Getting Household Water Tested

[bunta71]

I suspect some micro-organisms in our water at my house. Strange rashes and white spots on my daughters skin. Where can I get it tested and do I need a sterile container for the sample? Thanks in advance. by the way I live near the Heroines Monument

Edited January 23, 2012 by bunta71

[katabeachbum]

or just chlorine your watertank, bleech for laundry works fine

take off all taps end pieces, and soak them in chlorine water for 30 minutes too

run the chlorined tank water through all pipes

all dead

[bunta71]

Good insight there, but I am in a moo baan so the tank is not easy to access. I will have a chat with the moo baan guy about it. Still would like to test the water. I used the bleach trick many times in another life while selling real estate. Works well.

[katabeachbum]

Good insight there, but I am in a moo baan so the tank is not easy to access. I will have a chat with the moo baan guy about it. Still would like to test the water. I used the bleach trick many times in another life while selling real estate. Works well.

I know Vachira hospital can do bacteria test, but I m sure posters with more experience will come on

[Familyonthemove]

The need for a sterile bottle depends on what you want tested. If just chemical testing (presticides, chlorine, heavy metals etc) then a clean glass bottle is OK, if you want a test for bacteria - then you'll need a sterile bottle and you should also sterilise the tap (heat with flame - but only if it's a metal tap!) and you'll need to tell the lab what you want them to test for.

You'll also need to interpret the results by comparing to standards for water supplies.

But the symptoms you describe could have many causes, and if only one person in household has the skin problem, then it could be an allergy? What's your doctors view on the likely cause?

Do you drink the tap water? Is it mains water or local well water? Do you have a filtration system (can help or can cause problems if not maintained properly)

If you just use the water for washing, then the water may not be the cause of your daughter's problems. Soap, laundry detergent, food allergy, heat, stress are all possible causes.

[g00dgirl]

I had this done in Europe once by mail (they send you the sterile container with instructions and you send it back), cost a lot, depending for how many different things you want the water tested. Sorry I don't know where to get it done in Thailand, but I wanted to tell you that even if you do this, it won't completely put your mind at rest, after all it was just one sample at one specific time, and the water might not always be the same.

I would approach this in a different way:

- Stop using any product on your daughters skin (no soaps, shower gels, nothing at all, no powders, only use water, same for the hair

- Make sure daughters skin gets enough direct, natural sunlight, playing naked in the sun for at least 30 minutes per day

- Think about nutrition, anything artificial or unhealthy she might be eating, any nutrients including good fats that might be missing, enough good fats from fatty fish, liver, cod liver oil, butter and whole milk ideally organic, cold pressed flax seed oil) Good fats are important for the skin, not only the skin, also brain development of a child

- Observe how the skin condition develops if you are away for 2 or 3 weeks, like on holiday somewhere else, with another water source, if at all possible

- avoid swimming in chlorinated water, only go to the beach to swim if possible

- did the condition appear after she had any vaccinations done or took any medicines

just a couple of thoughts,

I hope she gets better

[katabeachbum]

If you just use the water for washing, then the water may not be the cause of your daughter's problems. Soap, laundry detergent, food allergy, heat, stress are all possible causes.

ad skin funghi, far to common in the schools

[keestha]

- Make sure daughters skin gets enough direct, natural sunlight, playing naked in the sun for at least 30 minutes per day

Bunta didn't mention his daughter's age, she could be 19.

[MisterMan]

Cut out all foods with MSG too.. Mama Noodle flavour packs for starters.

I agree with G00dgirl could be someting in the detergent. they are really really strong here.

I have started making my own .. (borax/washing soda/fragrance free soap)

Even the kids laundry detergent which I use is full of frangrance (=toxic just search here is a good website http://www.naturalnews.com/001061.html )

I agree food allergies too. avoid any artificial sweetners and colours.

[bunta71]

I study alternative medicine and am aware of the chemicals we are bombarded with daily. It is said that by the time a woman showers and applies the paint to her face along with the "whiteners", she has absorbed over 200 chemicals through her skin. My daughter gets very little MSG or sugar,etc. and we are aware of the latest info on Vitamin D and she does run around naked in the sun.Since she is the only one in the family with this, I tend to lean towards something she picked up at school. Off to a drug pushing skin doctor tomorrow for his opinion. As far as laundry soap. Amway's original laundry soap...SA-8 is supposedly about the least toxic one available.

[Valentine]

Vachira will do the test & you can get strile bottles from them first but you have to pay for the test when you pick up the bottles. They have a wide range of tests which they can perform. Price will depend on what you want tested.

[katabeachbum]

I study alternative medicine and am aware of the chemicals we are bombarded with daily. It is said that by the time a woman showers and applies the paint to her face along with the "whiteners", she has absorbed over 200 chemicals through her skin. My daughter gets very little MSG or sugar,etc. and we are aware of the latest info on Vitamin D and she does run around naked in the sun.Since she is the only one in the family with this, I tend to lean towards something she picked up at school. Off to a drug pushing skin doctor tomorrow for his opinion. As far as laundry soap. Amway's original laundry soap...SA-8 is supposedly about the least toxic one available.

I would try 10 days treatment with Fango-B, 3 times a day. Clotrimazole handles funghi, Bethametasone handles mild allergi

40 baht for 5gram, 80 baht for 15gram. BKK hospital charges a fortune for same product in their own plastic box

If it works, the hard work of finding why she reacts with skin symptoms start

[g00dgirl]

- Make sure daughters skin gets enough direct, natural sunlight, playing naked in the sun for at least 30 minutes per day

Bunta didn't mention his daughter's age, she could be 19.

LOL, true - he might have a private garden / pool ..

[xen]

I have had to organise water testing at several sites for my work and one thing you must specify is what chemicals you are wanting the test for and then you will need an interpretation of the chemical analysis unless you are a chemist yourself because the test will come back as chemical symbols and figures. Means nothing unless it is interpreted into a language you can understand.