Water.
Water is possibly the trickiest of Beijing utilities, but follow these simple suggestions, and you’ll be swimming in the wet stuff in no time!
Your home will most likely have three types of water – tap water, drinking water, and the euphemistically named “middle water.” Remember the cardinal rule – don’t drink the tap water! Though tap water is fine for cooking that involves boiling (e.g. rice), it’s nearly certain to make you ill if consumed straight from the tap.
The tap water bill is either posted on your door – to be paid at the bank by you or your landlord, or is collected in person by a meter-reader. This bill might amount to approximately ¥45/month for a three-person household. Remember, water is in perpetual short supply in Beijing, so do your best to conserve!
Drinking water will most likely come in the form of a water cooler in your home. Nearby convenience stores often offer delivery, otherwise there will be a dedicated delivery service for your apartment complex. Talk to your landlord to get the phone number for delivery or to set up a regular delivery schedule. Large (five gallon) bottles for water coolers typically cost around ¥15, delivery included.
The final type of water – middle water, or zhong shui – is toilet water. To find out if your apartment has a separate billing system for the toilet water, check your bathroom for a small access port that contains a card reader. Not all apartments have a separate payment system for toilet water, but newer ones tend to. You can top up the pre-paid toilet card in your apartment complex’s utilities office – once you’ve inserted the topped-up card in the reader, your supply will be recharged. The fee is nominal; usually ¥10 is the maximum amount a card will hold.