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.
US here, live in the vicinity of Boston, Massachusetts. Water is very safe out of the tap - we get an annual report of what’s in it from the Mass. Water Resource Authority (MWRA) and it’s tested regularly. Tastes good too, if I’m honest. I would say that MOST developed areas of the US have perfectly safe drinking water out of the tap, though it doesn’t all taste very good (looking at you, Washington DC). However there are some more rural areas where the water out of tap is not safe for drinking, and where boiling or bottled water is recommended. I remember traveling out west back in 2010 and being surprised at this.