Iflyfish
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3747
Registered: 10-17-2006
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Potable Water for Motor Home
My wife and I spent a very uncomfortable and expensive week on and around the toilet in the Yucatan two years ago after injesting some amazing salza
fresca. Or at least I think that was the source. We visited a doc, turned out to be a homeopath who prolonged the misery for a few days before we got
to a regular doc who fixed us up with the right antibiotics. We don't want to repeat that experience again.  :moon: 
I wonder what people in RVs do for water in Mexico? 
We have a 30 gal onboard freshwater tank with filter installed at sink, no filter in bath or shower. I know that many use a garaphon (sp?) with pump
for drinking water, but that would use a great deal of space in our small RV.
I doubt that one should trust filters alone for protecting against the organisms that one finds in the water down south? 
I recall once filling with water from an ice factory years ago when traveling in my brothers motor home. What do people do now? How much bleach do you
put in your fresh water tank?
How do you deal with washing fruits and vegies? Do you use microdina or some product like that for soaking vegies and fruit? What is the recipe for
that?
Any tips or advice you might be able to provide would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Iflyfish
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jimgrms
Senior Nomad
Posts: 664
Registered: 9-30-2005
Location: oceanside ca
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Mood: its always good
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I personelly only drink beer and drink lots of it so i don't care about eating
especially vegtables   Seriously the bottled water is
safe down in baja, and years ago we would boil our drinking wate and you can get water purifacation tablets at army surpluss stores and good out
door stores
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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Many places you can fill your freshwater tank at the water purefieing plant very reasonably.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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BajaWarrior
Super Nomad
Posts: 2307
Registered: 9-27-2006
Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
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Mood: Anxious to get south
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One cup of Bleach per 100 gallons of water, but...Don't drink that water, use it only for washing dishes, showering, etc...
Purchase Vended water for drinking, cooking, and washing fruits and vegetables.
I have purchased the 3 gallon bottles with handles, (they are like the Sparklett 5 gallon bottles) but lighter and easy to haul around and get
refilled.
When ordering a water with dinner, make sure it's the un-opened type of personal water bottle, ice can be questionable.
Stick to the beer if in doubt regarding refreshments when dining out.
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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vgabndo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3461
Registered: 12-8-2003
Location: Mt. Shasta, CA
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Mood: Checking-off my bucket list.
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The water plant on the south side of the main drag in Guerrero Negro has a "clean" hose you can pull out to your tank with a meter to charge you by
the gallon. In the past they've had clean BLOCK ice which is nice to find.
I can sympathize. I remember making a panic stop along the main artery entering Chetumal and being DAMNED glad I had a porta-potti in my van. 
[Edited on 10-23-2006 by vgabndo]
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
PEACE, LOVE AND FISH TACOS
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Iflyfish
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3747
Registered: 10-17-2006
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Great posts, appreciate the info.
What is the Mexican term for Water Purification plant?
I once found the Panlenque by asking for the Poyo Olympiad. It worked.
Iflyfish
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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Mood: Full Time Residents
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agua purification
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Diver
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4729
Registered: 11-15-2004
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You can either find Aqua Purificada places with hoses or other places that are known to have safe water. At worst case, you can buy 5 gal bottles of
water almost anywhere to dunp into your camper.
In Bahia LA there is a hose with meter at the mercado in town, Mulege has the same but the access is tight, Manfred's in Constitution has good water,
there are many other places, just ask around.
We add a few drops of bleach to a sink of water to soak lettuce and no-peel fruits and veggies. Make sure to rinse very well. We never worry about
peel-able fruits and veggies or things that are to be cooked.
We buy from campground vendors and shrimp boats and eat at almost anyplace that doesn't have wheels. There are so many good places eat in Baja these
days; nothing like 15-20 years ago.
I am so glad that I tasted the empinads from the empinada lady in La Ventana a few years ago. Now, we all look for her before she sells out; they are
the best !! What overly cautious tourist would have missed this treat ?? More for me !!!
The first time we pulled in GN, we spotted a storefront taco stand with lots of patrons (and no wheels). It's the one next to the below-grade liquor
store on the right heading west. We have stopped there everytime since. They're fish tacos are great !
Over the years we have walked out of a few restaurants for various reasons. Be aware and if you aren't comfortable, leave. Make sure you always have a
dinner alternative in the camper.
Maybe canned tuna or P & J ??  
.
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BajaBruno
Super Nomad
Posts: 1035
Registered: 9-6-2006
Location: Back in CA
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Mood: Happy
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There is lots of good advice in this thread.
Diver does what all Mexicans I know do with "no-peel fruits and veggies." I have his same attitude about local vendors, although I know that is an
aquired experience, something like going back in the water snorkeling after you have peeked under a ledge and found a shark dozing off! Once you get
over it the first time, you'll never think of "Jaws" again.
Vagabundo, I know that street in Chetumal. I love that town!
In my trip from hell never to be repeated again, I took a travel trailer from Texas to Belize in the days when there wasn't a single mile of toll
road. We started by only filling the water tank from the ubiquitous 5 gallon jugs carried in every town by guys with a rack of them on special
bicycles, but after a week of that nonsense I gave up on it and just ran the hose from wherever and added a dose of Chorlox. Then we drank from jugs
of aqua purificada. Once we got to winter in Belize, there was nothing but cistern water. We never had a problem with it, and neither did the baby.
Christopher Bruno, Elk Grove, CA.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Just to be on the safe side, I would fill the water tank with Pacifico
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Iflyfish
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3747
Registered: 10-17-2006
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I raise a glass of clean tap water to all who responded. Portland, Oregon Bull Run, late 06, clear as gin.
My tank runs of Pacifico Nada Mas!
I still remember the great Yucatan salza that nearly killed me. Delicious!
I used to eat off the carts if they didn't have flies. That was my criteria when I was younger. Some of the best food in my life was prepared by these
great street chefs. I can almost smell the saboyos grillin! Great gobs of carnitas dripping of fat, rolled in hand patted tortillas! Heaven. Churros
dredged in powdered sugar served in paper saturated in lard! I can feel my arteries sing!
I am a bit older and chastened now.
I had a bad shrimp omlette in Celestune once that had me hallucinating in a Mexico City Zona Rosa hotel for hours, praying for daylight and a taxi to
take me to the pharmacia for antibiotics. These memories are etched like bad acid trips and it is indeed hard to get over the flashbacks. But the
colors, ah, the colors!
Thanks for the great suggestions. I will use them.
Iflyfish
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daveB
Nomad
Posts: 244
Registered: 11-6-2003
Location: B.C. Canada
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Mood: wondering about Nomads!
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Having your home on wheels with you is a great advantage in avoiding a lot of maladies. You're in control of bacteria and pesticides when you do your
own cooking; how many times have we heard of the great dinner at a restaurant in Mexico, only to hear later that one or two in a group have had a
miserable week fighting some bug! And it seems to always be the best place in town where they picked it up.
We buy 5 gallon jugs of purified water and pour them into the Water tank for washing and showering keeping one at hand with a bombo afixed for
drinking, making ice and coffee, and washing the vegies, etc. (with a bit of bleach) usually as soon as we get them inside.
We don't drink the water from the Water tank, but always like to feel we could by paying strict attention to what goes into it, only purified water,
and limiting how long the water stands in the tank.
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