Aqua

The pursuit of water in Angola is never ending for the locals and expats alike.  The municipal water is not safe to drink so there is a constant need for clean water.  If locals have access to tap water they don't drink it so bottled water is a huge business here.  That bottled water also leads to a lot of plastic trash - more then you can imagine in some areas.  You see people in the poorest areas of town carrying water jugs home - either on their head or on a makeshift cart (like a wheelbarrow).

I am not sure if the water to our building is provided by the city/government like at home or through a water delivery truck - either way the water is yellow and unsafe to consume.  Our company provides a UV filter for some of the water in the kitchen but we do use the building water to wash dishes and shower - I just think positive thoughts (and keep my mouth closed in the shower) because I can't imagine another option.   The UV treated water is supposed to be safe to drink but is still a bit yellow so we use an additional step of filtering it again through a Berkey Filter.  This water is very clean and we use it to drink, wash produce and cook with.

UV filtered water source

Berkey water filter

YES all produce has to be washed in clean water - there are various methods available to clean with but I am using the most common which is a bleach solution.  You can choose to just scrub them good and peel everything or do a vinegar wash but for now the bleach feels the most secure way to ensure the food is safe.  Basically you fill the sink with filtered (or bottled) water add a bit of bleach solution (available at the grocery stores specifically for this use) and then let all your veggies/fruits soak for 15 minutes.  Then you can rinse in filtered water and let air dry.  It is a bit laborious (and takes a LOT of water) but so far we have had no troubles.  In case your wondering why the need - first the produce is physically much dirtier then the US - lettuce has bugs/dirt in the leaves, potatoes are covered in dirt etc.  Second there is no guarantee on the growing process - what water was used or how it was fertilized (if you get my drift!).  Third there is very little cleanliness in the shipping process and at the stores - most produce sections have lots of flies hanging out and I can only imagine what the store room might look like.  Availability of produce is not as bad as I expected but still leaves a lot to be desired most days  and there is no guarantee you can find what you want or expect it to be there the next day.  Think about me washing veggies next time you open a nice bag of baby spinach and just throw it in the bowl for salad! :)

Produce bonanza!  Strawberries and cherry tomatoes made me giddy at the store!

Tomatoes and an avocado - avocados are strange with huge pits but taste okay