Bangkok Tempts Hubris, Enters Its Tap Water In International Competition

[wirat69]

Took a sample of my Bangkok tap water that had been through three or four filters in my E-Cosway water filter... a quick electrolysis turned it green, evidencing high content of copper and red with lead. Maybe it was potable at water plant, but surely not at outlet.

[netcyberg]

Lucky city Bangkok. We have no mains water at all during the whole week at Jomtien.

Maybe this is what they should be competing at.

[belg]

wait and thailand wants to participate? or did they send a bottle of chang ?

[Scott]

I usually boil the tap water before drinking, but occasionally when I wake up at night, I just go in the bathroom and drink water straight from the tap. Never had a problem. The area I live in is a rather new development, so I think the piping is pretty good and the house and the moo bahn have no storage facility, so it's not from a tank.

The only think I have noticed is a slight algaei-like taste to unboiled water.

[wpcoe]

I've been on a tour of the MWA facilities along Klong Prapa, and I was impressed. I have since been using the tap water for my coffee and brushing my teeth, had no problems. They did recommend not using the baht machines you find inside most moobaans.

You might want to be careful with that, I have heard and do believe the water is in excellent quality at the facility. But what happens after it is piped around the city is the disconcerting part.

I've read that before: That the water when it leaves the processing site is quite safe to drink. If anything, it may be more highly chlorinated than most western visitors are accustomed to, hence even first class hotels have signs at the bathroom sinks saying not to drink it -- the chlorine can cause nausea.

That said, however, there is also the condition and manner of distribution. I may have the terms incorrect but I understand the concept: Thai municipal water is a low pressure system. (I've heard it called "negative pressure, and that's what I'm not sure of.) Compare what happens when a water main breaks. In New York City it creates a huge geyser. In Bangkok, the water gurgles out and pools. Without the high pressure it's easier for contaminants to get in via cracks in the piping. A high pressure system prevents anything from entering by sending water squirting out. So, by the time the water gets to your tap it depends to a degree on the integrity of the distribution pipes.

i, too, am curious where they collected the sample for submission to the competition Directly at the point where it leaves the processing plant, or a random sink tap in a bar in Klong Toey?

[Ajaan]

Tap water is drinkable in Bangkok ???????????????????? since when ?

In theory, it's been potable for a long time in most places, but I've never had the nerve to try it - at least knowingly.

It is potable, as long are you relatively close to the purification plant (not sure where that is!). The problem is, the farther you get away from it, the more chance your water has of having encountered broken/leaking pipes on its journey to your home, and thus becoming contaminated.

I don't like to make a habit of it, but on numerous occasions, I have drank small amounts of Bangkok tap water (and huge amounts of rural tap water), usually to swallow pills, etc., over the course of the past 13 years, and I have never gotten sick.

[dcutman]

I usually boil the tap water before drinking, but occasionally when I wake up at night, I just go in the bathroom and drink water straight from the tap. Never had a problem. The area I live in is a rather new development, so I think the piping is pretty good and the house and the moo bahn have no storage facility, so it's not from a tank.

The only think I have noticed is a slight algaei-like taste to unboiled water.

Like I said, in most cases potable water and sewage is run, if not next to, very close to one another, if you have sewage line where you live. 90% of the country does not have sewer lines running to a central waste water facility. But of course when I was managing of building houses here, the water and septic tank were next to each other. Witch is not good either.

[Payboy]

Tap water is drinkable in Bangkok ???????????????????? since when ?

It's no problem going in, coming out is another story.

[dcutman]

Tap water is drinkable in Bangkok ???????????????????? since when ?

It's no problem going in, coming out is another story.

Indeed, the coming out part is a long arduous 2 or 3 day journey.(adventure) Edited February 19, 2013 by dcutman

[laislica]

I've used local tap water for teeth cleaning with no probs at all.

Many tap water problems are due to the toxic residues resulting from the chlorination process. The chlorine kills bacteria etc but the toxic metals etc are still there.

