Safe Drinking Water In Chiang Mai

[Thighlander]

I switched to PoleStar which delivers bottles with an Amtech logo on it. 20 for 40 thb. I fired the other company, which charged 42, due to serious reliability issues. Our condo office really frowns on anything in the hallway, so I had to make the change. The first time the other guy was drunk, a few weeks later, he crashed, and another time it was...........

over and over....lather, rinse, repeat........If you're in a house; it is a lot simpler, but why they don't just use a delivery schedule is beyond me.

[opalred]

take your bottles to moat and fill up not only get water but a meal for the day full of tom yum

[femi fan]

While the aura water may be a very good choice, two drawbacks:

firstly price

secondly what about the plastic the water is bottled in? And what happens if the plastic bottles are left out in the sun? Do we get to drink plastic-leached chemicals with that lovely pure water?!

If the second drawback was shown to be no problem then the price drawback would be lessened.

[sappersrest]

While the aura water may be a very good choice, two drawbacks:

firstly price

secondly what about the plastic the water is bottled in? And what happens if the plastic bottles are left out in the sun? Do we get to drink plastic-leached chemicals with that lovely pure water?!

If the second drawback was shown to be no problem then the price drawback would be lessened.

It would seem that no cancer causing chemicals are leached from plastic drinking water bottles.

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/healthyliving/cancercontroversies/Plasticbottles/

[Maejo Man]

We've got the machine in front of the condo, but I still prefer to pay Glacier 42 thb for 20 1 liter bottles delivered to the door. I trust the big bottlers to do proper maintenance more than the machines...and I would say those paper filters lose their effectiveness quite rapidly. The water from the city is pretty good, and they can show you the data, but that doesn't account for the pipes and epoxies.

The current price for Glacier 20 litre is 17 baht delivered to the door, Where on earth do you live ? You might find the condo block is pocketing the difference.

[Thighlander]

We've got the machine in front of the condo, but I still prefer to pay Glacier 42 thb for 20 1 liter bottles delivered to the door. I trust the big bottlers to do proper maintenance more than the machines...and I would say those paper filters lose their effectiveness quite rapidly. The water from the city is pretty good, and they can show you the data, but that doesn't account for the pipes and epoxies.

The current price for Glacier 20 litre is 17 baht delivered to the door, Where on earth do you live ? You might find the condo block is pocketing the difference.

20, 1 litre bottles, MM. the condo charges 45; instead of 42....so small mark-up. But, as stated Glacier had a lot of logistical problems....would have been fine in a house, because I could have left the bottles on the front step for the four days it took them to come. It likely varies a lot by route, but the water was fine. What was interesting and typical was that Glacier always sent two guys......and almost always unreliable. PoleStar is a one man show, and he works Sunday, and gets it done early...and it's 40 per 20 bottles.

[worgeordie]

In all the years buying Glacier water ,I have never had a problem,rain or shine

every Saturday and Wednesday the driver delivers the water,no problems,

what amazes me is how they can treat it,bottle it, and deliver it at the price

they charge,sure the water may be free ?,but the delivery cost alone must

be expensive.I buy it in the glass bottles,24 x 500 cc cost 56 bht.

regards Worgeordie

[Thighlander]

yeah, especially if it takes two of them, and they are crashing trucks.

[debrakfurlow]

How do you know where Glacier fill those jugs? I want to order, but I'd like to know it's not filled from someone's backyard hose.

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[debrakfurlow]

There has never been even a study on it. It was credited to John Hopkins. Oddly enough John Hopkins never did the tests, never heard of these test, and denied all involvements.

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[Thighlander]

Actually it's Johns-Hopkins, named for two men. One of the top universities in the world, located in the city of Babe Ruth's birthplace, and John Wilkes Booth's

grave; Baltimore.

[deadbroke]

we bought a 3 stage filtration system, made by Pur... includes the black light part (see google)... been using it for going on 3 yrs now and not a single sickness we would attribute to the water

I've been drinking the water from the 20L jugs for more than a decade and never been sick from it.

A decade is too short - gotta give the kidneys, liver and pancreas more time to break down and kick ass.

http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2010/12/30/chromium-6-found-in-tap-water-of-31-u-s-cities/

[deadbroke]

The obvious answer might be to get a filter system so that i can drink the water from my tap

How would you know if the filtered tap water would be any better than the water sold/delivered in the 20 L plastic jugs? Assuming it would be the same quality, how many years would it take before you would save any money from it?

