SA tap water unsafe for tourists, warns global holiday company

Visiting SA? Don’t drink the tap water. This is the advice from holiday company Globehunters upon the release of its new map showing tourists where to avoid tap water.

The upcoming six-month closure of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project tunnel will have implications for water supply to South Africa, says the department of water and sanitation.
The upcoming six-month closure of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project tunnel will have implications for water supply to South Africa, says the department of water and sanitation. (123RF/maridav)

Visiting SA? Don't drink the tap water.

This is the advice from holiday company Globehunters on the release of its new map showing tourists where to avoid tap water.

"When travelling around the world, it's important to keep your health in mind and one of the things many take for granted is access to drinkable tap water," Globehunters said in its blog.

The map, based on advice from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lists fairly major tourist destinations such as Brazil, China, Russia, Hong Kong, India and Mexico.

"It's important to note that the following advice doesn't mean that water in a country is unsafe or polluted, just that as a tourist, your body will not be used to the water in the area," said Globehunters.