Water Purification

[sawatdee7]

Hello everyone.

Normally everyone uses bottled water to drink from. However, besides from cooking or boiling tap water from the sink faucet, are there any types of water filtration devices that can be attached to the faucet directly that will eliminate any harmful "germs or bacteria" that are present in faucet water?

I know that there are filter attachments (Brita, Pur) that can be installed to remove any chlorine or chemicals to purify the water, but what about removing harmful bacteria from Thai water?

I live in the Pattaya area. How safe (or should I say "unsafe") is drinking unboiled water from the faucet? Has anyone become extremely ill?

[tuky]

I live in the same area mate, whilst I never knowingly drink the water out of the tap I certainly bathe, brush my teeth etc in the tap water.

I have seen several different types of water filtration systems at carrefour that wil do the whole house (rather than just the one tap).

Perhaps do a google, or look at the adds on this page to learn a little more about it.

I am moving this thread to the housing forum now, as the guys that frequent that forum will have a lot more knowledge.

Best of luck.

[sawatdee7]

Thanks Tukyleith.

I also brush my teeth and bathe using tap water and have had no problems.

I think that the water purifiers and filters at Carrefour just remove chlorine and other contaminants, but not bacteria. But maybe a little bacteria would not be that harmful and just may bring on occasional bouts with diarrhea.

Anti-diarrhetic tablets, anyone?

[Nordlys]

I use Amway water treatment system. I understand this water filter emits UV ray to kill the bacteria/germs insides the filter (so needs power outlet). All the attachment goes to the faucet, so installation is quite easy, no plumbing work necessary. I think it cost us more than 20,000 Baht if I remember correctly. We've just installed this so I haven't replaced the filter yet but heard the filter is rather expensive (around B3,000).

Edited August 16, 2005 by Nordlys

[Crossy]

We've got one of the 3 way filter thingys (ceramic, carbon and resin) with a UV zapper on the top. Came from Homepro and fits directly onto the tap. Uses loose carbon and resin (cheap) and a somewhat expensive ceramic block (1k ish).

The missus filters the output again with a Kenwood jug that we brought from the UK, can't get the filters here so I'm refilling them with a 50/50 mixture of carbon and resin same as used in the main filter.

She's happy to drink after this lot, so I do too.

As other have said, a few bugs does no harm, probably does good as you build up immunity.

Sometimes I think that we in the West are too clean, being protected from any bugs rather than our bodies protecting themselves. Come somewhere you are exposed to them and ... well I'm sure you know the explosive result

Edited August 16, 2005 by Crossy

[lopburi3]

Most Thai (and I) use the normal water filter of carbon - resins - ceramic filter for drinking and that filter does remove bacteria. These are the stainless steel units you find on wall in most restaurants and also the newer units sold in Lotus and such that use throw away plug in units. This should be all one needs for treated water as found in cities.

To go further you can add UV treatment to the above filter or a reverse osmosis type system but they are not really required.

As said most sickness would be caused by an excess of bacteria rather than a few so most of use don't have to go overboard in prevention unless very ill (I mean physically).

[Missing My Tom Yam]

The use of resins (De-ionizers) is not only unecessary, it is also not recommended as they remove essential minerals from the water to the extent that it is not only lacking minerals but is ion deficient.

Ion deficient water will leach ions and minerals from your body.

Deionised water is not good for health and should certainly be avoided by growing children, pregnant/nursing mothers and anyone with a family history of bone density problem (Osteoporosis).

Filtration down to 4 microns is quite sufficient and removes all hamful bacteria and viruses.

[jackcorbett]

I have the three filter setup you just described although it's a slightly cheaper brand, not a Mazuma. But here is the problem. The flow of drinking water output slows to a trickle over a period of time. Sometimes over just a week or two and from then on it becomes slower and slower. The culprit is I think the ceramic filter. Backwashing does not help the situation. I try to adhere to the instructions on the unit as close to as possible. That is I run the prescribed brine solution into the resin filter ever month or so and by the time I"m doing this the system is flowing to a trickle. At this time I pull the ceramic filter out too and wash it. I use a toothbrush with no detergents and brush one way per the instructions. This seems to do the trick...but only for a couple of weeks. The ceramic filter has by this time turned from white to a dull yellow color. I bought the unit last January and I tried replacing the ceramic filter about one month ago. Replacing the filter gave me a longer period of time before the water output started to decrease significantly. Any ideas?

