Can those public Reverse Osmosis Water Filters be trusted?

[Grusa]

12 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

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!

I have two RO systems, different makes. All that look like the one in this link -

https://s.lazada.co.th/s.xuJng

are reliable and filters etc. cross compatible, there really isn't much to go wrong, and they are cheap to run, using about 7-10X more raw water  than they produce. For me, 100 litres of filtered water cost about 6baht to produce.

Spare parts are off-the-shelf items in Hompro, etc, but they charge at least twice the price of Lazada, if you don't count shipping cost.

[Aussie999]

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? 

 

 

It's Thailand, and you ask a question on trust...555

[Aussie999]

7 minutes ago, Aussie999 said:

It's Thailand, and you ask a question on trust...555

How did this get down voted, someone just doesn't like me... 555

[kimothai]

When I first came to Thailand, I shared a house with a friend who would get water from those public machines.  After drinking his coffee made with the water machine water, I would have a lot of issues with diarrhea but when I quit drinking the coffee it all went away (no more diarrhea).  Oddly it didn't seem to affect my friend, but he was taking a lot of meds for various ailments.  I now use a water machine and have water delivered.  They come once a week and replace the empty (18 liter) bottles that has the fee underneath.

[Andycoops]

I remember several years ago a test was carried out on roadside water vending machines and the results showed high levels of bacteria because after installation they are never cleaned.

 

I had 2 within a few metres of my condo never saw anyone ever maintaining them.

 

As they say, upto you...

[xtrnuno41]

NO, once had the water 1 bottle to use others standing by.

There was growth of alge in the standing by bottles. Just in shade and room temp.

Meaning absolutely not RO filtered, probably also no UVC disinfection lamp.

If you have really RO filtered then nothing is left in the water even bacterie and viruses are filtered out.

The UVC lamp is for extra to kill coincidence left overs.

RO Water is same like distillated water, ALL is out.

[Luuk Chaai]

On 6/4/2025 at 9:30 PM, 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.

 

it also supports the concentration of contaminates.........   not a great idea for everyday use

[Luuk Chaai]

Water dispensers in Thailand fail quality tests

Many living in Thailand rely daily on water dispensing machines to bring drinking water home. They are cheap, avaliable almost everywhere, and you can reuse your plastic bottles.

But 40% of these machines are not well maintained and failed to meet water-quality standards.

The department of health performed a study during 2016, in which they tested the water quality from dispenser machines all over Thailand. They found that much of the water contained bacteria and the levels of acid and basic salts did not meet the standards.

Dr Danai, deputy director-general of the department of health, said that the contaminated water poses a great risk of diarrhea, stomach problems, and amoebic dysentery.

If you are using water dispensers you should always look at labels on the machine and see when the last cleaning was. The cleaning should always be performed by a professional inspector from a reputable company. Also you should only use machines that are located in a safe and clean environment, do not use dispensers that are located next to a road.

[lanng khao]

Been using them for years,had no effect on me whatsoever only thing i have  noticed is its made one of my testicles bigger than the other two .

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, Luuk Chaai said:

it also supports the concentration of contaminates.........   not a great idea for everyday use

So I boil 2 litres of water, and lose about 5 mL in steam as it comes to the boil. I've concentrated the contaminates by 0.25%.

 

Next.

 

 

[henryford1958]

I have been drinking from the one at my condo for 15 years. Never had any problem and the water tastes OK.

[save the frogs]

<>

[save the frogs]

13 hours ago, Lacessit said:

So I boil 2 litres of water, and lose about 5 mL in steam as it comes to the boil. I've concentrated the contaminates by 0.25%.

 

Next.

 

 

 

good suggestion.

I should start boiling my water and putting it in glass bottles to cool off. 

 

[MarkBR]

23 hours ago, BangkokHank said:

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.

Diet, both food & drink high in oxalates is one major source of bladder stones.  In my case during a period of high stress, my mother was dying, it was due to too much red wine,and too much tea  (both high in oxalates).  Resulting bladder stone was pingpong ball sized - NOT PLEASANT.  Removed by blasting with lasers - LITHOTRIPSY.

[Lacessit]

22 hours ago, Aussie999 said:

How did this get down voted, someone just doesn't like me... 555

ASEAN has a clique of village idiots who downvote every post because they can. Stalkers.