Although Beijing’s tap water is very clean—maybe the cleanest in the country—it’s still not safe enough to drink from the tap. It’s a traditional custom for the Chinese to drink hot, boiled water or tea, although this grew out of necessity, not taste. Your choices for drinking water vary, so we’ll go over your options on how to obtain safe drinking water.

The first option is the most traditional method for most Chinese. Simply boil your tap water in a kettle or pot and let it cool a little before drinking. Boiling will simply kill all the bacteria and contaminants in the water, albeit with all the minerals in it as well. This is the cheapest method and most accessible by all means.

The next option is purchasing bottled water. You can purchase larger liter jugs or even the giant 5-gallon jug varieties. With the larger water jugs, it’s recommended you invest in a water dispenser to make it convenient to have safe cool and hot water to drink from. You may choose to have your drinking water delivered to you or find a purified water machine where you can refill your water jug. The cost for a 5-gallon jug, delivered, varies by brand, with the cheapest around 10 RMB to 25 RMB for name brands.

Water purifiers have become more popular in recent years, able to be installed directly to your water source or have water purified in large containers used in conjunction with a water dispenser. Water purifying equipment uses a system of filters and hoses to purify your water on demand. The cost of these systems can range anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand RMB, plus these systems cost a lot of money upfront and are inconvenient to uninstall and reinstall in case you move.

No matter which route you take, make sure to invest in safe drinking water. It is essential to your health and overall well-being.