Can those public Reverse Osmosis Water Filters be trusted?

[save the frogs]

There are some public Reverse Osmosis water filters out there.

 

1 Baht fills up a 1.5 litre bottle.

 

Are these filtration systems reliable? 

 

 

[hotsun]

Anything that requires maintenance i would give a pass. At my hotel room i had them clean the aircons because who knows how many burning seasons its been since they did it themselves

[scubascuba3]

No they can't be trusted, I now buy from Makro, you can trust them

[treetops]

Lots of previous discussion:

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1356543-1-baht-street-water-machines-do-they-have-filters

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1330524-are-the-water-dispensers-in-thailand-safe-to-drink/

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1284802-water-purification-machines-do-you-trust-them/

 

[JBChiangRai]

34 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

No they can't be trusted, I now buy from Makro, you can trust them

 

I have my own RO system, I'm not sure you can trust any supplier.

[save the frogs]

I just tried it. The water tasted a bit metallic.

Bought a bottle from 7-11 and could taste the difference.

Verdict for me: These water filtration systems cannot be trusted. 

 

Ideal is probably to filter your own, but it's a bit of an investment and work. 

 

Thanks for responses. 

 

[KhunLA]

Not unless you have a T      D     S   pen 

 

Anything else in the water, and your immune system should handle, or not.

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/pdp-i5155023386-s21788501923.html?c=&channelLpJumpArgs=&clickTrackInfo=query%3Atds%2Bpen%3Bnid%3A5155023386%3Bsrc%3ALazadaMainSrp%3Brn%3Aeefdeea980c0dd25f6d8bd948352126b%3Bregion%3Ath%3Bsku%3A5155023386_TH%3Bprice%3A109%3Bclient%3Adesktop%3Bsupplier_id%3A100533456319%3Bbiz_source%3Ah5_internal%3Bslot%3A2%3Butlog_bucket_id%3A470687%3Basc_category_id%3A12115%3Bitem_id%3A5155023386%3Bsku_id%3A21788501923%3Bshop_id%3A4549508%3BtemplateInfo%3A107882_D_E%231104_L%23-1_A3_C%23&freeshipping=1&fs_ab=2&fuse_fs=&lang=th&location=ปทุมธานี&price=109&priceCompare=skuId%3A21788501923%3Bsource%3Alazada-search-voucher%3Bsn%3Aeefdeea980c0dd25f6d8bd948352126b%3BoriginPrice%3A10900%3BdisplayPrice%3A10900%3BsinglePromotionId%3A-1%3BsingleToolCode%3AmockedSalePrice%3BvoucherPricePlugin%3A0%3Btimestamp%3A1748934009631&ratingscore=4.914893617021277&request_id=eefdeea980c0dd25f6d8bd948352126b&review=47&sale=132&search=1&source=search&spm=a2o4m.searchlist.list.2&stock=1

[Jerzy Swirski]

We have three public RO machines near us.

I have tested the water from them and they are all safe but the water tastes horrible, tea and coffee undrinkable.

 

I have bought a PVDF filter which filters down to 0.01 microns.

This should be almost as pure as RO water but still taste good.

When I get it installed I will know if the claims are true.

 

 

[mogandave]

I would not use them. 

 

I have Sprinkles water delivered in 18l bottles. 

[scubascuba3]

52 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

 

I have my own RO system, I'm not sure you can trust any supplier.

A big name and supermarket has more to lose if they supply dodgy water

[bkk6060]

For me clean water is an important part of life.  Saw one opened once the filter was full of bugs, filth and what looked like rat crap.  Good luck.

 

[unblocktheplanet]

1 hour ago, Jerzy Swirski said:

We have three public RO machines near us.

I have tested the water from them and they are all safe but the water tastes horrible, tea and coffee undrinkable.

 

I have bought a PVDF filter which filters down to 0.01 microns.

This should be almost as pure as RO water but still taste good.

When I get it installed I will know if the claims are true.

 

 

Where can we find one, please? Maintenance?

[Jerzy Swirski]

1 hour ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Where can we find one, please? Maintenance?

I got mine from Lazada.

I will be installing the PVDF with a UV purifier and a post carbon filter.

If the data is correct then this should give us good quality drinking water that tastes good.

I already have as much water testing equipment as I can get because I am fussy about water.

The incoming water has already been treated to remove calcium.

 

Maintenance is easy peasy.

Just open the waste valve once a month and it backflashes the system in a couple of minutes.

[KhunLA]

We just buy RO water, 18+L jugs (5 at a time, ~2X a month), delivered for 20 baht each, 15 if we picked them up.  Cheaper than a system, along with buying & replacing filters every 3-6-12 months, per recommendation.

 

Tested with T    D    S pen and consistently excellent quality.

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, KhunLA said:

We just buy RO water, 18+L jugs (5 at a time, ~2X a month), delivered for 20 baht each, 15 if we picked them up.  Cheaper than a system, along with buying & replacing filters every 3-6-12 months, per recommendation.

 

Tested with T    D    S pen and consistently excellent quality.

 

You buy online? From where? 

 

[KhunLA]

16 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

You buy online? From where? 

 

Local vendor, about 2 kms from house.  Since they deliver in nice SUV, we understand the delivery charge, especially since we only order 5 jugs at a time.  Phone in, and the owner delivers the next day.

 

They have pick ups for their, larger, scheduled delivery customers.

