drinking water machines is it a big scam

[kurnell]

We change the filter in our home purifier once a year

[JLCrab]

I was using the water machines for a while and never had any problems. But as I have a choice between the machines and swapping the 18L bottles for about the same price, I now use the store bought water as I have found a route to carry the bottle on my motorbike which has the least chance of being chased by dogs when it is difficult to maneuver around the snarling barking curs.

[canarysun]

It's actually rather interesting to point out that if you ask The Thais if they drink the water from the Water Machines,most of them will say " NO " and then look at you as if you are crazy ( which i am of course....) So far no problems with this water in the containers ( 15 baht ) but it makes you wonder how well it is filtered ?

Farang Jaidee

[JLCrab]

The places where I buy the 18L bottled water have zero farang customers so I don't give it much thought.

[TheCruncher]

From a post I made a few days ago:

Just yesterday I'm sitting at a mom & pop, who have a water dispensing machine out front. The "technician" came to change the filter. The one he was to put in was snow white. The one he removed was black, with green splotches growing here and there.

I asked him how many liters between changes?

He said, every six months.

Only in Thailand is the lifetime of a water filter calculated in time instead of volume and sediment content of the water used.

[canarysun]

Now whilst we are on the subject of " water filters " i would like to ask a simple question ( to some of you it may sound " ridiculous " ) but if you have a very expensive water filter system installed in your home ( 30,000 baht job ) does this mean that you can pump through " any " kind of water ( ie : Sea water / River water ) and it will filter it into pure drinking water...?????

I just wondered......

F.J

[craigt3365]

This problem with water machines on the street isn't limited to Thailand. The US has a big problem with it also. They did a test several years ago and found many were not delivering water as clean as regular tap water!

They did a test here also several years ago and found the super cheap bottled water is about the same as tap water.

[tim armstrong]

We have stopped using the large bottles, but not because of contamination, - because the supplier was unreliable. We now have a small filter on our tap water which works well.

[In Search of Space]

Surely the manufacturers have recommended filter change periods & maintenance programs

[craigt3365]

My father had a nice under the sink RO system in his house in the US. Filter was suppose to be changed every year. It cost $200!!! So, it didn't get changed as much as it should have.

[eldragon]

I used to get sick once a month in TH. Then I started taking zinc twice a day and haven't been ill since. I even put down the occasional glass of tap water.

[Thongkorn]

I would never drink water out of one of those things, Even the Thai wife will not. We buy water in big bottles, 40 baht, they are sealed. Why risk your health for a few baht

Edited October 23, 2014 by Thongkorn

[Lex Talionis]

Remember this guy? No filter required it seemed.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/oMCY6te2sag?feature=oembed

[watcharacters]

From a post I made a few days ago:

Just yesterday I'm sitting at a mom & pop, who have a water dispensing machine out front. The "technician" came to change the filter. The one he was to put in was snow white. The one he removed was black, with green splotches growing here and there.

I asked him how many liters between changes?

He said, every six months.

.

I'll stick to the bottled water and keep my fingers crossed.

[JAS21]

tubby johnson, on 07 Sept 2014 - 13:30, said:tubby johnson, on 07 Sept 2014 - 13:30, said:

Buy a good water filter and install it at home. Simple. Mine cost 28,000 Baht, but it tastes great.

At that price it's maybe the Amway one ... that's what we have had for about six years now ... the 'filter/uv lamp' lasts about one year and costs a little over 4000Baht ... not cheap. It doesn't soften the water which is a good thing. I think basically it has a UV lamp which kills bacteria, filters out the debris and removes the chlorine taste etc. Not sure that I would buy one again due to the price, but now that we have it!

Edited October 23, 2014 by JAS21

[Chivas]

No different to guillable people buying bottles of Water in the West believing its some guy filling a bottle from a mountain stream. Exactly the same that comes out of a tap

[mania]

I have been using these machines for 3 years now not a problem

For Canarysun to claim it was the water from a

machine that made him sick would need a bit of proof at least

Your in Thailand after all...where do you eat? What do you eat?

