Can I drink the tap water in Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico’s tap water has elevated amounts of contaminants, organic micro-pollutants, heavy metals, and pesticides, resulting in water quality that is below minimum levels of recommended drinking standards.
As a result, we ADVISE drinking BOTTLED WATER, boiling water, or adding chlorine for disinfection, followed by waiting 30 minutes before consuming water. AVOIDING ingesting municipal tap water is strongly suggested.
The more and darker red, the worse the drinking water (Image Source: Mueller & Gasteyer)
NRDC: worst water in USA
The Natural Resources Defense Council in a May 2017 brief, states:
“Puerto Rico suffers the worst rate of drinking water violations of any state or territory in the nation.”
“In 2015, 99.5 percent of Puerto Rico’s population was served by community water systems in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act, and 69.4 percent of people on the island were served by water sources that violated SDWA’s health standards.”
Keep in mind that this NRDC brief was issued four months before the 2017 hurricanes that devastated the island and ruined much of the water treatment infrastructure, resulting in drinking water that is even more contaminated and toxic.
CDC & Water Standards
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
“Food and water standards in Puerto Rico are similar to those in the United States. Most travelers do not need to take special food or water precautions beyond what they normally do at home. However, travelers visiting rural or remote areas that are served by unregulated water sources such as private wells should take special precautions to ensure the safety of their drinking water.”
While the CDC says that the tap water in urban areas is safe to drink, numerous scientific studies and the Natural Resources Defense Council report that Puerto Rico has problematic municipal drinking water.
(“PROTECT» PROTECT Study Shows Increased Levels of Toxic Chemicals in Drinking Water as a Result of Hurricanes Maria & Irma”)
Overview: Puerto Rico Drinking water
Due to the island being part of the United States of America, Puerto Rico’s tap water is often said to be just as safe to drink as the municipal water on mainland USA. Various sources, from travel websites to TripAdvisor reviews, claim that health standards in general, in Puerto Rico, are often comparable to that of the United States, unlike most neighboring countries and territories. They often state that the quality of tap water on the island is of a good enough standard to drink, due to it being closely monitored by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
However, the amount of scientific data shows conclusively that the water quality is substandard and should be avoided.
Tourists & drinking water
For tourists and visitors to the island, metal contamination is not a major concern – it takes a long period of time to develop side effects from lead and arsenic poisoning, as well as from the levels of chemical toxins seen in Puerto Rican tap water. Instead, with a third of the population being served by tap water containing harmful coliform bacteria, it is probably better to stay clear of the tap water, and instead consume bottled water, even if you are in an urban area.
Tap vs Bottled Water
Bottled water at the SuperMax in Puerto Rico.
Tap water is regulated by the EPA through the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which was passed by Congress in 1974. Bottled water is regulated by the FDA, which has lower restrictions and inspection regimens compared to the EPA-regulated municipal tap water.
However, keep in mind that Puerto Rico has the worst drinking water in the United States, making the less stringently regulated bottled water the better choice while on the islands.
Final Thought
For residents or tourists of Puerto Rico, it’s advisable and recommended to ingest bottled mineral water or treat your water with effective purification methods.
Jesse is the Director of Pedal Chile and lives in La Patagonia and Puerto Rico. Jesse has a Master of Science in Health and Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: Mountain biking, bicycle commuting, reading, snowboarding, researching, and sampling yummy craft beers.
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References & Sources
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Hersher, Rebecca. “Puerto Rico’s Tap Water Often Goes Untested, Raising Fears about Lead Contamination.” NPR.org, 20 Sept. 2018.
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Pérez Ortiz, Yasmín, How Blockchain Technology Could Improve the Quality of Drinking Water in Puerto Rico (October 14, 2018). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3266166
“PROTECT» PROTECT Study Shows Increased Levels of Toxic Chemicals in Drinking Water as a Result of Hurricanes Maria & Irma.” Northeastern.edu, 2020, web.northeastern.edu/protect/protect-study-shows-increased-levels-of-toxic-chemicals-in-drinking-water-as-a-result-of-hurricanes-maria-irma/.
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“Threats on Tap: Drinking Water Violations in Puerto Rico.” NRDC, 10 May 2017, www.nrdc.org/resources/threats-tap-drinking-water-violations-puerto-rico.