As the quality of water here is not regulated in the way you are perhaps used to, most families use water from water dispensers for drinking and cooking.
Water dispensers
It is common practice to have a water dispenser in your kitchen for all drinking and cooking and some families have drinking water in the bathrooms for teeth brushing, taking tablets etc. You can buy your own water dispenser from stores like Carrefour or Makro or even from an expat that is leaving. Make sure your staff have one too ensuring that everyone stays healthy. Bottled water can be delivered to your home from many small shops on most main roads. Ask one of your staff to look after ordering and payment. You will need to contract for weekly delivery. The 2 main suppliers in Jakarta are;
Bathing children
Most parents do bath their children in tap water. Making sure they don’t drink it is the main concern, if you are worried here are some tips;
- Don’t give them flannels or toys, they will automatically put them in their mouths.
- Shower them instead.
- A couple of drops of grapefruit seed extract are useful for sterilising water and keeping the bowel free of parasites.
Flouride
Fluoride is not present in drinking water (aqua) therefore you may wish to see your doctor/dentist for advice about whether to give your child fluoride or not and how best to do this i.e. drops, tablets or toothpaste. It is also important not to give too much fluoride as this can cause staining of the teeth so it’s a good idea to discuss it with your dentist. See here for further guidance.
Water filters
When negotiating a new lease on a house try and include the installation of a water filter if it doesn’t already have one. Some water filters can make the household water much easier to deal with i.e. not turning your laundry grey. However it is not advisable to drink from the taps as bacteria can still get through. If you do get a water filter, make sure you have a service contract to clean and repair the filters regularly.