oceanrain88

Hello! I recently moved here (Doha) and been trying to find information on whether it is safe to use tap water for everyday purposes (not drinking of course, but brushing your teeth/washing hair/face/etc). My skin condition has worsened quite a bit since I got here, and I'm worried that maybe tap water is the problem (haven't had any skin issues for the past five years)... so I'd like to hear everyone else's thoughts/observations... Thanks!

UKCityGent

theres a good reason why (bottled) water is cheaper than petrol !!

littlejimmy

The water is desalinated and safe for using to cook, wash, brush teeth etc. Don't know what's in it, but it tastes funny and IIRC can cause skin dryness.

Boomhauer

Relatively (relative to UK & US) high chlorine %. Used to dry my hair out.

My suburban town in the US is moving away from Chlorine to Chloramine.

Meow

Desalinated water has a different chemical composition to what you are used to and can be very drying. That, with aircon and heat is harsh on your skin, so you need to take extra care of it. Good quality moisturisers are worth paying for for your face, but I find that baby oil is as good for your body as anything else, and cheap. It takes a while to adjust and you may find that your hair suffers for a time too.

littlejimmy

Surprised the resident pervs aren't all over the baby oil recommendation...

Johnnyboy11

Hi, it is highly likely that lime (calcium carbonate) will be added to the water in Doha to raise the pH and prevent corrosion of the aged iron/ ductile iron distribution network (pipes). The chalky lime deposits are obvious from the residue around the kitchen and bathroom fittings. Might be a factor affecting your skin.

P18PPS

best not drink much more then!!

flares

...don't taste what it oughta

Luton Airport ooo...eee...ooo

britexpat76

You mean more expensive.

Norm_uk

Bottled water is a con in most cases - much of it comes from factories that simply filter it a bit more than than the tap water. Few are actually from springs.

Water in the GCC is usually perfectly good drinking water but you should check the plumbing of your house/apartment as that is often woeful and contributes to bad water quality.

The climate is just as much to blame for skin and hair issues as the water.

N.

Theseus

Weirdly i have always suffered from very dry skin but its been much better since i came to qatar. The water is much softer here than it is in london. Also i expect its because I drink more water than i used to.

OleJanx

You'll have to watch out for kidney stones, though. They are bad news, take it from someone who suffered from them!

britexpat76

I heard the pain is akin to shitting a bowling ball?

OleJanx

More like trying to piss an inverted pineapple.