But hey, we all gonna die sometime lol

I heard that Chang beer has formaldehyde in it?

An Urban Legend in the making?

[bigbamboo]

I usually boil the tap water before drinking, but occasionally when I wake up at night, I just go in the bathroom and drink water straight from the tap. Never had a problem. The area I live in is a rather new development, so I think the piping is pretty good and the house and the moo bahn have no storage facility, so it's not from a tank.

The only think I have noticed is a slight algaei-like taste to unboiled water.

No bottled water in your area then, Scott?

[Mosha]

Water is good in the sticks.

[inquisitive]

...

From a different perspective think of those in the rural areas who collect rain water that has fallen on the roofs of their homes, store it in large open jars and used for all purposes. I can't say it has done any of my extended family much harm.

On the other hand, I have a relative in Burirum who lived by himself and drank the rainwater from his barrels. I don't know if he ever cleaned them, but he died this winter from either parasites or an infection that caused his stomach to distend, his liver to self-destruct, and ultimately his kidneys to fail. It was presumed to have been caused by the snails living in the rainwater jars, though no one knows for sure, of course. My Isaan family thinks the rainwater is pure because compared to the often muddy-brown municipal water it looks a lot better. At my place it is always boiled before use, but there are plenty of others who feel this is unnecessary. For what it's worth, every few months I scrub down the inside of the big jars we use to hold water pumped from our well, and there is always a thick layer of green slime on the sides. I shudder to think of what the gigantic and never-cleaned rainwater jars hold. I wouldn't go into them to clean without a big club for protection.

When I used to visit Bangkok fifteen years ago, I would always incorporate an extra day into my schedule for when the diarreah and vomitting sessions would take place. No matter how caredul I was, I always spent at least a few hours each trip gaining siultaneous familiarity with my toilet and wastebasket. Now, for the last three years I've installed a water filter on the balcony of the same condo and use that water for daily living. I mostly still boil it first, but on occassion have drunk it straight from the filter without any ill effect. My sense is that at least in my section of town the water quality has improved significantly over just a decade ago. I'm not ready to take a shower with my mouth open yet, mind you, but I think it's gettng better.

[bluegum]

A couple of years ago at my place of work we were visited by a team of water testers from Bangkok Metropolitan, who took samples from our taps, ran some on-the-spot tests and and declared our tap water safe to drink. Following picture time, with senior staff and testers together smiling over a certificate, they presented us with a congratulatory gift - a dozen of 1.5 liter bottles of drinking water (I kid you not). Ponder that.

[Bpuumike]

Tap water is drinkable in Bangkok ???????????????????? since when ?

In theory, it's been potable for a long time in most places, but I've never had the nerve to try it - at least knowingly.

Amen to that brother.

The proof is in the pudding.

how often are you offered tap water vs bottled water?

and how often do you accept?

And would you accept 'tap water' ice in your drink?

[redroo]

They must have a ambulance on stand by with the engines runing.

[01322521959]

Tap water is drinkable in Bangkok ???????????????????? since when ?

Well I have been drinking boiled tap water here for 20 years and only started using a simple 8 stage filter from Ecosway about a year ago. Long term effects of doing this I shall no doubt, find out one day.

[laislica]

...

From a different perspective think of those in the rural areas who collect rain water that has fallen on the roofs of their homes, store it in large open jars and used for all purposes. I can't say it has done any of my extended family much harm.

On the other hand, I have a relative in Burirum who lived by himself and drank the rainwater from his barrels. I don't know if he ever cleaned them, but he died this winter from either parasites or an infection that caused his stomach to distend, his liver to self-destruct, and ultimately his kidneys to fail. It was presumed to have been caused by the snails living in the rainwater jars, though no one knows for sure, of course. My Isaan family thinks the rainwater is pure because compared to the often muddy-brown municipal water it looks a lot better. At my place it is always boiled before use, but there are plenty of others who feel this is unnecessary. For what it's worth, every few months I scrub down the inside of the big jars we use to hold water pumped from our well, and there is always a thick layer of green slime on the sides. I shudder to think of what the gigantic and never-cleaned rainwater jars hold. I wouldn't go into them to clean without a big club for protection.

