Home Water Purifiers

[YoungFarang13]

does the water taste good?

anyway to check the water and make sure its working correctly/doing its job?

where to buy one in bangkok?

[YoungFarang13]

no interest in this topic? does everyone here lug bottles home from 711?

[kmart]

does the water taste good?

anyway to check the water and make sure its working correctly/doing its job?

where to buy one in bangkok?

The water tastes ok. The one we use in our office kitchen has three stages of carbon filter from the tap outlet, and filters usually should be replaced about once / year.

The main thing is that no-one has ever had stomach illness or any related sickness from drinking the water out of it. Some feat given the crap quality of normal tap water in Rayong.

Usually, you can buy them from any hardware shop / vendor, or any "HomePro" type store. Prices seem to vary a lot.

[lopburi3]

If you search in the medical section I am sure you will find several threads.

[Bagwain]

My business is water. Domestic & commercial. The biggest problem with the water in Thailand is iron, not to mention nasties. You may think your water is being filtered but are the filters doing the right job. Different media does different jobs, I.e carbon will not take out iron or aluminium. I have done over 100 full house systems in the Pattaya area alone and let me tell you the municipal supply water is crap.

[Somtham]

does the water taste good?

anyway to check the water and make sure its working correctly/doing its job?

where to buy one in bangkok?

We pump our water from a bore hole that then goes through a slow sand filter to remove iron and bacteria. Then we bought a water filter from Big C (~8k baht) for our drinking water. The brand is called "Dema" and uses a carbon filter then cation resin then ceramic filter. The water tastes fine.

rgds

[tutsiwarrior]

can any commercially available water filter/purifier remove/neutralise chlorine or the chlorine smell from municipality-supplied tap water?

[Crossy]

can any commercially available water filter/purifier remove/neutralise chlorine or the chlorine smell from municipality-supplied tap water?

A simple activated carbon filter should remove most of the chlorine taste and smell

If you don't need any other filtering then get one of the single stage units and put a carbon cartridge in it. Change the cart. when the taste returns.

[Bagwain]

does the water taste good?

anyway to check the water and make sure its working correctly/doing its job?

where to buy one in bangkok?

We pump our water from a bore hole that then goes through a slow sand filter to remove iron and bacteria. Then we bought a water filter from Big C (~8k baht) for our drinking water. The brand is called "Dema" and uses a carbon filter then cation resin then ceramic filter. The water tastes fine.

rgds

Sorry to disturb you but sand does not take out iron or many other impurities!!!

Carbon only does a limited job.

Have you heard of Cryptosporidiun, Geardia, Cholera etc???

Even if you get your water tested from a bore hole, it is only a snap shot as the water table can change.

[Sakeopete]

I bought a PURE water filter from Home Pro a few years ago for our well water, it has 3 filters plus an ionizer and UV light to kill bacteria. We now live in the city and still use it replacing the filters once/year. Water tastes fine and no illnesses that i can contribute to the water. I was thinking of upgrading to a reverse osmosis machine but not sure how much better they are or if it removes too many beneficial minerals.

[sugarhead]

I bought a PURE water filter from Home Pro a few years ago for our well water, it has 3 filters plus an ionizer and UV light to kill bacteria. We now live in the city and still use it replacing the filters once/year. Water tastes fine and no illnesses that i can contribute to the water. I was thinking of upgrading to a reverse osmosis machine but not sure how much better they are or if it removes too many beneficial minerals.

Bagwain,

If iron is the problem, what's the solution ? Also, is this common for all Thailand or only for certain regions ?

sugarhead

[churchill]

Can one test the water after filtration to make sure it is 100% safe to drink ?

[Somtham]

Sorry to disturb you but sand does not take out iron or many other impurities!!!

Carbon only does a limited job.

Have you heard of Cryptosporidiun, Geardia, Cholera etc???

Even if you get your water tested from a bore hole, it is only a snap shot as the water table can change.

