Water Quality: Big green/blue bottles that are delivered

[Saraburi121]

Always took it for granted that the water truck that comes by our village delivers "safe" water in the big green or blue jugs.  Asked the wife to stop buying the the 350ml bottles and just drink from the big jug to a glass, save from all the plastic.  She was not keen on that.  Said it was ok to cook with but not ok to drink.  Wonder what the delivered water quality is vs small bottles?   Friends say they have drank for years so think it is safe.  Maybe it is just convenience not to have to tip the big jug?

[jackdd]

I do of course not know your specific water delivery service, but in general this water is safe to drink.

Usually they also offer smaller bottles if you don't like the big jugs.

[Saraburi121]

34 minutes ago, jackdd said:

I do of course not know your specific water delivery service, but in general this water is safe to drink.

Usually they also offer smaller bottles if you don't like the big jugs.

I don't know the specifics of the water delivery service either, maybe I should ask and do some research.  They don't offer small bottles only the jugs. Of course they are going to tell you that it is as pure as spring water if you ask. Who knows?

[Kwasaki]

Use them for years. 

 

[CharlieH]

Get a testing kit if you are concerned. See for yourself.

 

Personally, I agree with the "ok to cook" statement and I use brand name bottle water for drinking. At 6 baht a bottle or less it seems to be a better option in my opinion.

 

Each to their own choice I guess.

[Saraburi121]

9 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Get a testing kit if you are concerned. See for yourself.

 

Personally, I agree with the "ok to cook" statement and I use brand name bottle water for drinking. At 6 baht a bottle or less it seems to be a better option in my opinion.

 

Each to their own choice I guess.

Testing kit wouldn't do much good as the quality and source of each bottle differs more than likely.  Thinking about putting in a reverse osmosis system in for the house.  Village well produces well but a bit of research to do. 

[CharlieH]

3 hours ago, Saraburi121 said:

Testing kit wouldn't do much good as the quality and source of each bottle differs more than likely.  Thinking about putting in a reverse osmosis system in for the house.  Village well produces well but a bit of research to do. 

No offence but that made me smile, I have seen the local supplier of those bottles filling them from a hose pipe connected to the village supply,so no, the supply would be the same (in that case).

Our village system is diabolical and typical of rural Thailand. The sludge that comes through is unreal ! I dont believe they can be using any effective filtering on it, but of course they claim they do. I think you give too much credit to what actually goes on and is why I prefer to buy a brand, atleast the illusion is better.????

 

Naturally locations etc will vary, this is Thailand.

[fishtank]

Logic tells me that they cannot produce and deliver 20 litres for 10 Baht.

Equipment. Truck. Diesel. Staff. 

 

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, fishtank said:

Logic tells me that they cannot produce and deliver 20 litres for 10 Baht.

Equipment. Truck. Diesel. Staff. 

 

And logic tells me they can, because they do!

 

I have visited a couple of these bottling plants, my wife's family have one near Sawang Daen Din and our own Phu Yan operates one.

 

I could not see that there is any reason to doubt that they carry out the procedure correctly and both have  what I presume to be certificates of compliance on the walls.

 

We've used the 20 ltr jugs for over 7 years for drinking and cooking and have never had cause for concern.

 

Edited April 3, 2021 by Moonlover

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, fishtank said:

Logic tells me that they cannot produce and deliver 20 litres for 10 Baht.

Equipment. Truck. Diesel. Staff. 

 

Well logically they do deliver and it's 15 baht its 10 baht if you go and change the bottle yourself but we are very rich.

They are 20 kilos so for us they collect the initial bottle which you pay a deposit on replacement, we have 2 and call them when one runs out.

 

I've seen their sophisticated filter system a UV water filter system, the Ultraviolet rays are used to kill the harmful bacteria from the water.

Hence the water is completely disinfected from pathogens. 

UV water purifier is good for health because it kills all the harmful microbes present in the water without affecting the taste.

[Adiudon]

I've used the big bottles for 5-6 years, 10 Baht delivered, 13 Baht collected from the local shop in my village. We use this water for cooking & drinking.

I remember only once there being a problem, opening the bottle you could smell diesel, obviously having been filled with fuel previously.

[kwonitoy]

used the blue ones for the past 20 years on this style of cooler, 20 baht per bottle delivered inside the house. Never had any problems

[giddyup]

13 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Use them for years. 

 

Is that a battery operated pump or just a push pump? Mind saying where you bought it and how fast is the water flow?

[giddyup]

1 hour ago, kwonitoy said:

used the blue ones for the past 20 years on this style of cooler, 20 baht per bottle delivered inside the house. Never had any problems

That's cheap, we pay 40 baht for that size.

[colinneil]

1 minute ago, giddyup said:

That's cheap, we pay 40 baht for that size.

Same here 10 baht per bottle.

[giddyup]

9 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Same here 10 baht per bottle.

You get what you pay for!

[Kwasaki]

31 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Is that a battery operated pump or just a push pump? Mind saying where you bought it and how fast is the water flow?

