Drinking Water

Does anyone have any experience of using water filter equipment as sold in the side shops in the Tesco complexes and such like? I note on their leaflets they have a website (Thai language only): http://www.watermachinethailand.com
Note: I have no prior knowledge of the company and am not seeking to promote their products.

I've got fed up buying the 10 baht large plastic bottles/jars, as the water often smells or tastes odd. I recently had one with an oil or gasoline type smell, another the inside of the plastic "bottle" went all green (we'd only had it about a week). And another one currently in use, smells "musty". I see the bottles sat outside shops and in pick-ups for days on end. The plastic screw tops aren't watertight or a proper seal, even with the sticky tape they put round them. So all in all I think it can't be very clean or hygienic to be drinking the water from them.

So, I've been looking at the various (essentially filter) machines that they sell in the shops. They range from about 4500 baht up to about 18000 baht. The particular types I've been looking at:

1. The 2C Model, which appears to have Carbon/Resin/Ceramic Filters and filters 0.3 Microns. Cost 4800 baht. Filters replaced annually about 600 baht. (see 2nd picture on website front page)

2. The "Hallow" Model, which appears to have Sediment/Carbon/Resin Filters and a "Hallow" Fiber (Fibre) membrane. The sale lady said that one filtered down to 0.01 Microns. This one needs more filters and they are more expensive to replace. (annually) Cost 4500 baht.

These machines allow you to use tap water.

What occurs to me is that surely all they do is filter to varying extents, but surely they don't/can't kill bacteria, which would require chlorine or the like. Would I be right in thinking that the mains water has been treated with chlorine to kill the bacteria, assuming that one is on a mains supply? If so, that sounds like a bit of wishful thinking to me. Surely there must be a significant risk of bacteria in the water, in addition to any impurities that may need filtering out.

I understand from the lady selling these machines that many of the people selling the large 10 baht plastic bottles of water, fill them from the mains supply using the very equipment that she sells, and that they are often less than conscientious about changing the filters at the recommended intervals! Indeed, I had previously understood that the filters can often be a significant source of bacteria in themselves, particularly if not changed regularly.

Are there any experts out there, or anyone with experience of these filter machines?

An expert I'm not, but why use a no-name filter system (as they sell in the various small shops)? We've used a Pure filter system, solid carbon block along with a 0.3 micron ceramic filter for 12 years. We have a well with drinkable water but use the filters as insurance. My understanding is that a carbon block is more effective than carbon granules (a lot of Thai filters use these). There's lots of info available on the internet about the effectiveness of ceramic filters.
Our well water goes directly into a holding tank and then it's pumped into the house. There's no residue, so we only need to change the filters once a year.

We have had the 5 stage Uni Pure water treatment unit in our house for two years, plumbed into the water supply and with a tap into the kitchen. Great little unit, has a UV filter, sediment filter and three inline carbon filters, one of which is carbon block.
Water tastes great.


"I've got fed up buying the 10 baht large plastic bottles/jars, as the water often smells or tastes odd. I recently had one with an oil or gasoline type smell, another the inside of the plastic "bottle" went all green (we'd only had it about a week). And another one currently in use, smells "musty". I see the bottles sat outside shops and in pick-ups for days on end. The plastic screw tops aren't watertight or a proper seal, even with the sticky tape they put round them. So all in all I think it can't be very clean or hygienic to be drinking the water from them."

You have left out the rats, that pi$$ and $hit all over the bottles left outside the shop.

arjay wrote: .... Would I be right in thinking that the mains water has been treated with chlorine to kill the bacteria, assuming that one is on a mains supply? .....

They do some treatment, but after it leaves the water plant so many people tap into the mains using poor connections that contaminants leak back into the main water system pipes. We personally use rain water stored in 3 large containers (that are cleaned annually) for most of our drinking and cooking, but we boil it first as a safety measure.

The ceramic filters sold on the small shop inside Tesco is a poor copy of a very good filer. I bought one ceramic filter a few years ago for emergency use, but as soon as I could, I bought a British Berkefeldhttp://www.britishberkefeld.com/ceramic.html filter in Bangkok. We have been using their filter elements in a home-made gravity fed filtration system (a bucket wtih a filter inside it, dripping into a water tank) for approximately 7 years, with no problems.

Hi,
arjay I'd change your supplier if you are getting this trouble. In five years never had any trouble. I was told not to use this water as drinking water and have always used the drinking water from Tescos, big container 25B. for 6,000mls. Says on it Filtration, reverse osmosis, ultraviolet and ozone. I know, they have Jacobs Cream Crackers on the sides of buses, it does not mean they are inside the buses. No problems with the water, left container outside for three weeks when I went on holiday, Nothing wrong with the water when I got back. Dog knocked over a unopened container one night. Next morning when I checked it, not a drop was spilled.

As to how water filters work, basically there are 3 properties at work (which may or may not all be in any one filter).

1) the ceramic filter or other filter basically stops most solid particles from passing through. in a good filter this can include most bacteria.

2) some filters also contain activated carbon. this can absorb organic compounds, chlorine and some metals; has short life so usually separate unit which is replaced more frequently.