No need to be sorry as I am not disturbed at all. Can you explain why there is so much iron build up in the sand if the sand doesn't remove the iron? There are slow sand filters all over rural thailand and every one of them shows evidence of removing iron. Here's a couple of articles about their ability to remove bacteria and yes, iron.

http://www.agr.gc.ca/pfra/water/slowsnd_e.htm

http://www.biosandfilter.org/biosandfilter...ex.php/item/301

rgds

[WilliamCave]

My business is water. Domestic & commercial. The biggest problem with the water in Thailand is iron, not to mention nasties. You may think your water is being filtered but are the filters doing the right job. Different media does different jobs, I.e carbon will not take out iron or aluminium. I have done over 100 full house systems in the Pattaya area alone and let me tell you the municipal supply water is crap.

Have you ever come aross UV purifers in Thaland,,,,I am buying mine from canada and going to bring it to my new house,,,or

is there some were in thailand to buy them?

[Bagwain]

Sorry to disturb you but sand does not take out iron or many other impurities!!!

Carbon only does a limited job.

Have you heard of Cryptosporidiun, Geardia, Cholera etc???

Even if you get your water tested from a bore hole, it is only a snap shot as the water table can change.

No need to be sorry as I am not disturbed at all. Can you explain why there is so much iron build up in the sand if the sand doesn't remove the iron? There are slow sand filters all over rural thailand and every one of them shows evidence of removing iron. Here's a couple of articles about their ability to remove bacteria and yes, iron.

http://www.agr.gc.ca/pfra/water/slowsnd_e.htm

http://www.biosandfilter.org/biosandfilter...ex.php/item/301

rgds

What you are sereing is the larger particles of iron and not the desolved iron. Yes you will take out some but it is only superfical.

There is different ways of taking iron out effectively and sand is not one of them. Zeolight and recycled glass does a more effective job.

Sand will only filter out around 5 microns in size. What do you do about the smaller particles and bacteria/viruses?

[Bagwain]

I bought a PURE water filter from Home Pro a few years ago for our well water, it has 3 filters plus an ionizer and UV light to kill bacteria. We now live in the city and still use it replacing the filters once/year. Water tastes fine and no illnesses that i can contribute to the water. I was thinking of upgrading to a reverse osmosis machine but not sure how much better they are or if it removes too many beneficial minerals.

Bagwain,

If iron is the problem, what's the solution ? Also, is this common for all Thailand or only for certain regions ?

sugarhead

Pretty much all of Thailand has this issue. Sometimes if you drill far enough down you may be lucky, but again the water table can change and at some time you may get the iron. This is one of the reasons Thailand has such a high yeild in rice (Iron)

There are a few solutions. I have installed many P.O.E filters around Thailand. (Mainly Pattaya) I use zeolite & antracite media and in a lot of cases Anti Bio Technology from Oz that sanitises and polerises the water making the filters work better. You should see the state of the backwash water out of the filters after 2 weeks.

Backwash water from Municipal supply

Edited April 4, 2008 by Bagwain

[Bagwain]

Sorry to disturb you but sand does not take out iron or many other impurities!!!

Carbon only does a limited job.

Have you heard of Cryptosporidiun, Geardia, Cholera etc???

Even if you get your water tested from a bore hole, it is only a snap shot as the water table can change.

No need to be sorry as I am not disturbed at all. Can you explain why there is so much iron build up in the sand if the sand doesn't remove the iron? There are slow sand filters all over rural thailand and every one of them shows evidence of removing iron. Here's a couple of articles about their ability to remove bacteria and yes, iron.

http://www.agr.gc.ca/pfra/water/slowsnd_e.htm

http://www.biosandfilter.org/biosandfilter...ex.php/item/301

rgds

I am well aware of the facts stated in the articles. If you read them thoroughly you will see there is limitations in what slow sand filtration can do. All the old municipal swimming pools in Oz had gravity feed sand filtration. This is out dated now and pressure filtration is used.

[Sheryl]

I have my entire house water supply on a double filter system, one carbon, one resin...Large filters set up outside the house. This is because my water comes from an artesian well and is very hard with a ot of minerals.

The dual system does a good job but does require maintainance.

If my water weren't so hard, I would probably have gone with a much smaller ceramic filter in the kitchen only.

For drinking water I use rainwater and a table-top carbon filter.PURE Nuevo I think is the brand, holds about 20 L.

[Mobaan]

So Bagwain ,what are your expert recommendations for the rest of us who do not reside near Pattaya?