Well, it's not about the money, it's about the health. I wouldn't know, but at least there'd be no issue of plastic leaching probably carcinogenic compounds into the water. But that's my point about filtration systems, there may well be decent systems for sale here, but i'm not in a position to know which ones are decent. That's why i started the thread, others may be in that position to recommend.

You need a whole house water filtration\treatment system which includes a Reverse Osmosis system that's installed under the kitchen sink. Alkaline water component is now included in such RO systems.

Don't leave home without it

[deadbroke]

now, what you really need to ask is why is Chiang Mai tap-water un-potable? in my travels, again the reason being is the bugs. a bit of a boil in the kettle sorts this out. a bit of clorine does too, as does a bit of UV light. i've used a bit of iodophor to treat water I'm unsure of. even then, is Chiang Mai tap water un-potable and why?

I'm not sure how applicable this is in Thailand but from my travels in other parts of the developing world the issue is not normally the water treatment process but rather the delivery infrastructure. As such, it's not a matter of determining whether Chiang Mai tap water is potable but rather if the water from a particular tap is potable.

Correct-issimo.

[deadbroke]

anyone using "pure water" dipenser? there is just one around my apartment and i always use those to filled up my singha plastic bottles

I have been using the local water dispenser which costs 5B for over 11 liters. We do boil the water to play it safe but I still wonder if the dispenser filters out all the bad impurities. The unit does have a list that appears to be past dated scheduled maintenance (I think, it's in Thai) every 3 to 4 months. Of course, it may not be reliable. For what it's worth, the water looks clear and tastes good.

Boiling only kills bacteria, not the chemicals and in fact the concentration increases after boiling.

[wolf5370]

Don't know if it has been mentioned, but the Bisphenol-A leaking into plastic bottles was dismissed years ago. It was a scare all down to bad reporting by the USA media! The report was that an MIT report showed that Bisphenol-A was shown to leak in some plastics containers under sun light/warm conditions. It later turned out it was a student dissertation and it was due to the test equipment! Indeed the plastic that the student was testing did not even contain the chemical! (the testing equipment however did). This was poo-pooed years ago, and repeated experiments have shown it to be false - some chemical leak is evident given enough time (but at very, very low levels), but other problems with the water would occur much sooner at more dangerous levels (like bacterial growth). Scare stories abound - and retellings and out-and-out lies have continued. You are in more danger of drinking chlorinated/fluorinated tap water or even bottled mineral waters that you are from Bisphenol-A leakage in water canisters.

Reverse osmosis is pretty safe too (however those machines outside shops can harbour bacteria as they are rarely cleaned in my experience). Water coming from companies like Glacier is going to be safe - it is their business to ensure it stays that way! Been drinking it for years with no ill health.

Tap water here can be pretty bad - even filtering would worry me (it removed particles and bacteria, but not all heavy metals). Remember lead contamination is affected by heat (hotter it is, more the lead contaminates). Every now and again they turn the water off around my way for maintenance - the water runs black for a few hours after turning back on. Want to bet there is no heavy metals in that sludge? Or nitrates (reverse osmosis removed nitrates)

Here is a quote from the WebMD on the subject of filters (and that's based on EPA guaranteed USA water!):

In an effort to make their drinking water safer, some people use water filters at home. There are four main kinds:

• Activated carbon filters can remove certain organic contaminants that affect taste and odor. Some systems are also designed to remove chlorination byproducts, solvents, and pesticides, or certain metals such as copper or lead.
• Ion exchange units with activated alumina can remove minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which make water hard.
• Reverse osmosis units with carbon can remove nitrates and sodium as well as pesticides and petrochemicals.
• Distillation units boil water and condense the steam, creating distilled water.

No one system will remove all water contaminants. If you do decide you want to install a system, you should have your water tested by a certified laboratory first to find out what's in your water.

No matter which water filtering system you choose, you need to maintain it; otherwise, contaminants build up in the filter and make the water quality worse than it would be without the filter.

//Edit: By the way - drinking only distilled water will kill you. Your body needs the impurities in the water (electrolytes) to allow for it to be used to pass signals through your nervous system - distilled water is an insulator!

