You know, I never fully appreciated the great water we have on tap, until we travelled around Australia with our caravan back in 2001.
Before that, I really couldn’t understand the craze for bottled water.
Can you imagine how folk only 20 years ago would have laughed at the thought of paying good money for a bottle of water?! Especially when it is freely (well not quite, we do have to pay for it in our rates bill) available at the turn of a tap!
As we travelled all over the countryside (just like the Leyland Brothers 😉 ), we became true water connoisseurs. We never realised how good we had it in our home town, or how terrible the water was elsewhere!
- Adelaide water (apologies to any readers who live there) was every bit as foul as I’d been warned.
- Tasmanian water wasn’t much better – which surprised me, given the way the mere mention of the Apple Isle conjures up images of pristine nature.
- On the Nullarbor, we had to pay to take a shower or fill the water tank on our van – not so shocking now, but unprecedented back then (for us anyway).
- In Portland (Victoria), the hard bore water made it impossible to get any soapy lather when washing.
One of the best things about coming home from that trip (apart from our precious kitty cat Chloe running to greet us, miaowing enthusiastically, even after six months away), was being thankful for the water in our taps.
I don’t know if where we live (in the Redlands, just outside of Brisbane) has the best water in Australia, but what I do know is that it tastes great AND it’s a pleasure to wash with.
So today, I am thankful for water – and writing about it has made me thirsty so I am going to help myself to a refreshing glass of aqua fresca, right now!
What’s the water like where you live?!
Joining up with:
Water…we can’t live without it and our brains need it to function. I heard that from an education professional and from then on, teachers were encouraged to let the kids have drink bottles (water only) in class as hydration helps with learning. I love the convenience of various sized bottles of water which I can carry when I am out of the house. I also drink tap water. At times we can taste the chlorine. The good thing about drinking the tap water, particularly for kids, is that in my state at least, fluoride is added to the water. Kids’ dental problems are less when they drink this water. Great topic Janet! Denyse x
I’m not sure if there is fluoride here or not – it never used to be in Brisbane’s water supply because I can remember being given fluoride tablets when I was little. I like to take a bottle (sometimes purchased, sometimes my own bottle with tap water) with me wherever I go nowadays!
I started drinking bottled water (when out) in the early 1990s. I was a diet coke addict even then and I’d occasionally go to a local cafe for lunch with a work friend. I’d usually have had a DC or two or three and would be tempted to just buy another at lunch, but I figured if I was going to buy a drink I’d spend the money on water which is healthier.
Of course years later when I worked in developing countries I came to appreciate access to bottled / clean or filtered water far more…
Yes! I forgot to mention that I was very thankful for bottled water when we went to Bali earlier this year!
I’ll never forget when as kids Dad was transferred out bush to Mitchell (Qld). We lived there for 2 years when I was in mid primary school. There was BORE water out at Mitchell and it was disgusting! You had to boil it before you could drink it. There was no bottled water back then. So yes I am very grateful for our water too! 🙂 #TeamLovinLife
It’s horrible to drink and to wash in!
I don’t know if it’s the water or the pipes, but we have to run ours in the morning to get rid of the yellow. It does clear quickly but yeah… It’s not great!
Ewwwwww! I’d be tempted to boil it before use …
We do take our goo quality tap water for granted Janet. We had the same experience when we travelled around Australia. Water is a precious commodity in the outback areas and we had to carry extra water with us and really watch every drop. I agree that our parents and grandparents would be in shock that we now actually pay for bottled water. 🙂 #TeamLovinLife
Just one of the many things you learn to appreciate when travelling!
Our water down south is good, although in Perth it was very chloriney. When we lived in the foothills of the Himalayas in Nepal we had to put the water through various filters, five times, before we could drink it. Our kitchen was like a science lab!
Wow you have sure lived in some exotic places Jo!
I’m thirsty just reading about water Janet! Isn’t it surprising how water tastes different in each State. Also I find the water on the GC is different to Brisbane. Water is vital to survival and yes I’m a bottle water girl.
Sue from Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond.
Even in different towns Sue.
Aaaah yes, the hard & soft water debate. It’s only when it tastes crap from the tap (or in Asia when you can’t drink from the tap) that you realise just how lucky we are. #TeamLovinLife
Yes, I noticed that when we were in Bali at the beginning of the year.
We have a rainwater tank and I love having great tasting water to drink and in coffee etc. I don’t buy bottled water at all – except when we went to Bali – what a Godsend it was then (compared to years ago when it was hard to come by over there) last visit it was cheap and plentiful and very much appreciated!
When I was little, tank water used to freak me out because I worried about frogs or toads living in the tank. Mind you I don’t know where I thought tap water came from and what made it “cleaner”!
Sydney water is pretty good, I reckon!
It seemed just fine to me when I was there in April for a couple of days 😉
I’m from Canberra and our water tastes the best of all the capitals I think 🙂 When I travel, the first thing I do is find a supermarket and stock up on bottled water. I also like rainwater – spent my childhood summers in South Australia where it was the only drinking water option and gave me an appreciation for how precious it is.
I can’t remember Canberra water – so it must have been okay! 😉
I LOVE Canberra water. Love love love love love. I can taste water in other cities, but Canberra water just tastes totally fresh to me. For which I am grateful.
#teamlovinlife
I’m so thankful for water too because it gave me a job. 😉
But water coming through a tap can be taken for granted and not everywhere in Australia has nice tasting water.
We’re drinking rain water up here and it’s the best water I’ve ever drunk. No chlorine or fluoride or whatever else goes into tap water. It was hard to get used to at first because it’s so soft I couldn’t wash the conditioner out of my hair!
I hardly ever use conditioner for that reason.