-Viking

On Sun, 06 May 2007 15:48:14 GMT, Michael Badt <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Hi,
>I'll be vacationing this June in Italy (Dolomites/Veneto/Tuscany/Umbria).
>Is tap water in these areas safe for drinking?

No, of course the water is not safe. You'll need purification pumps,
purification tablets, solar panels, and a helmet with goggles.

Erick T . Barkhuis

Viking:
> On Sun, 06 May 2007 15:48:14 GMT, Michael Badt <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >Hi,
> >I'll be vacationing this June in Italy (Dolomites/Veneto/Tuscany/Umbria).
> >Is tap water in these areas safe for drinking?
>
> No, of course the water is not safe. You'll need purification pumps,
> purification tablets, solar panels, and a helmet with goggles.

You're exaggerating.
No need for the goggles.

--
Erick
B&B Ardane - http://bed-and-breakfast.ardane.com/
[where the tap water is of excellent quality!]

-FredBear

Giovanni,

Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't there a law passed last year prohibiting
restaurants from supplying tap water to paying customers? All water must be
supplied from a sealed bottle.


"Giovanni Drogo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected] zoengr.vans.vg...
> First of all I'd reassure the OP to drink tap water without problems,
> specially in mountain areas. When I go there, I'll ask for tap water
> even in restaurants. Often tap water and mineral water come from the
> same source.
>
> There is no hygienic problem with tap water.
>
> At home in Milan I drink a specific brand of mineral water mainly
> because of its higher calcium content. However my mother drinks tap
> water. There were rumours in the past of high contents of chromium in
> tap water, but apparently it's all OK.
>
>> >What are the supermarket chains in Italy? Anything like the ones in
>> >Spain and France?
>>
>> The ones I know are Cityper, Crai, Conad, Auchan, and Lidl (a German
>> chain). There's also a French chain, maybe Carrefour. I'm probably
>> forgetting some others.
>
> Should be a local thing. In Milan the main chains are GS and "Esselunga"
> ("the long s"), then SMA, UNES, PAM. I guess the "french chain" you
> refer to is Auchan, Carrefour has mainly big commercial centres (aka
> shopping malls). Lidl and Eurospin are of the sort called "hard
> discount" (in italian, sic !). But you'll find many old grocers' shops,
> often converted in minimarkets, and all selling bottled water.
>
>> >Anything near the Rialto in Venice?
>>
>> I don't live anywhere near there, but I would find it hard to believe
>> that there isn't a supermarket nearby.
>
> Well, Venice's architecture does not allow big modern buildings, but
> surely you'd find grocers and minimarkets. Look for a place where local
> residents go if you want normal prices. I suspect you could pay higher
> prices at a bar.
>
> --
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> [email protected] is a newsreading account used by more persons to
> avoid unwanted spam. Any mail returning to this address will be rejected.
> Users can disclose their e-mail address in the article if they wish so.

-Viking

On Mon, 7 May 2007 21:03:26 +0200, Erick T. Barkhuis
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Viking:
>> On Sun, 06 May 2007 15:48:14 GMT, Michael Badt <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >Hi,
>> >I'll be vacationing this June in Italy (Dolomites/Veneto/Tuscany/Umbria).
>> >Is tap water in these areas safe for drinking?
>>
>> No, of course the water is not safe. You'll need purification pumps,
>> purification tablets, solar panels, and a helmet with goggles.
>
>You're exaggerating.
>No need for the goggles.

Well, special ultra-violet-safe contact lenses then.

VainGlorious

On Mon, 7 May 2007 21:03:26 +0200, Erick T. Barkhuis
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Viking:
>> On Sun, 06 May 2007 15:48:14 GMT, Michael Badt <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >Hi,
>> >I'll be vacationing this June in Italy (Dolomites/Veneto/Tuscany/Umbria).
>> >Is tap water in these areas safe for drinking?
>>
>> No, of course the water is not safe. You'll need purification pumps,
>> purification tablets, solar panels, and a helmet with goggles.
>
>You're exaggerating.
>No need for the goggles.