Edited July 31, 2014 by wolf5370

[Thighlander]

I agree on the urban myth about the plastics. Ultra violet light will make Heinekens go bad, because the UV light reacts to the hops. That's why you can get a skunky beer if you trust the wrong people to serve you a beer. Also, explains why the cans are more consistent than the bottles.

[GLOPglopMAmaTONG]

"Or, have you found other non-filter alternatives to obtaining water you are confident is worthy of drinking and/or showering in?"

Yes, absolutely!

I drink and shower in the water that comes out of the tap.

Also, I do not understand on what you base your idea that the tap water is unsafe.

I have already been drinking it for two years. I have not gotten sick and, like your friends, I come from the United States.

My opinion is that, just as in the United States, in New York City, for example, there are those that become unreasonably afraid of things which do not harm them.

Drinking water is not a Magic Elixir. It is just H2O, and if properly supplied and chlorinate then you can drink it.

As I say, I have not gotten sick once from the water, and I drink copious amounts in Thailand, because it is HOT!

So I would say, unless you have concrete positive proof that the water has a high bacteria count, or heavy metals, then you do others a disservice to add to the drinking water hysteria. When I grew up, no one drank bottled water, unless they were shipwrecked and on a lifeboat, or something.

And, it IS chlorinated.

If there is flooding in your area, then the water should be boiled, and this goes without saying.

So, it does not seem like you have any concrete evidence to back up your claims, which makes me wonder why you believe that drinking this water will make me sick, which it has not.

I would not mind using a filter if there was reason for it.

Additionally, bottled water, if there is a problem at the bottling facility, can often be less safe than drinking tap water.

I have researched this in the past, and I believe I am safe to drink what the water company supplies.

Thank you, and please provide the evidence to support your claim, because I like everyone would like to hear it, I am sure.

[kaptainrob]

^ agree with above/2 years in CM and tap water is pretty good. We drink GALLONS of it daily.

A ~1,000 Bt investment in 3 stage filtration takes out most impurities and copes with annual pipe cleaning. Compared with Isaan or Phuket, CM water is ok taken straight.

[GLOPglopMAmaTONG]

^ agree with above/2 years in CM and tap water is pretty good. We drink GALLONS of it daily.

A ~1,000 Bt investment in 3 stage filtration takes out most impurities and copes with annual pipe cleaning. Compared with Isaan or Phuket, CM water is ok taken straight.

I did not want to argue just for argument's sake, however one really needs to speak up a bit so that readers will not get the wrong idea about the seemingly high quality of drinking water, and hence waste their money on plastic bottling.

It is true that I do not have any test analysis reports of the water I drink here, but if it were not good, then I would know it, since I drink little else, and I never boil it, unless it is for coffee.

What is needed, I think, is a test that tap water consumers can use to measure their water quality, or at least provide a bi-annual service to test water when people have doubts. This will boost the degree of public trust in public water quality.

Until that time, I am so confident of the tap water I drink that I will gladly act as another blind guinea pig. But by doing this, I am sure I assume very little risk.

I realize there are those in other countries who share these same fears, unwarranted as well. I think that Japan uses a comparatively high concentration of chemical water treatment, but everyone drinks it, as did I.

Just so people here know: They do not treat the water with chlorine, as the OP seems to think. Or, maybe he does not think that, but chlorine is not used.

Bottoms UP, as they used to say in Hong Kong, as they swilled their fluids in that good bar!

[GLOPglopMAmaTONG]

^ agree with above/2 years in CM and tap water is pretty good. We drink GALLONS of it daily.

A ~1,000 Bt investment in 3 stage filtration takes out most impurities and copes with annual pipe cleaning. Compared with Isaan or Phuket, CM water is ok taken straight.

I know there are readers here who will wonder about my chlorine remarks, but here is one option which a plant may use, and there are others. Just because one has not checked what chemical is actually being used, does not give them the right to state emphatically that it is CHLORINE:

Chloramine disinfection[edit]

The use of chloramine is becoming more common as a disinfectant. Although chloramine is not as strong an oxidant, it does provide a longer-lasting residual than free chlorine and it will not form THMs or haloacetic acids. It is possible to convert chlorine to chloramine by adding ammonia to the water after addition of chlorine. The chlorine and ammonia react to form chloramine. Water distribution systems disinfected with chloramines may experience nitrification, as ammonia is a nutrient for bacterial growth, with nitrates being generated as a by-product.

