Safe Water Tips for World Water Day

World Water Day is March 22. Water is something most travelers take for granted until they step on a plane and head out into the developing world. Then they suddenly realize that this precious liquid so necessary to sustain life can also cause serious ill health and even worse. Nothing ruins a good trip like a bout of diarrhea, nausea, feeling totally exhausted, feverish and in no mood for anything but bed! Waterborne illness is one of the leading sources of health problems for travelers, and can have serious immediate consequences and after-effects for months.

Where are travelers at risk?

High-risk areas include Central America, most of Africa and Asia and the Middle East. Moderate risk areas include Eastern Europe, Russia, South Africa, Argentina, Chile, and the Caribbean. Even developed countries aren't necessarily risk-free.

"Basically if you want to be safe, assume the worst and plan accordingly," comments Chris Cranshaw, who is water specialist and founder of Hydropal.com. "Don't use local tap water without purifying it in some way, even for brushing your teeth or washing fruits and vegetables. And don't make the mistake of using locally produced ice cubes: Freezing doesn't kill the germs!"

Is bottled water the best option?

Yes and no. It's easy, sure, but it is expensive (worldwide we spend US$100B on bottled water a year!), has serious health issues and huge environmental consequences.

Anyone who has traveled will be well aware of the huge problem of plastic bottles littering the countryside and turning pristine bush and beaches into rubbish tips. Using just 4 bottles a day, a single traveler is likely to throw away over 50 bottles in just a couple of weeks - not a nice legacy to leave your host country. The fact is that worldwide, almost 90% of plastic water bottles are not recycled and end up in landfills or worse. And once they're out there, they stick around affecting habitats of all kinds and killing an alarming number of fish, dolphins, birds and other wildlife. Then there's the huge carbon footprint, the toxicity issues, and various other long-term environmental timebombs ....

If travelers can plan they should plan to avoid bottled water during travels; they'll be doing everyone a favor. Here are some other options that are all cost-effective, healthy and environmentally friendly: boiling your water, using purification tablets and buying a water filtration device.

Source: WorldNomads.com and PRNewswire.com