Where & how was it grow/prepared/stored etc etc etc

That you can isolate the water from the machine as the cause would suggest you were on a machine water only diet

Not to discount the myriads of other bacterias that are present here

Then again I have lived on catchment systems most of my life &

used filters all that time. One thing I know 100% to be true is as a filter

gets used/dirty etc the flow rate drops drastically.

If I saw a machine that had low flow I would not take that water.

I also have used the same machine which is spotless clean compared to others I have seen roadside.

So perhaps the lady who owns this one cares for it more than others do...Beats me

As to the big locally available bottled water...I have been to one plant & while the filtering machine looked capable they were rinsing

empty bottles with tap water.

Most would assume even the bits of water from the tap left in the wet rinsed bottles could have something.

Yes parts per liter would be less but there none the less.

Edited October 23, 2014 by mania

[mania]

Now whilst we are on the subject of " water filters " i would like to ask a simple question ( to some of you it may sound " ridiculous " ) but if you have a very expensive water filter system installed in your home ( 30,000 baht job ) does this mean that you can pump through " any " kind of water ( ie : Sea water / River water ) and it will filter it into pure drinking water...?????

I just wondered......

F.J

Depends on the filtration size/capabilities

Years ago a very good system in the US called SeaGull sales guys claimed it could even remove botulism ( I think it was from Australia)

But even years ago the small under-sink filter was $50 USD & lasted only a month or two due to its small micron sized filtration

We eventually changed to a cheaper system due to high filter replacement costs

They even sold a straw like device to take hiking...If lost you could suck a crappy muddy puddle thru it & be fine.

PS: Just googled them & they are still in business

I see now their under sink unit costs about 30k baht

& the replacement filters is no longer $50 USD but $165

http://www.seagullwaterpurification.com/products/home-domestic/seagull-x-if-faucet-under-sink

Edited October 23, 2014 by mania

[AnotherOneAmerican]

I wouldn't trust them in Pattaya or Bk.

I get all my water from them in MaeJo (near Chiang Mai), never any problems.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Now whilst we are on the subject of " water filters " i would like to ask a simple question ( to some of you it may sound " ridiculous " ) but if you have a very expensive water filter system installed in your home ( 30,000 baht job ) does this mean that you can pump through " any " kind of water ( ie : Sea water / River water ) and it will filter it into pure drinking water...?????

I just wondered......

F.J

Depends on the filtration size/capabilities

Years ago a very good system in the US called SeaGull could even remove botulism ( I think it was from Australia)

But even years ago the small under-sink filter was $50 USD & lasted only a month or two due to its small micron sized filtration

They even sold a straw like device to take hiking...If lost you could suck a crappy muddy puddle thru it & be fine.

And like any filter system, the more C_rap in the source, the shorter time the filter will last.

[TheCruncher]

I used the water macines until about 7-8 years ago when the algae came out of the machine while filling a bottle.

[mania]

And like any filter system, the more C_rap in the source, the shorter time the filter will last.

Exactly! Also why the filtration companies can never really say how long

a cartridge will last....as it depends on your water

But also why a good prefilter of some kind should be used before an expensive filter

Edited October 23, 2014 by mania

[TheCruncher]

And like any filter system, the more C_rap in the source, the shorter time the filter will last.

Exactly! Also why the filtration companies can never really say how long

a cartridge will last....as it depends on your water

But also why a good prefilter of some kind should be used before an expensive filter

Simple because the water filter companies, together with all the other companies in Thailand, have no clue about the product they are selling.

[mania]

And like any filter system, the more C_rap in the source, the shorter time the filter will last.

Exactly! Also why the filtration companies can never really say how long

a cartridge will last....as it depends on your water

But also why a good prefilter of some kind should be used before an expensive filter

Simple because the water filter companies, together with all the other companies in Thailand, have no clue about the product they are selling.

Actually I was talking about the high quality Seagull filtration system I spoke of sold in the USA.

Those sales folks always said of course it depends on the quality your water starts from before filtration

that will affect how long a filter would last.

Seems perfectly logical

Edited October 23, 2014 by mania

[maxtwo]

If you want to know when you need to change a water filter or check bottles of water, you need a digital tds meter. They are about £5 ebay.

[neverdie]

Time to don that tinfoil hat...

I always put mine near my iPad, jostling for posting here at TVF. I got one with a chin strap, to help keep it on as my head thrashes around.

