USVI-On-Line

Possibly a silly question.

The house we'd rented in the past had a water filter in the kitchen. We were advised not to drink tap water, but to filter it first. We did.

The house we'll be renting next week does not have a filter and the agency recommends not drinking the tap water.

So...do we just buy a gazillion gallons of water with those blue labels on them? If so, not that I'm a super environmentalist or anything, but can I refill them anywhere? I'd hate to be throwing away all that plastic (never remember seeing recycling dumpsters on the island).

Thanks!

At the lumber yard there is stj ice company they will refill them for I think .75 a gallon

If in the Salt Pond area, check at the Concordia store; we refilled there last November.

I have to be honest here and say that I have never had a problem drinking the water in any of the villas on island.

I wonder why your villa is different?

Seriously, I refill our water bottles every night with tap, freeze it and drink the next day without any difficulties.

We've stayed all over STJ.

I've been seeing this more and more -- folks buying water-- and am curious as to whether it's taste preference or what. Because to my knowledge (since 1995 at least) I've never had a problem drinking water from the tap.


Just my .02

We buy the gallons at St. John Ice and refill them.

Gromit, XIslandgirl posted about this once so I hope she chimes in. She made some good points about how all the water in the house comes from the cistern which is rain water and how other 'things' can be in the cistern. In the past, I too have drank water from the fridge filter but I don't any longer since her post.

Appreciate the info. I wonder if locals buy their water?

I drank the tap water without a thought (I grew up drinking well water so it didn't concern me) until a 50+ year resident explained to me why she doesn't drink the cistern water - cat and bird poop, little critters getting washed down, dust and dirt accumulation, etc.

I assume settlement would take care of some of that stuff but depending on water levels, the height of the pump - I don't drink it anymore.

Yeah, the sight of a rotting belly-up iguana in a cistern is enough to make me not want to drink it!

I’m not convinced that cat poop could get in it though, as cats bury their business.

I will drink tap water at STJ restaurants since they have filtration systems and get tested for water quality.

The person who told me about the cats said her cat would sun itself on the roof and scratch in the gutters to use the potty. Apparently the gutters collected dried leaves and bits materials that appealed to kitty. (being a cat person, I too was curious about cats pooping on roofs and asked about it.)

Nancy_B wrote:We buy the gallons at St. John Ice and refill them.

Gromit, XIslandgirl posted about this once so I hope she chimes in. She made some good points about how all the water in the house comes from the cistern which is rain water and how other 'things' can be in the cistern. In the past, I too have drank water from the fridge filter but I don't any longer since her post.

Remember the scene in Don't Stop the Carnival? Yea...snakes and bugs and stuff might have been the term Gilbert used.

That was my reasoning.

Thanks for the help on the refills. To St John Ice I will go!

pipanale wrote:
Thanks for the help on the refills. To St John Ice I will go!

where is this located again?

PA Girl wrote:The person who told me about the cats said her cat would sun itself on the roof and scratch in the gutters to use the potty. Apparently the gutters collected dried leaves and bits materials that appealed to kitty. (being a cat person, I too was curious about cats pooping on roofs and asked about it.)

Very interesting. I guess it would be safe to assume that all cisterns contain lizard and bird droppings and only the lucky ones also have cat poop

It is located in the lumber yard complex just up the road from where mixology used to be.

waterguy wrote:It is located in the lumber yard complex just up the road from where mixology used to be.

no wonder .. in the past Charlie would never let us get past Mixology!

God I'm starting to sound like a local past where something used to be next it will be turn right where the cow stands some of the time. LOL