Tips on Water Hygiene : Dr KK Aggarwal

• Travelers should avoid consuming tap water.
• Avoid ice made from tap water.
• Avoid any food rinsed in tap water.
• Chlorination kills most bacterial and viral pathogens.
• Chlorination does not kill Giardia and Entamoeba cysts or Cryptosporidium.
• Boiled/treated water is safe.
• Carbonated drinks, wine and drinks made with boiled water are safe.
• Freezing does not kill the organisms that cause diarrhea. Ice in drinks is not safe unless it has been made from adequately boiled or filtered water.
• Alcohol does not sterilize water or the ice. Mixed drinks may still be contaminated.
• Hot tea and coffee are the best alternates to boiled water.
• Bottled drinks should be requested without ice and should be drunk from the bottle with a straw rather than with a glass.
• Boiling water for 3 minutes followed by cooling to room temperature will kill bacteria.
• Adding 5 drops of tincture of iodine to 1 liter of water will kill bacteria within 30 minutes.

healthysoch