Tap water in Thailand safe to drink: PWA

[Jim walker]

I drink tap water in Bangkok but it’s in the form of coffee and the water is boiled first, the water itself I think come from the swimming pool due to the high smell of chlorine bleach.

[Jim walker]

Most good class hotels supply bottles of water in the toilet for cleaning your teeth does that not say something to you about the tap water.

[lovetotravel]

Most good class hotels supply bottles of water in the toilet for cleaning your teeth does that not say something to you about the tap water.

Ever seen a public drinking fountain in Thailand? Any at the airport? At any hospital? That should be a huge clue also.

[wilcopops]

Most good class hotels supply bottles of water in the toilet for cleaning your teeth does that not say something to you about the tap water.

Says more about what their cutovers want than any scientific evidence.

[wilcopops]

I'm inclined to believe that the water supplied to the MAINS water infrastructure IS OK is drink.

the problem or my lack of confidence, however, arises from the apparent poor state subsequent water storage and supplies and the high possibility of contamination in the private systems used in hotels, houses etc.

I think judging by the amount of references to chlorine that many posters are not fully aware of the way water is "prepared" for human consumption and distribution or from the sources used.

A lot of the comments are purely down to perception....this includes both expats and the Thai public in general........

It is said that in London she you drink a glass of water it has likely as not already passed through 5 other people. This may or may not be true, but it does illustrate that in places like the UK tap water is recycled over and over - a good conservation job.

In Australia in Queensland the suggestion that recycled water be used in domestic water supplies was greeted with the utmost horror by the general public. yet i reality many parts of Australia have serious microbial problems in their "natural" water supplies.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

I though the water would be ok if I boil it for my coffee or tea.

Then I learned about pipes in Thailand.

[wilcopops]

I though the water would be ok if I boil it for my coffee or tea.

Then I learned about pipes in Thailand.

boiling will get rid of a lot of bacteria, but how it hadles other pollutants is another science........ that of chemistry.

[wilcopops]

there is also the problem of the large fluctuation of water-levels in Thailand. Drought, Floods etc, all leave water supplies vulnerable to pollution and bacterial infestation.

[lvr181]

I though the water would be ok if I boil it for my coffee or tea.

Then I learned about pipes in Thailand.

boiling will get rid of a lot of bacteria, but how it hadles other pollutants is another science........ that of chemistry.

And dissipate the chlorine, but that is all. Very very small micron filters (containing also activated carbon) needed to get rid of other "animal life" in water. Cryptosporidium cysts difficult to get rid of by water boiled very short time i.e. water boils and immediately jug turned off.

[The Deerhunter]

That has to be the funniest thing I read here for a while on the News Forum ...

So, despite the diversity of all of Thailand's water supplies, the wells, the bores, the dams, across the entire Nation ... the PWA declare everywhere is fit to drink.

HA ... tell that to my extended Thai Family ... they refuse to drink it and wash their clothes begrudgingly in it.

Potable water out of the pipe ...

.

In fairness, they do mention water that has passed through water treatment plants. I am not brave enough to drink it but i do wash my teeth with it in any hotel in Thailand, something I would not do in many Asian or middle east countries. Have brushed my teeth with mini-bar beer & coke on occasions in other countries In the very few instances where I have had the runs in thailand I have usually guessed exactly where the bug came from. The family here have a well that all the family & many neighbours come & fill up from. The water is that famous. I have recently put a filter on that for our own use, but I drank it straight from the bore for ages before we added the filter. My big concern for myself & younger people is dissolved limestone causing kidney etc stones.

[lvr181]

That has to be the funniest thing I read here for a while on the News Forum ...

So, despite the diversity of all of Thailand's water supplies, the wells, the bores, the dams, across the entire Nation ... the PWA declare everywhere is fit to drink.

HA ... tell that to my extended Thai Family ... they refuse to drink it and wash their clothes begrudgingly in it.