[Tyke]

The use of resins (De-ionizers) is not only unecessary, it is also not recommended as they remove essential minerals from the water to the extent that it is not only lacking minerals but is ion deficient.

Ion deficient water will leach ions and minerals from your body.

Deionised water is not good for health and should certainly be avoided by growing children, pregnant/nursing mothers and anyone with a family history of bone density problem (Osteoporosis).

Filtration down to 4 microns is quite sufficient and removes all hamful bacteria and viruses.

What? You really think you get all your essential minerals from tap water? Your average food contains infinitely more minerals than tap water.

[lopburi3]

I have the three filter setup you just described although it's a slightly cheaper brand, not a Mazuma. But here is the problem. The flow of drinking water output slows to a trickle over a period of time. Sometimes over just a week or two and from then on it becomes slower and slower. The culprit is I think the ceramic filter. Backwashing does not help the situation. I try to adhere to the instructions on the unit as close to as possible. That is I run the prescribed brine solution into the resin filter ever month or so and by the time I"m doing this the system is flowing to a trickle. At this time I pull the ceramic filter out too and wash it. I use a toothbrush with no detergents and brush one way per the instructions. This seems to do the trick...but only for a couple of weeks. The ceramic filter has by this time turned from white to a dull yellow color. I bought the unit last January and I tried replacing the ceramic filter about one month ago. Replacing the filter gave me a longer period of time before the water output started to decrease significantly. Any ideas?

Keep a new SctochBrite pad for using on the ceramic filter. Easy to clean with that. Another alternative is the 3mm plastic type (same shape but square bottom and made of special plastic). This type does not seem to restrict water flow as much as the ceramic type. In either case best to change every six-twelve months if very dirty water.

[petercsea]

The use of resins (De-ionizers) is not only unecessary, it is also not recommended as they remove essential minerals from the water to the extent that it is not only lacking minerals but is ion deficient.

Ion deficient water will leach ions and minerals from your body.

Deionised water is not good for health and should certainly be avoided by growing children, pregnant/nursing mothers and anyone with a family history of bone density problem (Osteoporosis).

Filtration down to 4 microns is quite sufficient and removes all hamful bacteria and viruses.

De-ionisers don't work by removing ions. They replace one ion with another, typically ions such as Calcium and Magnesium with Sodium ions. It's an "ion-exchange" process.

There is no evidence to support the argument that demineralised water causes mineral deficiencies which then lead onto conditions such as osteoporosis. Our nutritional supply is mostly from food that we eat. Calcium most abundantly and most available from dairy produce, (not only). Sometimes there's a recommendation not to drink ion-exchange treated water for people who suffer hypertension and have problems with Sodium.

4 micron filters are too big to filter many bacteria, Ecoli are typically 2 microns. A recommendation of 0.4 microns is closer to the mark. 0.4 microns doesn't come close to most viruses.

[cloudhopper]

Ion deficient water will leach ions and minerals from your body.

Deionised water is not good for health and should certainly be avoided by growing children, pregnant/nursing mothers and anyone with a family history of bone density problem (Osteoporosis).

Completely false IMO. You couldn't possibly get the minerals your body needs, especially calcium, from drinking even the hardest water. The food we eat contains mostly water, and it has all the vitamins and minerals we'll ever need.

[cloudhopper]

[quote name='Missing My Tom Yam' date='2005-08-17 16:05:03' post='445069'

Filtration down to 4 microns is quite sufficient and removes all hamful bacteria and viruses.

Not nearly. Nor will it take out all the metals, PCBs, hormones, drugs and everything else that works it's way into Pattaya ground water.

[cloudhopper]

De-ionisers don't work by removing ions. They replace one ion with another, typically ions such as Calcium and Magnesium with Sodium ions. It's an "ion-exchange" process.

There is no evidence to support the argument that demineralised water causes mineral deficiencies which then lead onto conditions such as osteoporosis. Our nutritional supply is mostly from food that we eat. Calcium most abundantly and most available from dairy produce, (not only). Sometimes there's a recommendation not to drink ion-exchange treated water for people who suffer hypertension and have problems with Sodium.

