Do you drink Austin's water? (Dallas, San Antonio: home, live, eat)

[Dick Starie]

I don't! Today the news reported yet another raw sewage spill into Bull Creek. Bull Creek emptys into Lake Austin, a short boat ride from the intake ports of two of Austin's water processing plants. Does anyone have a record of the frequency of these spills, they seem quite frequent...

The Austin's sewer infrastructure needs attention. Hydrogen Sulfide gas is eating the main tunnels and lines at an alarming rate. It is only a matter of time before a 60" or larger main spills into the underground aquifer.

[mimimomx3]

We have Berkey filters, they're great. Berkey water filters

[centralaustinite]

I drink it!

And I am grateful. I have lived in places overseas where potable water on demand was a distant dream! I have full confidence in the ability of the City of Austin to deliver clean drinking water to me, aging infrastructure and all.

But do I swim in Bull Creek? No I do not.

[capcat]

I do, too. I know places with bad water, and this isn't it.

[jread]

I drink it all the time. Austin has the best tap water I've ever tasted.

[Cha Ching]

I loved the water in Austin, and I lived there for over 20 years. San Antonio's was too soft, and Dallas' was just ukky (especially when the lakes were low-- it tasted like algae). Aquifer water tasted like sweet nectar to me. Always gorged myself on it when I came home to visit.

Austin's water quality is pretty high compared to a lot of places. Sorry it's gone downhill since I left, but hopefully the city can stay on top of it.

[jread]

Originally Posted by Cha Ching

Austin's water quality is pretty high compared to a lot of places. Sorry it's gone downhill since I left, but hopefully the city can stay on top of it.

It hasn't... it's just as good as it ever was in my opinion, and still one of the top rated in the country.

[chacha1]

I don't drink it either. I think it's gross. Hats off to those who like it....but I do not.

[atlanta hope]

We have some filtration system that makes it taste better but even without the filter, it doesn't have that chlorine smell/taste that I've lived with in other places. I also saw a report that said Austin has less pharmaceutical crap in it -- that the water was pretty pure.

AP: Drugs found in drinking water - USATODAY.com

What's the alternative? Bottled water that comes from another city's tap and spend a lot more money and create a lot of plastic bottle waste?

Is Bottled Water Better Than Tap? - ABC News

And when you're drinking your bottled water, make sure it isn't old or doesn't get hot, cause it leaches nasty stuff into the water:

Plastic bottles leach chemicals into water: study

With all that said, I still drink bottled water over Coke any day.

[homeinatx]

They make Tito's Vodka out of it. It can't be all bad! My current pet theory is that the large limestone element in Austin water is why it is impossible to get a good pizza crust or a decent espresso in the area!