I wanted to find out if the tap water is ok to drink in Phnom Penh. From my research it was said that in certain areas it's not safe. Now, the second part of my question is for serviced apartments and condos. I plan on getting a condo in Phnom Penh when I get out there, a serviced apartment. With a serviced condo or apartment, do they provide like drinking water and the water cooler or how does that work? Thanks in advance guys.
Drinking water in Phnom Penh
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@survivor1206
The system is to buy large 20L bottles of drinking water, they have a tap so easy to use, with or without a cooler.
Apartment landlords usually supply and exchange the bottles.
Cheers
Joe
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@JoeKhmer Thanks Joe.
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Water supplied from the Water Authority is safe to drink, but is heavily chlorinated. The issue is that many buildings have underground water storage tanks which are porous concrete and can get contaminated, so its a risk. Joe is right as far as drinking water goes. However the tap water is ok if its boiled so can be used for tea or coffee, or for cooking vegetables. I have been doing that for a couple of years in two different apartments with no ill effects. I am sure that all cafes and restaurants do the same.
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@PaulR1205
I wondered this when moving to PP many years ago. The CDC says bring PP tap water to a roiling boil for only 1 minute and it's fine. I've been doing this for years and have never had a problem. It's also saved me about $60 a month as I drink so much water and I refill the large bottles of drinking water often adding 2 packets of Royal-D for a few vitamins. Also, I cook, shower and brush my teeth with PP water and have never had an issue. The real question is your building's water tank. Is it the old style cement container or the newer stainless steel ones, which it probably is. Hope this helps.
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@PaulR1205 the water is not safe to drink unless it's filter .. even most bottle water is not good for you, where the most popular is very acidic and the most expensive is foreign and too pricy .. you should look into Acqualive Asia on Facebook , they have a filter with the most minerals benefits and does the job of a 5k machine
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@azpactrading you may well be right technically speaking, however most expats and all locals drink whatever bottle of water is available, usually locally bottled, seemingly without adverse consequences. Same with brushing teeth with tap water etc. Some expats I know boil water to drink, and have done so for years without problems. Mind you, I often see some people at the gym completely wiping down the equipment with sanitiser before touching it with gloved hands, even treadmills, so whatever floats your boat, I guess. Some people still wear masks - go figure.
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Masks are quite good for protection against pollution too :-)
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