4 micron filters are too big to filter many bacteria, Ecoli are typically 2 microns. A recommendation of 0.4 microns is closer to the mark. 0.4 microns doesn't come close to most viruses.

As far as I know the main use of de-ionizers is in domestic water softening to remove calcium and other compounds, not for purifying drinking water. The resin absorbs these compounds in normal use then they are exchanged with salt ions during the backwash phase and flushed out.

Reverse osmosis is the only system IMO that properly purifies drinking water, regardless of the source.

[CCCP]

The best water filter systems without doubt are the Berkey water filtration. Search them on the Net. I ordered mine from the US.

[jackcorbett]

I have the three filter setup you just described although it's a slightly cheaper brand, not a Mazuma. But here is the problem. The flow of drinking water output slows to a trickle over a period of time. Sometimes over just a week or two and from then on it becomes slower and slower. The culprit is I think the ceramic filter. Backwashing does not help the situation. I try to adhere to the instructions on the unit as close to as possible. That is I run the prescribed brine solution into the resin filter ever month or so and by the time I"m doing this the system is flowing to a trickle. At this time I pull the ceramic filter out too and wash it. I use a toothbrush with no detergents and brush one way per the instructions. This seems to do the trick...but only for a couple of weeks. The ceramic filter has by this time turned from white to a dull yellow color. I bought the unit last January and I tried replacing the ceramic filter about one month ago. Replacing the filter gave me a longer period of time before the water output started to decrease significantly. Any ideas?

Keep a new SctochBrite pad for using on the ceramic filter. Easy to clean with that. Another alternative is the 3mm plastic type (same shape but square bottom and made of special plastic). This type does not seem to restrict water flow as much as the ceramic type. In either case best to change every six-twelve months if very dirty water.

I went out and bought the Scotchbrite pad. It's too sided and I used the rougher much more abrasive side to clean an old ceramic filter just to test it. It sure got the filter much whiter and cleaner in much quicker time than using foam pads or toothbrushes. Also went to Big C to buy a new ceramic filter. Thai young man working "only use hand to clean." But from what I've seen that doesn't even begin to change the color of a now used and yellowish filter to the white color it started out being.

I have another question as well. My neighbor has a two filter system connected to his tap. He has no problems with it, but, both containers have charcoal in them. No ceramic or resin or anything else. He will run the valve in one direction one week, then switch it to reverse the flow of water the following week and so on. Now....I've heard that Pattaya water is chlorinated. Also that it is already soft. I would reason that the resin that one charges each month with fresh brine is not necessary then....that is one does not need a "mini water softener" in Pattaya. How about the chorine? How much of the bacteria and other crap does the level of chlorine in Pattaya's water supply get rid of if any? If it kills the bacteria does this mean that my neighbor's two filter system is sufficient (the charcoal gets rid of the chlorine and larger contaminants)? I note that this type of two filter system is hardly being sold anywhere. He bought it at an out of the way place in Naklua that sells water pumps and other things and this place is not your typical retail outlet such as Big C, Carre Four, Lotus, etc.

[robee]

forum is like my own thai google, have question and search thai visa... get info

the BEST

[robee]

Not nearly. Nor will it take out all the metals, PCBs, hormones, drugs and everything else that works it's way into Pattaya ground water.

A recent study from the Water Quality Association (WQA) reveals that the top two contaminants which Americans are concerned about in their drinking water are LEAD and ARSENIC

[craigt3365]

Not nearly. Nor will it take out all the metals, PCBs, hormones, drugs and everything else that works it's way into Pattaya ground water.

What do you mean? Just because they wash cars and trucks in the water reservoirs, have water buffalo walking around in the reservoir, dump crap everywhere, send sewage directly into the ocean...I would never drink the water here...even if boiled. Boiling does not take everything out....

[guzzi850m2]

Its a very difficult question. I have 5 people in the house hold at the movement and we are dragging bottled water into the house big time . I think I spend app. 500-700 a week on bottled water. I can live with the expense but the min twice weekly "water run" in the car is annoying so I have also considered buying a purifying system.