Potable water out of the pipe ...

.

In fairness, they do mention water that has passed through water treatment plants. I am not brave enough to drink it but i do wash my teeth with it in any hotel in Thailand, something I would not do in many Asian or middle east countries. Have brushed my teeth with mini-bar beer & coke on occasions in other countries In the very few instances where I have had the runs in thailand I have usually guessed exactly where the bug came from. The family here have a well that all the family & many neighbours come & fill up from. The water is that famous. I have recently put a filter on that for our own use, but I drank it straight from the bore for ages before we added the filter. My big concern for myself & younger people is dissolved limestone causing kidney etc stones.

Kidney stones generally caused by NOT drinking enough water to dilute uric acid.

[tifino]

.

In fairness, they do mention water that has passed through water treatment plants. I am not brave enough to drink it but i do wash my teeth with it in any hotel in Thailand, something I would not do in many Asian or middle east countries. Have brushed my teeth with mini-bar beer & coke on occasions in other countries In the very few instances where I have had the runs in thailand I have usually guessed exactly where the bug came from. The family here have a well that all the family & many neighbours come & fill up from. The water is that famous. I have recently put a filter on that for our own use, but I drank it straight from the bore for ages before we added the filter. My big concern for myself & younger people is dissolved limestone causing kidney etc stones.

Kidney stones generally caused by NOT drinking enough water to dilute uric acid.

yeah! I had a bout of Gout arising just before the latest trip back to LOS. That meant needing to drink massively more than usual. Sometimes we ran out of bottled overnight, and made the mistake of using the tap.

Within a week had a backfull of tiny redspot blotched come up, looking like measles. Wifey did too...

Skimping on the bottled water costed more, because of all the Calamine Lotion we needed, to dab on each other for the next month or so

[wilcopops]

.

In fairness, they do mention water that has passed through water treatment plants. I am not brave enough to drink it but i do wash my teeth with it in any hotel in Thailand, something I would not do in many Asian or middle east countries. Have brushed my teeth with mini-bar beer & coke on occasions in other countries In the very few instances where I have had the runs in thailand I have usually guessed exactly where the bug came from. The family here have a well that all the family & many neighbours come & fill up from. The water is that famous. I have recently put a filter on that for our own use, but I drank it straight from the bore for ages before we added the filter. My big concern for myself & younger people is dissolved limestone causing kidney etc stones.

Kidney stones generally caused by NOT drinking enough water to dilute uric acid.

yeah! I had a bout of Gout arising just before the latest trip back to LOS. That meant needing to drink massively more than usual. Sometimes we ran out of bottled overnight, and made the mistake of using the tap.

Within a week had a backfull of tiny redspot blotched come up, looking like measles. Wifey did too...

Skimping on the bottled water costed more, because of all the Calamine Lotion we needed, to dab on each other for the next month or so

sounds like you're blaming bedbugs on the water supply.

[wilcopops]

Here is the Canadian governments advice on Cryptosporidium and Giardia ...NB - Cryptosporidium is very resistant to chlorine treatment.

Municipal drinking water treatment providing filtration and disinfection with chlorine can reduce the risk of contracting giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis. Chlorine by itself is not effective against Cryptosporidium but can inactivate Giardia. Recent research indicates that ultraviolet light will inactivate both organisms. Protection of the raw water supply is also beneficial.

If Giardia or Cryptosporidium in municipal drinking water is suspected or known to be the cause of an outbreak, public health authorities will issue a boil water advisory to help control the spread of illness.

In the outdoors, water should be boiled for at least one minute before it is used for drinking, food preparation or dental hygiene. This treatment will destroy not only Giardiaand Cryptosporidium, but also any other disease-causing microorganisms that might be present. Certain types of filters can remove the parasites.

Travellers to countries where the safety of drinking water is suspect should boil or disinfect and filter water that is to be used for drinking, food preparation, or dental hygiene.

