Is it safe to drink tap water in Nicaragua?
When looking through travel guides and websites, I often see the statement that tap water is not safe in Nicaragua. For example, the US State Department says:
Tap water is not considered safe in Nicaragua. All persons should drink only bottled water.
Expats living in Nicaragua have told me that travelers should only drink bottled water, but only because it's common to get Traveler's Diarrhea (TD) from the water, not because it's dangerous. In fact, they mentioned that it is so highly chlorinated that it's probably very safe (other than the standard results of drinking tap water in a foreign country).
Is tap water in Nicaragua actually dangerous to drink for reasons other than TD, or is that what the various advisories mean when they say it is "not considered safe"?
Best Answer
As TD can kill (through dehydration, usually) I would definitely consider it unsafe even if that was all you could get.
Your problem is that you don't know what organisms are present in that water. What is it that is giving people TD? Obviously something that isn't prevented with chlorination.
Pictures about "Is it safe to drink tap water in Nicaragua?"
Does Nicaragua have clean water?
In Nicaragua, like in many other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, a large portion of the population lacks access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene services. Approximately 1.6 million people1 were estimated to have no access to reliable toilets.Can you drink water in San Juan del Sur?
It's safe to drink the water in San Juan del Sur. The tap water in San Juan del Sur is excellent to wash your vegetables in because there's so much chlorine in it that it will definitely clean everything out. It's safe to drink in that there's not going to be any bacteria left in it, but there's a lot of chlorine.Is Nicaragua safe in 2020?
Nicaragua has a high crime rate, including armed robbery, assault and express kidnapping. There aren't many police outside major urban areas. Avoid remote locations. Don't go out alone or at night.How much water does a person need in Nicaragua?
ASDENIC identified a source that can provide 1.14 liters per second, which is equivalent to 98 liters per person per day. This is well above the 15 liters per person per day recommended by the World Health Organization (World Heath Organization).Drinking Tap Water in Nicaragua
More answers regarding is it safe to drink tap water in Nicaragua?
Answer 2
DO NOT DRINK THE TAP WATER IN NICARAGUA. I went to Diriamba, it is west of Managua. I drank bottled water, but brushed my teeth with tap water. Tap water made me sick with TD. The Hospitals are not as clean as in the States either, and they choose who the treat. Please keep this in mind. Spend the money on bottled water, and use it to brush your teeth also. Be safe, and enjoy that beautiful country in good health.
Answer 3
Yes of course it's safe, but the US embassy keeps saying that probably for extra caution, but water in Nicaragua is as clean as any other Latin american country. Of course it depends where are you getting the water, the case that the embassy might be concerned with is the rural environment where water supply is difficult (which is ironic since Nicaragua has more water resourcces than any other country in Central America).
You can check Agua para la vida
My advice? Stay with what your embassy told you. If you live in Nicaragua or Central America you might not be able to have the luxury of paying for bottled water.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Gustavo Fring, cottonbro, Olga Lioncat, cottonbro