What can we buy locally that will do a good job?

[gosompoi]

My business is water. Domestic & commercial. The biggest problem with the water in Thailand is iron, not to mention nasties. You may think your water is being filtered but are the filters doing the right job. Different media does different jobs, I.e carbon will not take out iron or aluminium. I have done over 100 full house systems in the Pattaya area alone and let me tell you the municipal supply water is crap.

Have you ever come aross UV purifers in Thaland,,,,I am buying mine from canada and going to bring it to my new house,,,or

is there some were in thailand to buy them?

Tesco Lotus and Makro Cash and Carry carry UV systems for drinking water. My experince the filters at Tesco Lotus are better.

[Naam]

i can only shake my head in disbelief reading all these recommendations on water filters/purifiers when taking into consideration that bottled water is d@mn cheap

[Tony Clifton]

Look at it this way,

1- You can't trust water anywhere in Thailand.

2- You can scam people by selling electric belly zapper belts that supposedly make you thinner, even openly on tv. No regulation whatsoever concerning these devices. Good luck.

[troy04]

My business is water. Domestic & commercial. The biggest problem with the water in Thailand is iron, not to mention nasties. You may think your water is being filtered but are the filters doing the right job. Different media does different jobs, I.e carbon will not take out iron or aluminium. I have done over 100 full house systems in the Pattaya area alone and let me tell you the municipal supply water is crap.

Hi

then, can you tell us what will take out iron and aluminium?

thanks

[troy04]

does the water taste good?

anyway to check the water and make sure its working correctly/doing its job?

where to buy one in bangkok?

Hi

you can get a sufficient large 3 step system made from stainless steel at any lotus/carefour/home pro as i did for 3800b (up to 4300, always see promotions). It got coal and resin filter which is supplied in bags and filled in at the top, and a ceramic filter element, where you can choose at the after market what the replacement will filter! replaements are cheapest in pahuarat, chinatown. brand is Mazuma, Mica, but just the same thing is sold with other brand names.

water tastes fine and is soft, its a huge difference to the tap! before i had this filter i bought 20 liter bottles from downstairs my apartment/condo or which will be brought from outside 1-2 times a week, for 15 baht / 20 liter. there it's helpful to have such a rack to turn the big bottle to fill it into a jug or just use a rubber hose or talent to fill it in smaller bottles, is some work!

maintanance: resin needs to be cleaned every 2nd month with 900 gramm salt in 1 liter water (fill in) and rinsed through plenty. Carbon rinse through every month with half bucket water (big bucket like used for laundry). Ceramic element need to be cleaned with brush every month and replaced once a year. Cant remember how much i paid, probably 150-200 baht.

with those steel filters it is a bit of a hassle to change the coal and resin, in the first place to get out the coal and resin: you need to remove the whole filter from the wall, make sure you close the water tab first, if there isn't one at the wall (water pipe) then it's outside your room near the water meter. in this case i recomend to have a tab fitted (120b) at that water exit point inside your room since it will be more convenient and not the last time you do this ceremony!

important to remove the connecting steel hose first, otherwise it might crack and it's costly at about 120-180 baht depending its length. if you didnt close the water tab water will splash allover if it is cracked, they crack very quick! if you have noone around going outside, locating the tab, a even bigger problem! sure you know mr. bean? ;-))

once you got the filter upside down you need a water supply like the shower to flush water through it to get the coal and resin out. therefore you can not have closed the external water tab mentioned above!! dont let the coal / resin down the drain it will stuck. then you need to seperate the water from the coal / resin and dump it, clean bucket, messy....

repalcement is bought in 1 kg/liter bags (coal about 60 / resin 90 baht) but the content is 1.6 of each compartment of the filter! to fill it in you need to use a funnel and water, otherwise the stuff doesnt go in. you need to have open the lower cap so the water can come out (they got a filter that coal/resin not come out), therefore a bucket below it. it's a quite wet job to be honest!

don't fill in more than the 1.6 otherwise you will not get out the reddisch color from the resin (or black from coal) from the water, because the level will be higher than the connecting pipe between coal and resin compartment! with the correct amount the color will dissapear after you let run plenty of water through it!

afterwards dry up your bath room. ;-)

i recommend strongly to buy the cheaper 3 step filter systems made of plastic, white color they are. they might not last an eternity, but the 3 elements are replaced immediately, the elements cost a bit more than the bags but it is well worth the less effort!!

impotant to buy a well known brand which you can buy at several shops, to find replacements in future!

systems with more steps are available. or with larger compartment, but for a household this is plenty. i was told that reverse osmosis is filtering to much out of the water, its dead afterwards, no more minerals which are necessary for a drinking water.