Ha!

I'm going to be Veneto in two weeks. I'm bringing my damn goggles!
Oh, and a flak vest, hip waders, shoulder-pads, surgical mask and
chain mail gloves. I'll also wear double-condoms 24/7.

I'm from New Jersey, so I know all about Italians!

- TR
- always over-prepared.

Giovanni Drogo

On Mon, 7 May 2007, FredBear wrote:

> Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't there a law passed last year prohibiting
> restaurants from supplying tap water to paying customers? All water must be
> supplied from a sealed bottle.

No idea, anyhow, even if such a law existed, as father Dante said "le
leggi son, ma chi pon mano ad esse ?"

I do not frequent many restaurants, but regularly stop at hotels doing
full board arrangement, and, in mountain regions, ask for tap water in a
"brocca".

I suppose it may make sense as a courtesy rule towards hygiene-concerned
customers (or simply mistrusting an unknown restaurant) that they have
right to receive a sealed bottle if they ask for a bottle of mineral
water. But still, if they ask for tap water, they know what they do and
what they want, and will receive it in a brocca (pouring jar).


--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
[email protected] is a newsreading account used by more persons to
avoid unwanted spam. Any mail returning to this address will be rejected.
Users can disclose their e-mail address in the article if they wish so.

EvelynVogtGamble

Giovanni Drogo wrote:

> On Mon, 7 May 2007, FredBear wrote:
>
>
>>Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't there a law passed last year prohibiting
>>restaurants from supplying tap water to paying customers? All water must be
>>supplied from a sealed bottle.
>
>
> No idea, anyhow, even if such a law existed, as father Dante said "le
> leggi son, ma chi pon mano ad esse ?"
>
> I do not frequent many restaurants, but regularly stop at hotels doing
> full board arrangement, and, in mountain regions, ask for tap water in a
> "brocca".
>
> I suppose it may make sense as a courtesy rule towards hygiene-concerned
> customers (or simply mistrusting an unknown restaurant) that they have
> right to receive a sealed bottle if they ask for a bottle of mineral
> water. But still, if they ask for tap water, they know what they do and
> what they want, and will receive it in a brocca (pouring jar).

I suspect the only "law" involved is the profit motive -
they can't charge you for tap-water. I always order
tap-water in European restaurants - some pretend not to
understand my request, or simply refuse to serve it (in
which case I don't insist). My travels are usually
opera-related, so I needn't concern myself with the safety
of drinking water in "third world" areas. (And I wouldn't
insult a Parisian or Viennese by even ASKING about water
safety!)
>
>

Zubenelgenubi

No drink it and you will die, stay home, don't risk it!

Zubenelgenubi

Its ot the water than makes you ill, evelyngobbeldygook, its the
excess of gin that you consume.

Poldy

In article
<[email protected] gr.vans.vg>,
Giovanni Drogo <[email protected]> wrote:

> First of all I'd reassure the OP to drink tap water without problems,
> specially in mountain areas. When I go there, I'll ask for tap water
> even in restaurants. Often tap water and mineral water come from the
> same source.

How do you request tap water in Italian?

Poldy

In article
<[email protected] gr.vans.vg>,
Giovanni Drogo <[email protected]> wrote:

> > The ones I know are Cityper, Crai, Conad, Auchan, and Lidl (a German
> > chain). There's also a French chain, maybe Carrefour. I'm probably
> > forgetting some others.
>
> Should be a local thing. In Milan the main chains are GS and "Esselunga"
> ("the long s"), then SMA, UNES, PAM. I guess the "french chain" you
> refer to is Auchan, Carrefour has mainly big commercial centres (aka
> shopping malls). Lidl and Eurospin are of the sort called "hard
> discount" (in italian, sic !). But you'll find many old grocers' shops,
> often converted in minimarkets, and all selling bottled water.
>
> > >Anything near the Rialto in Venice?
> >
> > I don't live anywhere near there, but I would find it hard to believe
> > that there isn't a supermarket nearby.
>
> Well, Venice's architecture does not allow big modern buildings, but
> surely you'd find grocers and minimarkets. Look for a place where local
> residents go if you want normal prices. I suspect you could pay higher
> prices at a bar.

