For context, I live in Hong Kong where most people drink tap water after boiling first. Some may install water filter but may still boil the water. Very few drink bottle water unless they’re outside and too lazy to bring their own bottles.
Now, I’m researching whether I can drink tap water in Iceland (I’m going there in August), and while it looks like the answer is affirmative, almost no web article mention whether I need to boil the water first. People in Japan (a country I’ve visited a few times) also seems to be used to drink tap water directly without boiling.
The further I searched, the more it seems to me that in developed countries (like US, Canada and the above examples), tap water is safe to drink directly. Is that true? Do you drink tap water without boiling?
It sounds like a stupid question but I just can’t believe what I saw. I think I experienced a cultural shock.
Editted: wow, thanks so much for the responses and sorry if I didnt reply to each one of you but I’ll upvote as much as as I can. Never thought so many would reply and Lemmy is a really great community.
Also in Australia, and I do boil when it’s rain water or ask the locals first before drinking tap water. Bigger cities are fine but small remote towns can sometimes have untreated tap water.
If you’re drinking tank water I would definitely boil it, but from the mains I don’t believe this is necessary anywhere in Australia. But I’m happy to be corrected if I’m mistaken on that.
I’ve never heard of having to boil tank water before, is this a requirement or more of a precaution?