Travellers and Drinking Water
Travellers with weak immune systems  are being warned to avoid drinking water on planes

OTTAWA (CP) - Airline passengers with compromised immune systems are being warned to avoid drinking any tap water on flights - and that includes tea and coffee.

The new Health Canada advisory follows a series of random tests that revealed both total coliform and E. coli bacteria in some airline water systems.

Health Canada said 15.1 per cent of airlines tested positive for total coliform, while only 1.2 per cent showed traces of the more dangerous E. coli.

The presence of total coliform usually suggests water is of poor quality or stale.

Most of the contaminated water came out of washroom taps.

While all airlines have taken steps to sanitize their water systems, Health Canada said tap water can still be a danger.