My Mrs bought from shopee push button battery powered  and charge it like a phone about once a month, we fill the kettle for tea & coffee and a glass with ice for water drinks. 

[giddyup]

15 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

My Mrs bought from shopee push button battery powered  and charge it like a phone about once a month, we fill the kettle for tea & coffee and a glass with ice for water drinks. 

Just ordered one from Lazada (had a bad first experience with Shopee), 92 baht delivered. https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i1157680210-s2713170409.html?urlFlag=true&mp=1

Edited April 3, 2021 by giddyup

[Kwasaki]

Just now, giddyup said:

Just ordered one from Lazada (had a bad first experience with Shopee), 92 baht delivered.

Your find it handy and cheap enough to replace.

The Mrs bought 2 for when the other is charging but battery last a good while. ????

[chilly07]

Used these for 8 years with no problems. However these and smaller bottles always taste of plastic and apparently contain minute particles of the stuff.

[Saraburi121]

Did some research and the big bottles we buy come from a reputable business.  Going to buy one of the pitchers with a filter on it to see if the wife likes it. From reading on TV and other sources big bottles should be safe as any to drink.   Cut out all the single use small plastic bottles.  We give our glass and plastic bottles to a lady who sells them but still a lot of waste. 

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

Same here 10 baht per bottle.

 

1 hour ago, giddyup said:

You get what you pay for!

Is there something special about your water then? ????

 

[Bangkok Barry]

18 hours ago, jackdd said:

I do of course not know your specific water delivery service, but in general this water is safe to drink.

Usually they also offer smaller bottles if you don't like the big jugs.

 

We recently bought a mini pump that transfers water from the big bottles to 1.5 litre or smaller ones. Never had any problems health-wise, but it might depend - would depend - on what business you source the water from and the quality of their set-up.

 

It does show you the enormous profit the small bottle companies make, doesn't it. One enormous bottle costs 10 baht, the same as a small one in the supermarket. Might be the biggest rip-off in Thailand, and that would really be saying something.

[giddyup]

2 hours ago, Moonlover said:

 

Is there something special about your water then? ????

 

Yes, it comes from a mountain spring high in the Himalayas, the purest water in the world.

[Golden Triangle]

We get the large bottles delivered, 40 Baht each, we have 2 sometimes 3 a week, we have the rechargeable pump as seen above in another post, I checked on the FB page of the company we use ( Pattaya ) reverse osmosis, been using them a few years now & when we moved they followed & still deliver weekly, I also give them a Christmas box every year ????

 

I think the Christmas box confuses them but the Mrs explains, ????

[Moonlover]

49 minutes ago, giddyup said:

3 hours ago, Moonlover said:

 

Is there something special about your water then? ????

 

49 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Yes, it comes from a mountain spring high in the Himalayas, the purest water in the world.

A bargain then! ????

 

Actually this price differential issue has been raised before. A guy came on here last year. He'd moved up to Kalasin and was surprised when he found that he only had to pay 10 Baht after paying 40 in Bangkok.

 

I think there are 2 factors. Bore holes will not be too near urban areas, so there will be additional transport costs involved. Also the income of the rural areas. There's no way they could sell them at 40 baht in the villages of upper Thailand. A clear case of market forces I feel.

[alacrity]

Depends on your source and how you use the bottle. Some time ago (in Phuket) we opted to rely upon delivered water as a source of potable water and subsequently purchased a cooler for such bottles.

 

Being generous, about 30% of bottles were of dubious structural integrity and collapsed,. Resulting in a leakage of the contents  (usually in the early hours of the morning). Other bottles were contaminated with green algae. We tried several vendors, including purchasing direct from the bottling font. Without improvement.

 

Have filtered our own supply ever since.

[unblocktheplanet]

I, too, have been mulling reverse osmosis. They sure are big, ugly mothers & use expensive replacement filters.

 

The two problems with them I see, other than cost 10-13k, is there's only one tap. Our old-style filter delivers clean water in the outdoor kitchen & also to an indoor tap.

[meechai]

17 hours ago, fishtank said:

Logic tells me that they cannot produce and deliver 20 litres for 10 Baht.

Equipment. Truck. Diesel. Staff. 

 

 

Your not far from wrong...same as all the water machines you see roadside.

Yes it can clean water if maintained "properly"

 

Now for those that have lived in Thailand long enough step back & think if that is likely?

Spend some profits to change Filters etc regularly to maintain purity or pocket profits?

 

OP suggestion for you....go to house that is supplying the big bottles to your area.

If your in rural area it is a house not a factory.

 

Take a look around & see how things are done. How bottles returned are being cleaned/filled etc

See how equipment looks

 

Then you will have your answer

 

In our area it is a very clean setup & the owner was very proud to show me his reports

gained thru formal testing & the excellent results. That plus his pride in doing a job well done made me

feel fine about his product

Edited April 3, 2021 by meechai

[Andycoops]

I just buy 6litre bottles from Tesco or BigC 29 baht.

If your concerned buy a water quality pen meter from Lazada, cheap as chips.