[Phantom57]

I have a couple of RO systems and been using them for about 14 years. They have definitely come down in price with the latest from Lazada about 5000 Baht. I replace the ( first filter, sediment) every 6 months, about 50 baht and the rest when the taste changes , about 2 years. Can also add additional Post carbon filters to the stack very cheaply.
Some facts, pure ( good) water has NO taste. People say RO water tastes funny. Hello, something is wrong with the system, suggest maintenance ( not high in Thai DNA).  <removed> testing is NOT about quality but how much ( unknown) dissolved chemicals are in the sample.Here is an excerpt from Google AI..

No, <removed> (Total Dissolved Solids) is not a good measure of overall water quality. While <removed> provides a measure of the total amount of dissolved minerals and salts in water, it doesn't indicate the presence or type of harmful contaminants. A low <removed> reading doesn't necessarily mean the water is safe to drink, and a high <removed> reading could be due to beneficial minerals or harmful pollutants. 
A working serviceable, well maintained RO system is probably the most affordable drinking water solution.  

 

 

 

[Phantom57]

For some reason using “<removed> “( Total Dissolved Solids) causes the script to remove it, 

[johng]

Yes its Trump's haters fault. 

[Yellowtail]

If you are in Bangkok, I recommend

 

https://sprinkle-th.com/en/product/detail/subscribemwater#59b0056a6aadff9ca

 

And this is a great cooler/heater, hot enough you do not need a kettle, ice cold or room temperature, and it's bottom loading you do not have to pick the bottles up. 

 

 

WATER DISPENSER ELECTROLUX EDBMFDXWO

[unblocktheplanet]

On 6/3/2025 at 5:17 PM, Jerzy Swirski said:

I got mine from Lazada.

I will be installing the PVDF with a UV purifier and a post carbon filter.

If the data is correct then this should give us good quality drinking water that tastes good.

I already have as much water testing equipment as I can get because I am fussy about water.

The incoming water has already been treated to remove calcium.

 

Maintenance is easy peasy.

Just open the waste valve once a month and it backflashes the system in a couple of minutes.

Thanks. Would you mind letting me know the Lazada URL? If that's not permitted on AN, please PM me. I guess I need some hand-holding!

[Lacessit]

On 6/3/2025 at 5:17 PM, Jerzy Swirski said:

I got mine from Lazada.

I will be installing the PVDF with a UV purifier and a post carbon filter.

If the data is correct then this should give us good quality drinking water that tastes good.

I already have as much water testing equipment as I can get because I am fussy about water.

The incoming water has already been treated to remove calcium.

 

Maintenance is easy peasy.

Just open the waste valve once a month and it backflashes the system in a couple of minutes.

I have to smile at people who spend up big on water purification equipment.

 

Boiling water distills off chlorine and chloramines. 

 

Boiling kills bacteria, viruses and oocysts such as giardia and cryptosporidia.

 

It does not remove heavy metals, which are as likely as winning Tattslotto.

 

I have been boiling water for 60 years, and have never contracted any illness from the water I drink.

 

Short answer to OP -I would trust a public RO as far as I could throw one.

 

[JaxxBKK]

On 6/3/2025 at 12:52 PM, save the frogs said:

There are some public Reverse Osmosis water filters out there.

 

1 Baht fills up a 1.5 litre bottle.

 

Are these filtration systems reliable? 

 

 

 

I used one for awhile. Then I just added 2 drop chlorine to the tap per liter. Now we have RO in our condo

 

In a word no.

 

It's not the water..it's the nozzle. You're better off just drinking BKK tap.

 

I never had problems but no one maintains them

[JaxxBKK]

49 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I have to smile at people who spend up big on water purification equipment.

 

Boiling water distills off chlorine and chloramines. 

 

Boiling kills bacteria, viruses and oocysts such as giardia and cryptosporidia.

 

It does not remove heavy metals, which are as likely as winning Tattslotto.

 

I have been boiling water for 60 years, and have never contracted any illness from the water I drink.

 

Short answer to OP -I would trust a public RO as far as I could throw one.

 

 

So, are you stating factually that Bangkok water has heavy metals in it? I just want to know so that the water authority can bring a defamation suit against you. That's all. Thank you

[Lacessit]

Just now, JaxxBKK said:

 

So, are you stating factually that Bangkok water has heavy metals in it? I just want to know so that the water authority can bring a defamation suit against you. That's all. Thank you

Quote: 

 

"It does not remove heavy metals, which are as likely as winning Tattslotto".

 

Where do I mention Bangkok water? What is defamatory about inferring the probability of heavy metals in water is very low?

 

I suggest you do a remedial course in reading.

 

[Muhendis]

If it's any help to anyone, I get all my water filter equipment from here:-  

https://www.duan-daw.com/

I have never had any problems with stuff bought from them.

[newbee2022]

On 6/3/2025 at 1:46 PM, save the frogs said:

Ideal is probably to filter your own, but it's a bit of an investment and work. 

Is 500 Baht a big investment for??? Wow 😂

[blaze master]

On 6/3/2025 at 2:00 AM, hotsun said:

Anything that requires maintenance i would give a pass. At my hotel room i had them clean the aircons because who knows how many burning seasons its been since they did it themselves

 

I find that I often get quite stuffed up sleeping in hotels in thailand. Leaving the room or turning off the air it goes away quite quickly.

 

[BangkokHank]

I'm pretty sure that getting water from one of those (dirty) machines for several years was the cause of my bladder stones a decade ago. Now I get my water delivered every week or two from Sprinkle.

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

Is 500 Baht a big investment for??? Wow 😂

they're only 500? that's a good deal.