Edited August 20, 2014 by wilcopops

[lvr181]

Here is the Canadian governments advice on Cryptosporidium and Giardia ...NB - Cryptosporidium is very resistant to chlorine treatment.

Municipal drinking water treatment providing filtration and disinfection with chlorine can reduce the risk of contracting giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis. Chlorine by itself is not effective against Cryptosporidium but can inactivate Giardia. Recent research indicates that ultraviolet light will inactivate both organisms. Protection of the raw water supply is also beneficial.

If Giardia or Cryptosporidium in municipal drinking water is suspected or known to be the cause of an outbreak, public health authorities will issue a boil water advisory to help control the spread of illness.

In the outdoors, water should be boiled for at least one minute before it is used for drinking, food preparation or dental hygiene. This treatment will destroy not only Giardiaand Cryptosporidium, but also any other disease-causing microorganisms that might be present. Certain types of filters can remove the parasites.

Travellers to countries where the safety of drinking water is suspect should boil or disinfect and filter water that is to be used for drinking, food preparation, or dental hygiene.

Good advice. Boil AT LEAST one minute - not jug turn off as soon as it reaches boiling point, keep it boiling.

[wilcopops]

Here is the Canadian governments advice on Cryptosporidium and Giardia ...NB - Cryptosporidium is very resistant to chlorine treatment.

Municipal drinking water treatment providing filtration and disinfection with chlorine can reduce the risk of contracting giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis. Chlorine by itself is not effective against Cryptosporidium but can inactivate Giardia. Recent research indicates that ultraviolet light will inactivate both organisms. Protection of the raw water supply is also beneficial.

If Giardia or Cryptosporidium in municipal drinking water is suspected or known to be the cause of an outbreak, public health authorities will issue a boil water advisory to help control the spread of illness.

In the outdoors, water should be boiled for at least one minute before it is used for drinking, food preparation or dental hygiene. This treatment will destroy not only Giardiaand Cryptosporidium, but also any other disease-causing microorganisms that might be present. Certain types of filters can remove the parasites.

Travellers to countries where the safety of drinking water is suspect should boil or disinfect and filter water that is to be used for drinking, food preparation, or dental hygiene.

Good advice. Boil AT LEAST one minute - not jug turn off as soon as it reaches boiling point, keep it boiling.

Except most kettles are automatic these days...I wonder what temperature is actually needed to kill these parasites.

[Crossy]

A troll post and replies have been removed.

[Metapod]

I don't drink tap water here, but I brush my teeth with it. I think a bit of exposure is good to build your immune system up. Helps keep me healthy all around asia.

[lvr181]

Here is the Canadian governments advice on Cryptosporidium and Giardia ...NB - Cryptosporidium is very resistant to chlorine treatment.

Municipal drinking water treatment providing filtration and disinfection with chlorine can reduce the risk of contracting giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis. Chlorine by itself is not effective against Cryptosporidium but can inactivate Giardia. Recent research indicates that ultraviolet light will inactivate both organisms. Protection of the raw water supply is also beneficial.

If Giardia or Cryptosporidium in municipal drinking water is suspected or known to be the cause of an outbreak, public health authorities will issue a boil water advisory to help control the spread of illness.

In the outdoors, water should be boiled for at least one minute before it is used for drinking, food preparation or dental hygiene. This treatment will destroy not only Giardiaand Cryptosporidium, but also any other disease-causing microorganisms that might be present. Certain types of filters can remove the parasites.

Travellers to countries where the safety of drinking water is suspect should boil or disinfect and filter water that is to be used for drinking, food preparation, or dental hygiene.

Good advice. Boil AT LEAST one minute - not jug turn off as soon as it reaches boiling point, keep it boiling.

Except most kettles are automatic these days...I wonder what temperature is actually needed to kill these parasites.

1) Hold the switch on, I can do with my electric jug.

2) 100deg C (boiling point at sea level or near to)..