[GLOPglopMAmaTONG]

This is why I DO NOT drink from the reverse osmosis machines that one sees cluttering our beautiful city:

1. Reverse osmosis: Mechanical pressure is applied to an impure solution to force pure water through a semi-permeable membrane. Reverse osmosis is theoretically the most thorough method of large scale water purification available, although perfect semi-permeable membranes are difficult to create. Unless membranes are well-maintained, algae and other life forms can colonize the membranes.

[puukao]

I don't trust the reverse osmosis machines either. I did it for a few months and just didn't feel great. Sometimes I would use my own filtration system (brought from USA), and that worked better; however, that is a pain to do all the time. You can boil water and then put it in the fridge after it cools a bit. Hard to stay hydrated, but your organs will thank you.

Question....and sorry if answered already.....does anyone think there is more than the normal amount of LEAD in the water?

[GLOPglopMAmaTONG]

I don't trust the reverse osmosis machines either. I did it for a few months and just didn't feel great. Sometimes I would use my own filtration system (brought from USA), and that worked better; however, that is a pain to do all the time. You can boil water and then put it in the fridge after it cools a bit. Hard to stay hydrated, but your organs will thank you.

Question....and sorry if answered already.....does anyone think there is more than the normal amount of LEAD in the water?

I used to do the same thing, boiling.

However, I used a 16.3 liter kettle on a gas burner, similar to the Thai pro kitchen burners. It is very fast to heat up to 100, and then allow it to cool down for about 5 hours, overnight.

Next, just fill a 5 gallon jug that you have not returned to the bottle water company.

I feel there is no reason to do this here, but you are correct that it is the safest method, especially if you have immune compromised people among your water drinkers.

As for showering: I think the OP is kind of crazy and way over the top here! There is no danger, unless your water pipes pass through a sewer or a septic tank, or something.

One thing you do find with tap water is the white calcium deposits on your shower room glass and mirrors from water contact, and drying water. The minerals turn all mirrors white very quickly.

But shower away, or go stand in the rain during the raining season, which is what I sometimes also do.

[debrakfurlow]

Several of the coffee shops and restaurants I visit I ask the same question, "do you drink city water?" The answer is always no. They are Thai and have lived where they are a long time. So I have to believe a local would know the score.

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[GLOPglopMAmaTONG]

Several of the coffee shops and restaurants I visit I ask the same question, "do you drink city water?" The answer is always no. They are Thai and have lived where they are a long time. So I have to believe a local would know the score.

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Then you would be very wrong!

Because: The do not know the score!

I mean......Please tell us dear what logic you use to decide that the workers at the coffee shops and restaurants have a degree plus experience in public water treatment, and for that matter can tell you how the water quality varies around the city?

I mean.....Don't you think about these things before commenting?

[GLOPglopMAmaTONG]

Several of the coffee shops and restaurants I visit I ask the same question, "do you drink city water?" The answer is always no. They are Thai and have lived where they are a long time. So I have to believe a local would know the score.

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Speaking of locals knowing the score:

I was advised by one educated local that I should not drink the water because it would give me kidney disease. She told me that many people in Issan drink the water unfiltered and they all have kidney disease.

Hogwash!

They do NOT know the score.

We should not perpetuate and spread false myths here on this forum,

Or, should we?

[GLOPglopMAmaTONG]

If anyone here has any documented scientifically valid data to share that bears on and can elucidate us regarding the advisability of drinking Chiang Mai water straight from the tap,

Then PLEASE share it here.

Because one thing this topic is sorely lacking is any scientifically substantiated references to enlighten us.

I just do not like people to scare us tap drinkers because they themselves have baseless fears.

[debrakfurlow]

Would you be so kind dear sir to show us your credentials? Given that you know we are all misinformed you surely must have the analysis secured. Thank you for your insights

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[MadMac]

Bit older thread...

Makro sells housebrand mineral water that recently changed it's origin/production to Mae Rim. Comes in 6-packs a 1.5l and costs 55 or sometimes 49B/pack. Cheaper than branded drinking water.

This water was not available about 6....12 months ago for a while, so I believe they changed manufacturing. Would not be surprised if this is now made by Tipco/Aura in their Mae Rim plant. Someone knows more?