For context, I live in Hong Kong where most people drink tap water after boiling first. Some may install water filter but may still boil the water. Very few drink bottle water unless they're outside and too lazy to bring their own bottles.
Now, I'm researching whether I can drink tap water in Iceland (I'm going there in August), and while it looks like the answer is affirmative, almost no web article mention whether I need to boil the water first. People in Japan (a country I've visited a few times) also seems to be used to drink tap water directly without boiling.
The further I searched, the more it seems to me that in developed countries (like US, Canada and the above examples), tap water is safe to drink directly. Is that true? Do you drink tap water without boiling?
It sounds like a stupid question but I just can't believe what I saw. I think I experienced a cultural shock.
Edit: wow, thanks so much for the responses and sorry if I didnt reply to each one of you but I'll upvote as much as as I can. Never thought so many would reply and Lemmy is a really great community.
2nd Edit: So in conclusion, people from everywhere basically just drink water straight out of tap. And to my surprise, I checked the Water Supplies Department website and notice it asserts that tap water in Hong Kong is potable, like many well-developed countries and regions.
However, as the majority of Hong Kong people are living in high-rise buildings, a small amount of residual chlorine is maintained in the water to keep it free from bacterial infection during its journey in the distribution system. Therefore it is recommended to boil the water so that chlorine dissipates.
So, in short, I actually do not need to boil the water unless I hate chlorine smell and taste. But I guess I'll just continue this old habit/tradition as there's no harm in doing so.
UK. Yip. Water "hardness" varies across the country which means people usually prefer the taste of the water in the region they grow up in. Other than all the leaky underground pipes and lack of investment in a privatised service, UK water is actaully very good.
Portugal here.
Safe to drink tap water everywhere and public fountains (they usually have a metal sheet saying if it is potable or "not tested regularly". Depends on the Municipality/Town Halls. Where I live we have like 5 or 6 public fountains per square km, some with public tanks to wash cloths like old school).
Story time tough, and applicable to the conversation:
I went through a Leukemia and the marrow transplant.
5 months after the transplant I went to Lisbon (I live in the north) to see family.
I took a shower after arriving, and my skin reacted very poorly.
The reaction was so strong, the transplant almost didn't take.
I had to take high doses of cortisol (and other treatments) that fucked up my bones (3 protheses now. Right elbow and the 2 fear heads)
The doctors in IPO (oncoly hospital) explained that the skin is the biggest organ in the body and where i live the terrain is more Granitic in nature, my skin was used to water here in the north, and the further south you go in Portugal, the more Calcaric (limestone/calcário) it is.
People in Lisbon have to use "Calgon" (product) in the washing machines, to clean the build up of limestone.
People of the north, of course it depends on the person, showering in the south, tend to have dry skin and hair after the shower.
I'm sorry for the testament.
But it's knowledge.
Stay safe.