When I used to visit Bangkok fifteen years ago, I would always incorporate an extra day into my schedule for when the diarreah and vomitting sessions would take place. No matter how caredul I was, I always spent at least a few hours each trip gaining siultaneous familiarity with my toilet and wastebasket. Now, for the last three years I've installed a water filter on the balcony of the same condo and use that water for daily living. I mostly still boil it first, but on occassion have drunk it straight from the filter without any ill effect. My sense is that at least in my section of town the water quality has improved significantly over just a decade ago. I'm not ready to take a shower with my mouth open yet, mind you, but I think it's gettng better.

Hmmmm, interesting and scary.

Could it have been this?

Years ago I worked in Saudi Arabia and we were all warned about Bilharzia and it scared the bejezus out of us.

Bilharzia, or schistosomiasis, is a parasitic infection caused by a tiny flatworm that bores through moist skin deep into human flesh. The worm, endemic in Africa, lives part of its life cycle in freshwater snails, which excrete it in their faeces into water where unsuspecting humans wash or bathe.

One of the most common illnesses worldwide, it infects more than 200 million people and kills 200,000 annually. But a mini-epidemic among young visitors to Africa - particularly Lake Malawi, one of the continent's most famous beauty spots - is alarming British doctors. One leading infectious disease expert, jokingly introducing a lecture on schistosomiasis in London recently, began with: "This is the disease caught by backpackers visiting Lake Malawi."

[noitom]

Bangkok doesn't just "tempt" hubris it epitomizes hubris.

[ajarnpot]

yes BKK water is drinkable, have tried a few times, but stopped during the flooding lst yr. since then its developed a more chemical tang to it

[chooka]

There is no way I would drink water from a tap in Thailand. The Australian government also has this on its travel warnings, Don't drink the water or have ice. Bottled water only.

[FNQ]

Tap water is drinkable in Bangkok ???????????????????? since when ?

In theory, it's been potable for a long time in most places, but I've never had the nerve to try it - at least knowingly.

The tests are probably sponsored by "Filters R Us" and are sitting back waiting to reap the benifits..

[DP25]

yes BKK water is drinkable, have tried a few times, but stopped during the flooding lst yr. since then its developed a more chemical tang to it

Yeah, that's my experience too. The water is fine but they started putting more chlorine in during the flood. It is safe but you need to run it through a filter for taste. Not much different from my tap water back in the states really, I use a Brita there to make drinking water out of tap.

[Johnice]

The safest way to stay healthy in Thailand is to follow my advice. NEVER drink water. Drink only Leo beer .

Never drink water....fish fornicate in it.

[aparasher]

It is all part of government's initiatives to avoid flooding. If water is consumable and approx 10 liter of water is consumed daily by 1.5+ million of population, then there most of water could be stored for consumption later on.

Oops!!! I forgot that water needs to be stored before consumption. OK. So government will need to dig bigger holes somewhere for that.

Bugger... I am digging deeper hole for myself. I am sure we will figure something out.

OK. For now lets consider it as a part of initiative to prove something.... Improved health facilities....bugger again....

[Johnice]

There is no way I would drink water from a tap in Thailand. The Australian government also has this on its travel warnings, Don't drink the water or have ice. Bottled water only.

The first time I came to Thailand(Pattaya) 10 years ago, unknowingly I drank water from the tap in my hotel room because where I come from(CapeTown) the tap water is fabulous. I got so sick and when the proprietor decided to warn me, a bit late, he also advised that if an ice cube hasn't got a hole in it don't use it.

[glegolo]

Tap water is drinkable in Bangkok ???????????????????? since when ?

Yeaahh! And also when is the tapwater drinkable in the USA?? Funny they do not mentioned the scandinavian countries that probably is the only ones with decent drinkable tap water in the world.

Glegolo