On last water run in Carrefour we went inside Home-pro and asked questions and I was ending up getting more confused. In best typical Thai logic, the more expensive the better!! So the sales girl tried hard to sell me a 25k bath system, but I didn't know was she was on about, so we ended with the trolley full of bottled water instead

I have since goggled around and found one good page so far with pretty good info on tap water and the different systems:http://www.cyber-nook.com/water/Solutions.html

This guy seems to recommend a SBAC system, which means solid block, activated carbon, water filtration system.

but then again he is also selling it, confused? I am for sure

So for now, I am continuing my water runs.

[MTH]

Guzzi, a bit of topic, but while deciding on your water purifying system.

Why don't you buy bottled water from the delivery trucks that roam the villages here.

We have these trucks going through our village at least 3 times a week.

We buy from two of them, two different brands, Mountain and one more that doesn't come to mind right now.

Initially you buy the bottles from them for about 250 Baht each. Then next time they come around, you just replace the empty bottles for a full ones for 40-50 Baht per bottle, depending on the brand. These bottles hold about 25 liters of water, so it's quite a bit cheaper than buying something from Carrefour or the other supermarkets.

Just a though if it'll take you a while to decide on a purifying system.

Should save you quite a bit on your water costs, as well as lugging the stuff from the store each time.

And cut down on all the plastic garbage.

When you don't want to buy water from a supplier any longer, just sell back the empty bottles to them.

[guzzi850m2]

Guzzi, a bit of topic, but while deciding on your water purifying system.

Why don't you buy bottled water from the delivery trucks that roam the villages here.

We have these trucks going through our village at least 3 times a week.

We buy from two of them, two different brands, Mountain and one more that doesn't come to mind right now.

Initially you buy the bottles from them for about 250 Baht each. Then next time they come around, you just replace the empty bottles for a full ones for 40-50 Baht per bottle, depending on the brand. These bottles hold about 25 liters of water, so it's quite a bit cheaper than buying something from Carrefour or the other supermarkets.

Just a though if it'll take you a while to decide on a purifying system.

Should save you quite a bit on your water costs, as well as lugging the stuff from the store each time.

And cut down on all the plastic garbage.

When you don't want to buy water from a supplier any longer, just sell back the empty bottles to them.

Hi MTH,

I simply don't trust these delivery trucks, where do they get the water from? A well probably and then "filer" the water. Well we actually use the water from them for cooking but not for drinking

Plastic garbage is a minor problem as somebody will collect the bottles and sell them.

[jfchandler]

I was having the same fatigue of constantly lugging bottled water home from the store... So, on my Christmas trip back to the States, I bought and returned with a PUR brand water filtration dispenser. See the info here. I also brought back a year's supply of filter's for the dispenser, since I've never seen their products anywhere here in Thailand.

So since January, I've been using that for all our home drinking water. And I've stopped buying so much bottled green tea like Oishi, and using the water system at home to make our own home-brewed ice tea using water from the dispenser. Home being in BKK. And since January, had no ill-effects for my wife and I, as far as I can tell...

The PUR system uses a two-stage carbon and resin filter that's supposed to last about two months. Their instruction is once the filtration process starts slowing down, that means the filter is getting clogged up and it's time to replace.

Their information talks about the filter removing chlorine and chlorine byproducts, various heavy metals, sediment/particulates, microbial cysts, agricultural pollutants and industrial pollutants.

I've heard that Amway in Thailand sells some kinds of water filtration systems. I went shopping at Emporium, and found some pretty expensive Japanese made system.

At the common stores like Tesco, I found various kinds that plug into a kitchen water line... But I didn't find any pitcher/dispenser type systems...

[MTH]

Hi MTH,

I simply don't trust these delivery trucks, where do they get the water from? A well probably and then "filer" the water. Well we actually use the water from them for cooking but not for drinking

Plastic garbage is a minor problem as somebody will collect the bottles and sell them.

Fair enough guzzi, I've actually had the same thought a few times.

Now you got me going again

I'm up country right now, but remember that the label states the water has been going through a reverse osmosis filtration.

But of course the label could say anything... Would be interesting to do a test on this delivered water.