Don't Drink The Water

People often ask me "Can you drink the water over there?" I'm not sure if it's because some people think I live in Africa based on the fact that nearly everyone in my pictures is African (I kid you not, one time someone asked me how things were going in Somalia. Same last two letters, but so so not the same), or if it's because people don't realize that Romania is part of Europe and (mostly) a developed country. Or if it's because that's what you ask people who live outside of America. But whatever the reason, it's a question I am asked with relative frequency.

So my answer?

Yes and no.

There are multiple sources of water in Iasi (I think 3), and it would seem that they have drastically different qualities. As in, there are some places that I would feel ok drinking the tap water, and some places where I would not. Ok, let's be fair- you won't die or get any kind of parasite or strange illness from drinking the water. So in that sense, yea, the water's fine. I don't brush my teeth using bottled water, and I don't have to boil my water before using it to kill parasites. So as compared to many places in the work, the water is fine.

But.

Based on the fact that when I take a glass of water from the tap it's cloudy for awhile... and when I boil water for tea there is a film at the bottom of the pot... and that white toilets and bath tubs turn brown where water sits in them... and how much my face was breaking out until I started using (Brita) filtered water to wash my face... and how shockingly heavy a used Brita filter is compared to a new one... yea, I just don't want to be putting that into my stomach all the time. I have confidence that I have great kidneys, but I don't really want to wear them out by the time I'm 30.

As a result, I have a very well utilized Brita filter into which I pour the tap water. Out of which I pour the water to boil for tea, to use to clean my face, and to drink. And I clean the toilet more often than I ever would have in the states, because- call me crazy- somehow I don't feel that a brown toilet is particularly appealing.

So in case you were wondering, that is the situation with the water in Iasi. In case you weren't wondering, now you know way more about the water situation in Iasi than you ever cared to know. The end.