Mexican tap water is not suitable for drinking in almost all cities: the network and the tanks (tinacos) on the roofs are the problem. Every household has the garrafón, the 20-litre container of purified water.
The short answer
No, drink only purified water
Aquaviana’s advice
- Drink only “agua purificada” from a bottle or garrafón, as all Mexicans do.
- Restaurants and cafés work with purified water, including for ice, salads and aguas frescas.
- Brushing teeth with tap water is common in hotels, and if you are sensitive, use bottled water.
The problem sits on the roof
Mexico City pumps water from underground and from reservoirs, chlorinates it and feeds it into the network. Because the pressure is not sufficient, almost every house has a tank on the roof, the tinaco, in which the water stands for days in the heat. Added to that are leaking pipes in a city that is slowly sinking on a former lake bed. The result is water that is fine for showering and cleaning but not for drinking.
The garrafón
The 20-litre container of purified water stands in every kitchen, office and workshop. It is delivered to the door or swapped in the shop, costs 30 to 50 pesos and is placed on a dispenser. Purificadoras, small shops with a reverse osmosis system, refill it. For travellers bottles are more practical, but for longer stays the garrafón is cheaper and saves plastic.
Yucatán and the coasts
On the Yucatán peninsula (Cancún, Tulum, Mérida) the water comes from limestone bedrock with its cenotes. It is hard, often slightly salty and, because of the thin covering layer, vulnerable to contamination. Hotels have their own treatment and point this out. The same applies in Baja California and Oaxaca: purified water, nothing else.
Food and ice
Restaurants work throughout with purified water, including for ice, salad and the popular aguas frescas. The classic “Montezuma's revenge” today comes less often from the water than from unfamiliar bacteria in food. You are safe if you buy sealed bottles and skip the ice at street stalls.
Frequently asked questions
Can I eat salad and fruit in Mexico?
In restaurants yes, they are washed with purified water. At street stalls, prefer peeled fruit.
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