海角乱伦

M4uesviecr wrote:

Hello all,

Recently relocated to Vietnam and really enjoying myself! One thing I would say I dislike is the water ordeal. At home, I'm used to drinking only water, and I usually took it from the tap and called it a day.

Upon further research (which was made well before relocating here), I learned that drinking straight from the tap is a huge NO.

BUT,

What about boiling the water? I live in Bac Ninh (a fairly large city, albeit smaller than Hanoi), and I figured I could boil the water and get away with it. I know that, for many areas of Vietnam, it's not just the bacteria, but the metal residue.

I just want some feedback from locals and long-term expats. It's literally the ultimate measure of laziness, but as someone who works from home and gets down to business ASAP, the idea of leaving to get water EVERYDAY (okay, okay, I can stock up once a week), or spend money on bottled water, is slightly irritating.

Granted, I'm about 90% settled in, so there's that, but I do miss my simple way of getting water.

Feel free to ream into me if I'm coming off as bougie.

Also, thanks in advance!

Do as most locals and expats do, buy a 20 litre bottle for drinking. If that irratates you,buy a home filter system.

Girlfriends from Bac Ninh, I鈥檝e spent a bit of time there. I like what they鈥檙e doing with the new vingroup shopping center. Might even buy a place at vinhomes.

I鈥檝e always been told not to drink the tap water or ice. Always remember about the water but I think it would be impossible to survive there without聽 ice.

She said, dont drink the water in bac ninh or anywhere in vietnam. This is where she and her family get hers delivered.



0937053114

鈥淎sk for 25 liters for 58k vnd鈥�
鈥渕aybe 20-30k for delivery鈥�

There are many annoyances one must overcome living in Vietnam, big city or small town. Roosters, demons on motorbikes, karaoke, street smells, durian stands, [add your favorites]...
Well 90% of countries come with similar lists of peeves for first world'ers.聽 The key to a happy life is learning to adjust, or manage, how you respond to them.

Drinking water is a very simple problem.
My minimal knowledge is that the average Vietnamese worries about tap water for the same reason they leave their shoes outside: to avoid nasty biologicals. So they boil it, because boiling is essentially free. Yet as you know boiling doesn't remove toxic metals. Arsenic, mercury, cadmium etc exist in water in trace amounts everywhere in the world, but you don't know whether your local water exceeds dangerous levels.

The solution is to get 20 liter bottles of processed water delivered to your house. The motorbike delivery kid will even carry them inside, and probably give you a free metal stand. I've paid between 18 and 24.000 each. That's a dollar. How much is your rent? Say $350? Ok, now it is $354. The water is essentially free, right there next to your fridge.

M4uesviecr wrote:

Hello all,

Recently relocated to Vietnam and really enjoying myself! One thing I would say I dislike is the water ordeal. At home, I'm used to drinking only water, and I usually took it from the tap and called it a day.

It's literally the ultimate measure of laziness, but as someone who works from home and gets down to business ASAP, the idea of leaving to get water EVERYDAY (okay, okay, I can stock up once a week), or spend money on bottled water, is slightly irritating.

Granted, I'm about 90% settled in, so there's that, but I do miss my simple way of getting water.

I've drank water from the tap only a few times in my life.聽 While living in 8 US states, a Canadian province, 2 countries in Southern Europe, and an island in South Pacific, I've always had water delivery to my home, either by a water distributor or a member of the local grocery store.聽 The cost of bottled water has always been part of my grocery budget.聽 Other people spent money on beer, soft drinks, chips, candies, and eating out, I spent money on bottled water.聽 I'm pretty certain I spend a whole lot less than most people.

It's the same now in Vietnam.聽 We have 3 bottles delivered every month.聽 At 30k per bottle (the highest priced brand, free delivery within a couple hours from the time of my calling), it costs us $3.85.聽 There's no irritation or inconvenience in the procedure.