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Generally speaking it is safe to drink tap water in most areas in Nicaragua.
Many people who live here drink it. While others do not.
As a precaution we recommend that visitors of Nicaragua drink bottled water.
A WORD ABOUT WATER IN NICARAGUA
Tap water in most municipalities in Nicaragua is chlorinated.
Fuente Pura bottled water is commonly used at vacation rentals and hotels throughout the country.
At restaurants in the more touristy areas of Nicaragua the use of bottled water and purified ice is standard practice.
On the other hand if you’re at a small local beach bar or traveling off the beaten path ice may not be made with purified water. So in this case you may want to go without.
INSIDER TIP: Unsure whether or not the ice is purified? Check the shape. Purified ice is typically cylinder shaped with a hole in the center.
A BIT ABOUT OUR DRINKING WATER HABITS
While we drink tap water on occasion we primarily drink filtered or bottled water.
We use tap water to wash our fruits and vegetables. We also cook with it and brush our teeth with it. Because our tap water has an earthy flavor we prefer to use filtered water to make ice.
When we first moved to Nicaragua we drank Fuenta Pura that we purchased in large bottles known as bidones.
At $2 USD per 5 gallons (after a 150 córdoba deposit for the bottle the first time) this was an affordable option for us. We’ve always had a vehicle so transporting the bottles from the store to home wasn’t a big deal.
AN ALTERNATE TO BOTTLED WATER
It has been a couple of years since we started using a locally produced water filter made by Filtron.
With this system you simply pour tap water into the ceramic pot that contains colloidal silver. The water seeps through the pot into the catchment bucket removing any potential impurities and bacteria.
This purifier works great for us.
The initial cost of $45 USD for the system was recovered quickly. We’re now saving money and our planet. Not having to lug around 5 gallon jugs is an added bonus!
THE BOTTOM LINE
On occasion we have experienced digestive distress while living in Nicaragua. Contrary to what many believe the upsets were more likely a result of poor hygiene of the individual(s) preparing our food, not from tap water or non purified ice.
Don’t stress! Consuming a glass or two of tap water or a few cubes of non purified ice while in Nicaragua is unlikely to cause any problems.
Thank you for the article. Where does one buy the filter On?
Hi Tim,
According to their website Filtron has a head office and factory in Jinotepe. They also have “sale points” listed for two locations in Managua. If you’d like to contact them to their email address is: safiltron@yahoo.es.
Cheers,
Elisha
We’ve been living here for just over a year. We buy bottled water for 2 reasons. First the taste is consistent and clean. Second we use a hot/cold dispenser that takes the 5 gallon bottles. I like my water cold for drinking and it saves refrigerator space. The hot water is handy if you want a fast cup of tea. We use the municipal water for cooking, soups, coffee, ice, ice tea and lemonade with absolutely no adverse effects. The water is treated and perfectly safe. Having worked on many water and sewer projects, I can say without hesitation: “The safest water is the water that comes out of your tap even more so than the commercially bottled water.” Taste is the only factor, I don’t like chlorine and fluoride, just a personal thing for me.