Drinking water varieties

Tap water:

• All tap water to be drunk by babies under 6 months should be boiled and then cooled.
• Until your baby is 6 months old, you should bring all tap water that is being used for formula to the boil before it’s used.
• Tap water in most metropolitan areas contains fluoride which helps protect your teeth against decay. If you don’t drink tap water you should consider taking a fluoride supplement.

Rain water:

• Because of the possibility of bacteria and contamination, rain water should always be boiled before it is drunk – regardless of age. This particularly important for the very young, the old and the ill.
• While rainwater usually contains very few chemicals, it’s not recommended that you drink it – even after boiling – if you live in a heavy traffic or industrial area.

Tap filters:

• Tap filters work only to take out the large particles from water – they can’t remove fluoride or any other dissolved minerals.
• Filters cannot protect you from getting an infection from the water it filters, so filtered water should be treated in the same way tap water is – you should boil it for babies under 6 months.
  

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This article was written by Ella Walsh for Kidspot. Sources include SA Government’s Parenting and Child Health and Public Health.