[canarysun]

I have been using these machines for 3 years now not a problem

For Canarysun to claim it was the water from a

machine that made him sick would need a bit of proof at least

Your in Thailand after all...where do you eat? What do you eat?

Where & how was it grow/prepared/stored etc etc etc

That you can isolate the water from the machine as the cause would suggest you were on a machine water only diet

Not to discount the myriads of other bacterias that are present here

Then again I have lived on catchment systems most of my life &

used filters all that time. One thing I know 100% to be true is as a filter

gets used/dirty etc the flow rate drops drastically.

If I saw a machine that had low flow I would not take that water.

I also have used the same machine which is spotless clean compared to others I have seen roadside.

So perhaps the lady who owns this one cares for it more than others do...Beats me

As to the big locally available bottled water...I have been to one plant & while the filtering machine looked capable they were rinsing

empty bottles with tap water.

Most would assume even the bits of water from the tap left in the wet rinsed bottles could have something.

Yes parts per liter would be less but there none the less.

Hello!

I was ill for a while on and off and over the last year was drinking the water from the water machines ( mainly from a new machine ) i drink about 2- 3 litres of water a day as i walk a lot in the sun.(fabulous) 8 months ago i was sick & diarrhea for about a week constantly and didn't think to stop drinking the water from the machine.I don't like taking medication,of visiting Doctors ( i have never have done ) but after a week of this i staggered over to the Pharmacy ( symptoms : sick,diarrhea,dangerously high temperature,skin rash and then shivering for two hours after ) This happened every 2 weeks after eating different food.I had a reaction also just by " drinking the water from a bottle " and within a minute it had started!) The Pharmacy told me NOT to drink the water from any water machine as most Thais do not and also she knew of many cases of people ending up in hospital and put on " a drip " ( just for drinking water from the machines ) she also told me to change my diet and eat a lot of fruit and vegetables every day ( no rice ) i went to another Pharmacy who also told me not to drink the water from the machines as she also had to go to hospital herself!!

I stopped drinking the water from the machines and for 2 months now i have NOT had any reaction whatsoever! Yes it's possible it could be Bacteria from food but strange how i have had no problems since i stopped drinking the water from the machines!!!

Farang Jaidee

[mania]

I had a reaction also just by " drinking the water from a bottle " and within a minute it had started!

Yes see that is not possible within a minute afaik

But glad you feel better

Bacterial infections especially in the stomach/intestines takes a good while to clear....Also to brew

That you felt sick after eating any food once you had it is 100% normal for a intestinal virus/infection.

Guys who rode professionally in bike races. These types have strict diets,

their own foods cooks, masseurs etc

They hated racing in Europe especially Eastern Europe years ago.

Many would get something like you described even though they were careful to drink bottled water,

have their cooks prepare food,clean veggies etc etc.

They hated it because it took weeks to clear & hampered their performance.

But what I am saying is they were very careful yet had from time to time these types of infections

in some countries.

You stopped drinking water you thought gave you a infection/bacteria.

But do you brush your teeth with tap water? Does it go in your mouth

even to rinse? Do you bathe with it? Wash your face? Does it go in your eyes when you bathe?

See what I mean? If it is there you will be subject to it just as my well prepared pals

If your healthy you body will fight it off & you can also attack it with some antibiotics

Also you probably eat some street food yes?

So do I from time to time. I know there is a good chance to eventually get a bit of bacteria there too

Glad your better

Edited October 24, 2014 by mania

[namdocmai]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

From a post I made a few days ago:

Just yesterday I'm sitting at a mom & pop, who have a water dispensing machine out front. The "technician" came to change the filter. The one he was to put in was snow white. The one he removed was black, with green splotches growing here and there.

I asked him how many liters between changes?

He said, every six months.

Only in Thailand is the lifetime of a water filter calculated in time instead of volume and sediment content of the water used.

My double doors fridge also has a waterfilter which has to be changed when a light at the control panel is on. That light starts burning every 6 months but it's easy to reset.

I guess Samsung didn't make these fridges only for the Thai market.

[TheSpade]

Even the Thai's I know won't drink the stuff but only use it for cooking.