to be descriptive, not pejorative) drinks that require ice)

 

[MMM]

Not all (even in my own household) agree, but I rinse my toothbrush and mouth with tap water. Ice is all made with purified water. Personally I think water concerns are overblown. Worry more about excess alcohol or unsanitary or incorrect food handling.

 

[Lorenzoid]

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?

 

[scbaNE2179]

Of the 6x times I've been to Coz, I have yet to experience anything bad-well except the time I got nicked by the dude in my avatar pic. Regardless, the only tap water I use is when I'm showering and rinsing off gear in hotel bathroom. Everything else, is with bottled water. Tip: When you're on the dive charters, if the dive op you use gives out free water, just take an extra bottle at the end of your dive day so you can use that for your room needs. By week's end your mini fridge will be well stocked with bottled water.

As for restaurants and ice, this was never something I paid attention to but a local once told me to make sure the ice have holes in them? Meaning if the ice are solid, then it's made from tap?

As for your gear/reg, usually with the dive ops they will rinse your gear for you at the end of each dive day. As another precaution, I'll either rinse again with bottled water every morning on the boat or just dunk in the ocean pre-dive.

Good luck and let us know how things turn out.

 

[stuartv]

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's what I was thinking. I told my dad that the resort bar would have to be insane to serve drinks with ice that was not made from purified water.

As for restaurants and ice, this was never something I paid attention to but a local once told me to make sure the ice have holes in them? Meaning if the ice are solid, then it's made from tap?

Interesting tip. Anyone else know anything about what "truth" is behind this?

 

[kmarks]

I wouldn't worry about drinks. I've never gotten sick from margaritas or aguas frescas. Most restaurants will tell you that their ice machines are connected to small water purifiers, so they are safe. I guess that's true? Like I said, I haven't gotten sick.

My trip to Sabor, I think there was more risk from the food handling. The snack bar cooks would grab a few frozen hamburger patties, throw them on the flat top, and then grab the buns, cheese, and toppings with those same unwashed hands.

 

[stuartv]

It sounds like we should be pretty worry-free. But, IF by some poor luck, one of us does get tangled up with Montezuma's Revenge, is there any especially efficacious (there's your $5 word for today) remedy I might want to think about taking with me?