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You will see everyone drinks bottled water, the ice has gotten better over the years but you can still have some problems.

It depends on where you are in the city, where the water supply is stored, and the condition of the pipes from the supply to your tap. If you're in a newer area of the city, the water is drinkable, but I don't trust it and drink bottled, or boiled tap water anyway.

Also, read this thread from Ex-pat blog, from just last year. Of particular note is the posting by Jaitch:

/forum/viewtopic.php?id=200174

Yup, when in a developing country, spend a little more money or time to make sure that the water you take is potable.  I have been over there for a long time, my system is pretty well adjusted.  Yet, like Saigonmonkey, I still drink bottled water or boil mine, regardless.

Water, ice, street food, theft, there is always something to worry about if you like to worry.  Then there are those who wonder if bottle water is really safe.  My 10000 dong worth, bottle water is easier to carry around, eat where the Vietnamese eat and just enjoy life here in paradise.

ancientpathos wrote:

..  Then there are those who wonder if bottle water is really safe.  My 10000 dong worth, bottle water is easier to carry around, eat where the Vietnamese eat and just enjoy life here in paradise.

Just to add one more thing for you to worry about.  Even the water bottle isn't safe.  Make sure when you buy any product, you inspect it carefully. 

One time when I was in a hurry, I just stopped at a Tiệm Tạp Hóa (a mom and pop Quicky Mart) to buy some refrigerated water bottles.  Only after I paid for the bottles and left the store did I realize the "seals" was broken.  The people just used an empty Aquafina bottles, filled them with tap water, and stored it in the refrigerator. 



Kind of reminds me the scene from Slumdog Millionaire where the guy superglues the cap and seal back on water bottles.

I would avoid asking for water at street stalls, if you do eat there. At home, just stick to boiled water or bottled water like La Vie or Evian, may cost more, but safer.

THD, are you saying that people in Viet Nam are using dishonest business practices, shock,horror.

Tran Hung Dao wrote:

Make sure when you buy any product, you inspect it carefully.

Yes, and if you do that, you don't need to worry. One thing I've noticed about unscrupulous Vietnamese - they aren't that smart. And they think we're dumber than they are. You can usually spot products that have been tampered with very easily. All you have to do is not be in a hurry and use your senses. The water bottles that have been re-used will typically have scratched or cloudy plastic on the bottle, or faded and damaged labels. If it looks suspicious, don't drink it. And do this trick my paranoid Chinese wife always does - after you finish, thoroughly destroy the container of whatever you consumed, so it can't possibly be re-used, unless it's recycled. You'll be doing your part to protect the next consumer.

Sploke77 wrote:

I would avoid asking for water at street stalls, if you do eat there. At home, just stick to boiled water or bottled water like La Vie or Evian, may cost more, but safer.

I can't even buy a bottle of Aquafina without suspecting that it's really Aquafina.

I've reached for a bottle in a store only to find out its

AquaToka or AquaFuma brands. 

If they're sneaky enough to try to mimic the label of a well-known American brand (Aquafina is owned by Pepsi Co.), then it makes me wonder how pure the water is inside the bottle.

So where is the government to clamp down on the use of a very similiar name, no where to be seen.

Even though you can use sealed bottled water of reputed companies, sometimes you will compel to consume Saigon tap water
The way may be different: soft drink, tea, coffee, ice or in street foods! They may be boiled or not boiled(ice)
If possible take a bottle of water with you from home with you. You can pour it from your big container of water or just boil and fill in a clean bottle. If you can put some herbs when boil, it's a great drink!

Hi,
I am a local who was born in HCMC. I have drunk Saigon water for more than 25 years and still survive
However, there has been a lot of changes in various sources of water recently. And even if i am a local, i always check carefully any source of water before usage to be sure about the cleanliness and purity.

My uncle's girlfriend's family is in the bottled water business (the big 25 litre plastic drums). When the inspectors came to check if it was all upto standards, they didn't really care. All they were after really was their envelope (money) or a nice fancy drink up. They tend to turn up less often if they just got the envelope.
The consumers are left to look out for themselves really as them inspectors don't do their jobs!

Is that also the case with La Vie branded water?

The consumers are left to look out for themselves really as them  (correction : damn ) inspectors don't do their jobs!

I do recommend you do not take an ice on the street.
At home, of course you can buy a mineral water.

Cheers!

I don't think here we have a Health Inspection department who check regularly the quality of food and drink in factories or even restaurants and drink shops!

They do have inspectors, but as usual the white envelope clears up any problems they find.

So they are not interested in publicity
I know this department people try to get in the front page of the news papers by their raid stories in other countries! Vietnamese employees are really simple, just want to follow Mother Theresa!

Personally, some of people here in this thread oversaid. It is very recommended that you had better consider drink water from the safer and more reliable source. However, it is not as bad as scammer Tran Hung Dao Saigonmonkey or some guys else speaking of the bottled water sold in the street.  Aquafina is Aquafina, a brand of common bottled water. It is cheap and not worth to be counterfeited unless you guys are talking about Aqua Fuma, Aqua Toka or something else found in China. That is the speciality of China' imitating industry. The poor street vendors are very vulnerable and don't make any fault to deserve your offensive comments. Be mature and considerate as you are supposed to be, elderlies. If you can prove well they defraunded, let show us more evidence, not make it up.

I watch the VN news with my wife everyday, and everyday they have a new story about people getting caught counterfeiting something or selling something illegal.
People will do anything to save 1000 vnd, if you buy something that you know should cost 10,000vnd but it only cost 5,000vnd that should be a red flag to you.

I am sorry Anhthang,
But they are not over stating the problem of fake substitution in Vietnam, and if you want proof I suggest you start reading your own Vietnamese newspapers to see some of the rorts that are perpertrated on the unsuspecting public. The recent vermicelli noodle farce that comes to mind. My Vietnamese partner who is a chef reads them out to me frequently, in fact too frequently that I worry about who polices these factories and then I remember all it needs is an envelope and the problem goes away.