I've heard one is Billa, an Austrian chain, and another is Coop.

Poldy

In article
<[email protected] gr.vans.vg>,
Giovanni Drogo <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Mon, 7 May 2007, FredBear wrote:
>
> > Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't there a law passed last year
> > prohibiting
> > restaurants from supplying tap water to paying customers? All water must be
> > supplied from a sealed bottle.
>
> No idea, anyhow, even if such a law existed, as father Dante said "le
> leggi son, ma chi pon mano ad esse ?"
>
> I do not frequent many restaurants, but regularly stop at hotels doing
> full board arrangement, and, in mountain regions, ask for tap water in a
> "brocca".
>
> I suppose it may make sense as a courtesy rule towards hygiene-concerned
> customers (or simply mistrusting an unknown restaurant) that they have
> right to receive a sealed bottle if they ask for a bottle of mineral
> water. But still, if they ask for tap water, they know what they do and
> what they want, and will receive it in a brocca (pouring jar).

I gathered part of it is to mark up the bottled water.

That and the coperto to boost margins?

Deeply Filled Mortician

Make credence recognised that on Tue, 08 May 2007 19:06:43 -0700,
poldy <[email protected]> has scripted:

>In article
><[email protected] ngr.vans.vg>,
> Giovanni Drogo <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> First of all I'd reassure the OP to drink tap water without problems,
>> specially in mountain areas. When I go there, I'll ask for tap water
>> even in restaurants. Often tap water and mineral water come from the
>> same source.
>
>How do you request tap water in Italian?

You could try "acqua dal rubinetto", but you would get some strange
looks. No one in Italy would order it.
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--

Deeply Filled Mortician

Make credence recognised that on Tue, 08 May 2007 19:08:32 -0700,
poldy <[email protected]> has scripted:

>In article
><[email protected] ngr.vans.vg>,
> Giovanni Drogo <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 7 May 2007, FredBear wrote:
>>
>> > Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't there a law passed last year
>> > prohibiting
>> > restaurants from supplying tap water to paying customers? All water must be
>> > supplied from a sealed bottle.
>>
>> No idea, anyhow, even if such a law existed, as father Dante said "le
>> leggi son, ma chi pon mano ad esse ?"
>>
>> I do not frequent many restaurants, but regularly stop at hotels doing
>> full board arrangement, and, in mountain regions, ask for tap water in a
>> "brocca".
>>
>> I suppose it may make sense as a courtesy rule towards hygiene-concerned
>> customers (or simply mistrusting an unknown restaurant) that they have
>> right to receive a sealed bottle if they ask for a bottle of mineral
>> water. But still, if they ask for tap water, they know what they do and
>> what they want, and will receive it in a brocca (pouring jar).
>
>I gathered part of it is to mark up the bottled water.

All the more reason to drink wine!
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--

Giovanni Drogo

On Wed, 9 May 2007, Deeply Filled Mortician wrote:

> >How do you request tap water in Italian?
>
> You could try "acqua dal rubinetto"

I'd say "acqua DEL rubinetto" ... otherwise ask for "una brocca d'acqua"
(a jar of water), and that implies tap water.

> No one in Italy would order it.

I do. Not in a cosy place, and maybe not in a place I've never been,
but surely in a hotel where I am a regular customer, and located in a
mountain area.

And of course I have no doubt in refilling my carry-on bottle at the tap
of my room (or even better at a public fountain, or a source).

It is not uncommon in mountain areas to have some public fountain near a
source (sometimes the same "captated" for the local acqueduct, or even
by a mineral water factory), and to find people going there with a car
and a few baskets of 1.5 l bottles to refill them, because that source
has a "good fame".

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
[email protected] is a newsreading account used by more persons to
avoid unwanted spam. Any mail returning to this address will be rejected.
Users can disclose their e-mail address in the article if they wish so.