DRINKING WATER

[pulnamin4]

I have read in many places that we should avoid drinking tap water in Thailand.

In my TGF s house they have a water filtrering system at the back of the house.

They bottle this FILTERED water and use it for all purposes, making coffee, drinking, etc..

How safe are these filter systems ? Does any particular filter system produces better quality drinking water ?

Any suggestions ? Thanks to all.

[geronimo]

Are they still alive? If yes, it is OK.

[sean in udon]

Not used one of the filter systems but seen them around.

If it's one of the 3/5/7 tube systems with a uv tube as well, I'd drink from it.

My only concern would be, how often do they change the filters?

No uv and I'd be drinking from bottles.

[ETatBKK]

if you are long been here, your body would adapt to the conditions of the water. 'almost' no filter is required.

density filters manage cleaning up most unwanted particles even bacteria in the Thai 'tap water', only Reverse Oasis filter could manage dissolvable impurity - the heavy metal. well, RO water is not so healthy without any mineral, not healthy with your wallet too.

some filter system providers offer regular on-site filter replacement. mine was 4 times a year, then with less consumption I changed to 2 times a year.

rule of thumb, drink filtered water immediately from the filter system. do not bottle, since filter systems not killing any bio-organism, instead the system hibernates them.

[AyG]

During the floods in Bangkok my partner, who works in the water business, acquired a new, top-of-the range filter since the water delivery company we use stopped delivering. He ran tap water through it then got the lab at work to test it. It still contained faecal coliforms. In short, the filters do not do a great job - and that's with a new filter. With an older, poorly maintained filter the results would be worse.

To be safe we only used the filtered water after it had been boiled.

Once the floods receded it was back to bottled water.

[jcgodber]

Bottom line, you are the final filter

[nputman]

When in doubt don't use. That simple.

[namdocmai]

Before the flooding i drunk it all the time, no problem. I still use it for brushing teeth.

Now we have a filter with UV-light. Drink it all the time and don't change the filters in time.

We have a Pure filtersystem with UV, i don't know how to see if the UV-light is broken or not, this is Thailand, sabaai sabaai, mai ben rai.

[sean in udon]

AyG, I'm curious . Did the water filter system you tested have uv?

[AyG]

AyG, I'm curious . Did the water filter system you tested have uv?

Yes, it did.

[sean in udon]

AyG, want to throw some more questions at you if that's ok?

Re the test that showed the presence of faecal coliforms. Do you know if they just look for them with a microscope or do they use cultures and 'grow' them.

I'm curious 'cos I'm thinking of getting a similar system and the info you've provided is a little disconcerting.

My understanding of the uv filter is that it kills the bacteria or damages it to the point where it cannot multiply.

So, the presence of faecal coliforms observed microscopically wouldn't worry me excessively. Growth in cultures means the uv isn't doing it's job and that is a concern.

The circumstances in which you got to test the filtration system were certainly unusual and I'm grateful for you sharing here.

[AyG]

AyG, want to throw some more questions at you if that's ok?

Re the test that showed the presence of faecal coliforms. Do you know if they just look for them with a microscope or do they use cultures and 'grow' them.

I'm curious 'cos I'm thinking of getting a similar system and the info you've provided is a little disconcerting.

My understanding of the uv filter is that it kills the bacteria or damages it to the point where it cannot multiply.

So, the presence of faecal coliforms observed microscopically wouldn't worry me excessively. Growth in cultures means the uv isn't doing it's job and that is a concern.

The circumstances in which you got to test the filtration system were certainly unusual and I'm grateful for you sharing here.

They cultured them. The counts weren't particularly high, and the raw water might have been particularly polluted given the flooding everywhere.

The home water treatment systems are probably better than nothing, but aren't a match for commercial systems with RO, ozonation and UV treatment.

[namdocmai]

I think it is the best to get used to all bacterials around here but slowly. You will get normal tapwater into your body anyway by drinking/eating in restaurants. They wash the vegy's in it, don't wash their hands properly and so on. You can't totally avoid them unless you are busy with that all day.

Look at the markets, they wear gloves but also hand over the cash money with the same gloves. The butcher, fishvendor, bakery, fruitseller all of them do that. I have seen cockroaches/mouses/rats in almost every restaurant/bar, even in the 5* ones.

Just make sure your body gets used to it slowly and keep your health uptodate. Eat healthy, go in/out aircon, use public transport and don't think to much about it.

Sometimes in shops they offer me water which tastes vile, must be tapwater or even worse i guess. I have eaten uncooked meat/chicken, just like anybody else in Thailand. If it was really dangerous here then all those retired tourists from Europe wouldn't come in mass amounts.

[tifino]

maybe they come to die?

[AyG]

Just make sure your body gets used to it slowly

Unfortunately, the body isn't very good at getting used to Hepatitis A, cholera, typhoid, typhus, campylobacter, viral gastroenteritis, however slowly you take it.

[namdocmai]

Just make sure your body gets used to it slowly

Unfortunately, the body isn't very good at getting used to Hepatitis A, cholera, typhoid, typhus, campylobacter, viral gastroenteritis, however slowly you take it.

I don't know anybody who has one of those diseases in Thailand. Maybe the Thai can stand that?

Make sure you got your vaccinations, good healthcare insurance and enjoy life before it's over.

I know the hygiene here is not what it is in Europe but if you really fear all those diseases then better stay in another continent. You sure will meet those diseases somewhere in Asia.

Drinking bottled water also won't prevent you from that.