Newcomer Can I Drink The Tap Water In Buenos Aires?

[Makira]

I will be in Buenos Aires in a few months and I was curious to know if people there drink tap water or buy bottled water at the supermarket.
I look forward to your comments!

 

[legend]

Hello @Makira, I don’t recommend drinking the tap water in Buenos Aires. The taste and smell that is often attributed to the mineral content of the water in Buenos Aires actually has nothing to do with minerals. It’s the chlorine, chloramine and other chemicals used by AySA to process the tap water for the city.

 

[BuySellBA]

Most people avoid the tap water in Buenos Aires. While it is probably safe to drink and you will not get sick, it doesn't taste too good. Bottled water is very affordable and the vast majority of people drink bottled water vs. tap. Also, certain times of the year are higher risk for tap water and sometimes the government will put alerts to avoid the tap water if you're pregnant. Many times you can actually smell the chlorine in the water. It's disgusting.

If you don't want to carry heavy bottles from the store, you can use a delivery service like Rappi.

 

[Melibaires]

In Buenos Aires, you can buy bottled water at the supermarket. And you can get 5 liter bottles of drinking water, I find bottled water so cheap and plentiful...Anyway, the residents usually drink it with total tranquility, they even use it for cooking....

 

[Rick]

I would avoid tap water in BA. It is horrible. Many times I can smell the chlorine in the water when I shower.

 

[Vince]

About the most I would do with BA tapwater is brush my teeth with it. Agree with the others not to drink it. Bottled water is plentiful and very cheap here.

 

[HannibalLector]

I drink it, been coming here for 15 years and the first 10 I only drank bottled water. Somewhere around the 10 year mark I said yolo and just started guzzling tapwater. In my apartment water from the kitchen tap tastes great while water from the bathroom tap is disgusting. I also eat from those buffet pay by weight restaurants where the food is sitting there sometimes for days with flys buzzing around. I guess I have a stomach of steel at this point.

The only time I've had really bad, cant get out of bed food poisoning in BA was from upscale Trak Pollo in Recoleta. And reading their google reviews food poisoning from this place is pretty common

 

[Betsy Ross]

I drink it, been coming here for 15 years and the first 10 I only drank bottled water. Somewhere around the 10 year mark I said yolo and just started guzzling tapwater. In my apartment water from the kitchen tap tastes great while water from the bathroom tap is disgusting. I also eat from those buffet pay by weight restaurants where the food is sitting there sometimes for days with flys buzzing around. I guess I have a stomach of steel at this point.

The only time I've had really bad, cant get out of bed food poisoning in BA was from upscale Trak Pollo in Recoleta. And reading their google reviews food poisoning from this place is pretty common

Interesting that the water from the kitchen tastes different from the bathroom tap. I brush my teeth with the bathroom tap and as you mentioned it tastes disgusting. I can sometimes smell the chemicals. I don't drink tap water but I have friends that just use a Britta filter pitcher from the tap and they are fine. They are on a budget and say it all adds up. I guess they are right.

Funny about the flys buzzing around. Yes if you don't get sick then your stomach is accustomed and you are golden now. My stomach is far too sensitive. Amazing a restaurant on Google gets repeated reports of food poisoning and still in biz. Only in South America. Ha.

 

[Surfer]

I drink it, been coming here for 15 years and the first 10 I only drank bottled water. Somewhere around the 10 year mark I said yolo and just started guzzling tapwater. In my apartment water from the kitchen tap tastes great while water from the bathroom tap is disgusting. I also eat from those buffet pay by weight restaurants where the food is sitting there sometimes for days with flys buzzing around. I guess I have a stomach of steel at this point.

The only time I've had really bad, cant get out of bed food poisoning in BA was from upscale Trak Pollo in Recoleta. And reading their google reviews food poisoning from this place is pretty common

I love your posts @HannibalLector! I can see you are living large. Love it!

 

[earlyretirement]

I drink it, been coming here for 15 years and the first 10 I only drank bottled water. Somewhere around the 10 year mark I said yolo and just started guzzling tapwater. In my apartment water from the kitchen tap tastes great while water from the bathroom tap is disgusting. I also eat from those buffet pay by weight restaurants where the food is sitting there sometimes for days with flys buzzing around. I guess I have a stomach of steel at this point.

The only time I've had really bad, cant get out of bed food poisoning in BA was from upscale Trak Pollo in Recoleta. And reading their google reviews food poisoning from this place is pretty common

I have been all over Latin America and in most countries the risk is that you will catch some virus from the water. In Buenos Aires it's probably impossible to catch any virus as they use so many chemicals! No viruses could survive. LOL. I think the biggest thing is just the taste not that you could get a virus from the water in BA. It is "safe" to drink for most people.

Although I remember when my wife was pregnant with my 2 kids born there, her doctor told her NOT to drink the water as it had too many chemicals for a pregnant woman. I always avoid the tap water here but it won't kill you.

 

[Jenn]

I drink it, been coming here for 15 years and the first 10 I only drank bottled water. Somewhere around the 10 year mark I said yolo and just started guzzling tapwater. In my apartment water from the kitchen tap tastes great while water from the bathroom tap is disgusting. I also eat from those buffet pay by weight restaurants where the food is sitting there sometimes for days with flys buzzing around. I guess I have a stomach of steel at this point.

The only time I've had really bad, cant get out of bed food poisoning in BA was from upscale Trak Pollo in Recoleta. And reading their google reviews food poisoning from this place is pretty common

@HannibalLector is this just to save money? I just got curious about that. How expensive is bottled water there?