[Naam]

You can't trust water anywhere in Thailand.

because there is no water filter that filters out dangerous respectively bacteria at all. three-stage filters, charcoal, ceramic filters, resin, means for bacteria nothing but yada... yada... yada... and that even applies for reverse osmosis except in combination with UV.

[Sheryl]

maintanance: resin needs to be cleaned every 2nd month with 900 gramm salt in 1 liter water (fill in) and rinsed through plenty. Carbon rinse through every month with half bucket water (big bucket like used for laundry). Ceramic element need to be cleaned with brush every month and replaced once a year. Cant remember how much i paid, probably 150-200 baht.

Troy: is that ordinary table salt? And how much would 900 gm be in teaspoons, tablespoons or cups? I have only been doping a flush through but the resin clealry does need something more as a great deal of calcium & otheer minerals accumuklate in it.

Thanks

Sheryl

[lopburi3]

You can't trust water anywhere in Thailand.

because there is no water filter that filters out dangerous respectively bacteria at all. three-stage filters, charcoal, ceramic filters, resin, means for bacteria nothing but yada... yada... yada... and that even applies for reverse osmosis except in combination with UV.

Not true. Ceramic filters can reliably remove down to 1 micron (although most are rated 3 micron).

Supersterasyl" Ceramic Water Filters

* 7 in. by 2.75 dia.

* Filtration efficiency of 100% at 0.9 microns >

* Filtration efficiency of >99.99% at 0.5 - 0.8 micron

* >98% at 0.2 - 5 micron

* Highly efficient bacteriological filtration

* Tested with live Cryptosporidium to a removal of 100%

* >99.99% pathogenic bacteria removal

* High capacity and efficiency

* Self sterilizing

* High levels of Chlorine, VOC's and industrial solvents

[zorro1]

i can only shake my head in disbelief reading all these recommendations on water filters/purifiers when taking into consideration that bottled water is d@mn cheap

cheap and a pain in the butt to lug around especially if you cook you got to rinse off fruit veges etc. There is however a huge upside and that is now I can carry 12 bottles of beer from villa which is also very cheap

[Naam]

Ceramic filters can reliably remove down to 1 micron (although most are rated 3 micron)

Legionella pneumophia (Bacteria) 0.6µ

Klebsielia pneumoniae (Bacteria) 0.4-0.5

Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (Bacteria) 0.2-0.5

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Bacteria) 0.25

Neisseria meningitis (Bacteria) 0.8

Salmonella typhosa (Bacteria) 0.6-0.7

Streptococcus pyogenes (Bacteria) 06.-0.8

Yersinia pestis (Virus, bubonic plague) 0.75

chok dee!

[dumball]

i can only shake my head in disbelief reading all these recommendations on water filters/purifiers when taking into consideration that bottled water is d@mn cheap

cheap and a pain in the butt to lug around especially if you cook you got to rinse off fruit veges etc. There is however a huge upside and that is now I can carry 12 bottles of beer from villa which is also very cheap

I am in Cambodia , but after noticing the green residue from bottled water in my coffee machine resevoir , i looked into a filtration system , a full system built into the tap water supply was quoted at $500.00(in Thailand , same,same $250.00) I finally found a Korean table top system in the market for $15.00 .Seoul new model , diamatacious earth ceramic filter for bacterialogical control , next stage a cartridge containing 5 stages : silver activated carbon , zealite , silica sand , mineral sand , ion resin , with a container of mineral stone as the last stage . The capacity is 15 lts , filter change 6/8 months or after 5/6,000 liter flow through .

The change in the taste of my Colombian coffee is very noticeable , a good check on water purity , cannot find anywhere for a clinical test . Hope this helps .