Water, Cairo

Well, this is something the most of you already know. Avoid any contact with a tap water. No ice, no veg or fruits if you can't peal or cook them..
But if you get sic follow this advice please!!!
First day when you arrive in Egypt go to any pharmacy and buy ENTOCID ( pronounce- entoseed ) tablets. The pack of 8 costs only 2 LE . On the first sighn of sicknes drink at once 2 tablets and after take them for few days, one in the morning and one in the evening. (although the problems are most likely to stop in few hours after first two)
Belive me it is working. The advice was given to us from Serbian guide who lives there for last 8 years.

I have to put this tip on all of my Egypt pages.

At the beggining I thought they were saying "don't drink tap water" because of bacteria or pathogen or something like this.

The truth is that this water IS OVERCHLORINATED. Some travelers have not been used to such amounts of chlorine and this sends them to the toilet for days. Don't risk it. Drink bottled.

It is always safer to buy bottled water than to attempt to drink from the tap. The water is frequently over chlorinated, or smells of sewage.
Likewise avoid the river. If taking a trip on a felucca or sailing boat, don't dangle your hand in the water no matter how tempting it may be. The Nile is dirty.

but not a drop to drink?

Judging by some posters. the tap water in Cairo is either an infallible way of seeing Egypt from the vantage point of the nearest toilet acceptable to your Western sensibilities, or so heavily chlorinated that you've been the victim of a primitive WMD.

Posssibly the raging trots are like the ancient mariner, and I am blessed by not being the one in three loosening trousers and calculating distances.

Tap water in Cairo is perfectly drinkable. I've drunk worse in the UK. Sure, bottled is nicer. And might come from a fridge. And its what I drink from choice. But when you order a coffee or even a lemonade in a cafe, it should invariably be accompanied by a glass of water. It is if you're egyptian. In some places they don't bring tourists the water, knowing they'll leave it 95% of the time.

..and for me personally I was also trying to drink some bottled water that was Lebanese (since Im used to it, like Sahat) or some french bottled water like evian. Whatever your choice is, NEVER drink tap water.

I was in this hotel in Cairo, on the tenth floor and I was only drinking bottled water. Then, I had this totally STUPID idea to rinse my mouth with tap water. I mean, after all, I wasn't going to swallow it. SO WHAT? The nano-second that water got into my mouth, I was doomed. I wound up with a case of diarrhea that lasted for over two weeks, long after I was back in Italy, heading up for Paris. NEVER let any of their water CLOSE to your mouth.

Dont drink tap water,it`s like drinking chlorine,always drink botteld.

There are plenty of local brands of bottled water (Baraka,Siwa,& Hayat)as well as many other worldwide known names like Evian,Nestle ,Dassani and Schweppes.

Dont drink the water, its not worth the pain! There are plenty of bottles of the usual, plus arabic brands too. And especially when you arrive, be careful. Even brushing your teeth can cause some rumblings down below! Also best to avoid salads and fruit and veg in restaurants that have been washed in local water for the first few days.

Bilharzia is occurring in Egypt and you should avoid any contact with the river Nile's water. There is an expression that says "If you drink the water of the River Nile, you will come back again." I would say that if you drink the water of the River Nile you might never leave...

not because of parasites or bacteria, but because it's loaded with chlorine to kill the parasites or bacteria. unless you drink swimming pool water all day long, your digestive system probably can't handle it. but don't worry, bottled water is everywhere and relatively cheap!