WaterLeaks

Skip the tap water in Mexico and stick to bottled, purified, boiled, or filtered water, the same thing most locals do. Ice and coffee at reputable places are usually fine, but it never hurts to ask.

Brita water is safe to drink and the filters genuinely improve chlorine taste and odor at a low price. The real question is scope: granular activated carbon reduces a shorter list of contaminants than solid carbon block filters.

A standard Brita filter should be changed about every 40 gallons, roughly every two months, and the Brita Elite about every 120 gallons, roughly every six months. Running any pitcher filter past its lifespan, ours included, can leave your water worse than unfiltered tap.

A TDS meter measures dissolved minerals, not safety. Water can read zero TDS and still contain lead, PFAS, pesticides, or bacteria, so a low reading is not proof that your water is clean.