Many years ago I lived in India where the safest way to get drinking water was to boil water from the tap and then filter it in a very simple ceramic water filter (see attachment)

Can this kind of ceramic water filter be bought in Thailand?

Excellent thought provoking post. My wife swears that we need bottled water or multiple filters for drinking water. I quite happily drink boiled tap water. Maybe i am wrong but it doesnt make me ill, unless its some internal risk that i havent noticed.

Boiling will kill harmful bacteria but will nto remove contaminants like rust and other heavy metals, insecticide residue etc. How much that is a concern depends on your water source (point of origin and condition of pipes delivering it).

 

There are a wide range of filters on the market here, though more upscale than what you show pictured. They range from table top ones, ones that fit onto the tap, and whole house systems.

 

What is required, if anything, depends on your local water source.  Here in Bangkok nothing is required unless you want better taste.  For suspect water newer methods are much more effective than the old boil/filter of India days (hard to keep the filter clean).  RO systems alone are very effective and can be used with UV for almost 100%.  As said for specific conditions other filters may also be required.  One size does not fit all - but RO comes close.

thanks to Sheryl and Lopburi 3

We live in a condo in Pathum Thani city which takes water from the city and pumps it up to a tank on the 18th floor

I think city water is Ok but I do not feel comfortable to drink water after it has been stored for a certain time on the top floor in the hot weather

Therefore my wife buys from a local supplier RO water in plastic bottles of probably 20 liters...but regretfully with this water even the most expensive tea has no more taste

For this reason I was thinking of using the tap water, boil and filter it like many years ago in India 

That has not been our experience - but not tea drinkers.  Coffee seems to be much better tasting with the RO water to us.  

On 4/10/2018 at 3:46 PM, Sheryl said:

Boiling will kill harmful bacteria but will nto remove contaminants like rust and other heavy metals, insecticide residue etc. How much that is a concern depends on your water source (point of origin and condition of pipes delivering it).

 

There are a wide range of filters on the market here, though more upscale than what you show pictured. They range from table top ones, ones that fit onto the tap, and whole house systems.

 

"Rust and other heavy metals"? Oh dear. Rust is iron oxide. Iron is not a heavy metal. Lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium are classed as heavy metals due to their toxic effects. The probability of encountering these elements in groundwater is very small, unless the aquifer is contaminated by industrial activity nearby.

The only proven medical effect of rust in water, or iron ore dust inhalation, is immunity from anaemia. Medical professionals in the Pilbara iron ore province have never seen a case in people residing there.

Basically, boiling of water is sufficient for most water sources. And there is always the taste test after boiling.

 

We live in a condo in Pathum Thani city which takes water from the city and pumps it up to a tank on the 18th floor

I think city water is Ok but I do not feel comfortable to drink water after it has been stored for a certain time on the top floor in the hot weather

Quite right too. Tap water in cities should be fine IF it comes directly from the main supply and IF the pipework is in good order.
But most condo buildings and many houses have some sort of container between the main supply and the end user. In my building the tanks are huge and when cleaned every few years they produce the most disgusting mass of slime and gunge. You would not want to to drink anything that had been in that.

This is a ceramic filter, and available in Thailand for the "big blue" housing, or in smaller sizes for under the sink.