3) Some ceramic filters are coated with silver. Silver is highly bactericidal, so will kill or incapacitate bacteria which come in contact with it.

reverse osmosis is up another level and should remove nearly all contaminants from water.

beware of contamination After filtration - the water retains no sterilizing properties after the filter.

OK, Rick. Tell us what you got or would get when you would settle down here; I will just copy yours.

rick wrote:As to how water filters work, basically there are 3 properties at work (which may or may not all be in any one filter).

1) the ceramic filter or other filter basically stops most solid particles from passing through. in a good filter this can include most bacteria.

2) some filters also contain activated carbon. this can absorb organic compounds, chlorine and some metals; has short life so usually separate unit which is replaced more frequently.

3) Some ceramic filters are coated with silver. Silver is highly bactericidal, so will kill or incapacitate bacteria which come in contact with it.

reverse osmosis is up another level and should remove nearly all contaminants from water.

beware of contamination After filtration - the water retains no sterilizing properties after the filter.

You didn't mention UV light, any thoughts on that?

Not to drag this out, but I understand there's a difference between a solid block carbon filter and carbon granules. Likewise, there are varying degrees/qualities of ceramic filters.....some can capture down to 0.2 micron. A good discussion of varying types of water filtration is at http://heartspring.net/water_filters_guide.html
Me personally, I'd stick with an international brand name (Pure, and a Japanese company that starts with M (name escapes me))

Anyone know of the 'Clarte' 5 stage water purifier with PP,carbon, resin,UV and inlined post carbon filters?
Saw recently at Global....

Sorry Ray, have never used a filter for drinking water in UK, not needed. So far i have had no bad experiences with water in Udon, so do not have any plans - yet. So could not recommend one model over another. I hope to do some water testing some time to check quality and mineral content; I no longer have the means these days to do proper bacteriological tests. Of course, water quality can vary from one area to another and seasonally; also as stated the risk of contamination of the mains supply is possible.

Generally speaking, mains water and usually village water and well water should be ok for washing. For cooking, also maybe fairly safe as will cook any bugs in the water. For drinking, i would say the big bottles are reasonably safe (As remarked earlier, if your water is going green, cloudy or smells, change supplier). If you feel the need for more safety, either use a filter jug for drinking water, or boil it, and keep refrigerated. If you feel the need for larger quantities, consider the inline filters.

Papa mentioned UV. As it is not strictly filtering, I passed over that. If you have water that is CLEAR, with no detectable sediment, and not likely to have dangerous dissolved chemicals, UV is a good alternative to chlorination. The difference to chlorination is that chlorination not only kills most bugs but stays in the water for some time (24 hours or more) so prevents further bacterial growth for a while; UV kills but has no residual effect so should not be used for water that will be stored for a long time. UV units do require regular maintenance if you want good performance; and monitoring not so easy. You can be a bit more slap dash with chlorination; testing is easy. It is best to chlorinate or UV treat well water as you never know what bacteria are in it. Also always get a chemical test on your well water when first set up, as it may contain undesirable levels of minerals (salts, toxic compounds; no serious problem I know of around Udon except salts in some wells).

My knowledge of water treatment is a bit rusty; learnt that 30 years ago. But water treatment as far as i know is still basically the same. It is quite possible to make drinking water from sewage - quite easy in fact given space and time. London has been doing it for years!

Drinking water, a good question, when I came here I looked at various options, from none to getting installed a complete system costing many thousands of Baht.
I came up with a logical solution, which means I have NO maintainence problems and any problems I pass onto the supplier in fairly colourful language.
I have village water which i use for washing - clothes, dishes, etc. cast anything from 140 - 170 baht per month
Cooking/ drinking I use the big bottles at initial cost of 100 baht, ( hold ten ) now 10 baht a refill, so total cost per month 100 baht.
garden water from what I collect or from the well, total cost initial outlay some 100,000 baht.

Now in the last 7 years have brought at least 5 new bottles cost 500 baht, no other maintainence to speak of.
Longevity of current system at least another 10 years for pipework etc, Storage tanks all stainless stell, life-span some 20-30 years.
The cheapest option around and very very minimal cost on a yearly basis.

It is the 10 baht refillable plastic bottles that I am talking about KP and thus trying to get away from using.

Arjay's OP wrote:I've got fed up buying the 10 baht large plastic bottles/jars, as the water often smells or tastes odd. I recently had one with an oil or gasoline type smell, another the inside of the plastic "bottle" went all green (we'd only had it about a week). And another one currently in use, smells "musty". I see the bottles sat outside shops and in pick-ups for days on end. The plastic screw tops aren't watertight or a proper seal, even with the sticky tape they put round them. So all in all I think it can't be very clean or hygienic to be drinking the water from them.

Of the two systems I was referring to in the OP, (to use instead), the second one I believe was called Pure or Newpure (?) and I think was American made, or at least the replacement filters were. That's the one that had a "Hallow Fibre Membrane" in addition to Sediment/Carbon/Resin filters - 0.01 Micron. The alternative had Carbon/Resin/Ceramic Filters - 0.3 Micron.

Parrot thank you for the link, that was helpful and educational!

Thanks everyone for your input. I'm still researching the subject.