Coin-operated water dispensers in urban residential areas like condominiums and housing estates are convenient, but if you think they are clean, then think again.
The Department of Health under the Ministry of Public Health recently revealed some shocking information with regard to the country's dispensers. Only 50% of those surveyed were found to be above hygiene standards in 2013, a slight increase from four years earlier when only 33% were reported to be good enough to use.
And of around 20,000 coin-operated water dispensers randomly examined in Bangkok, only 15% were properly registered with the Department of Local Administration. According to Chapter 7 of the Public Health Act (1992) which addresses businesses hazardous to health, those who have no official permission to operate coin-operated water dispensers could be subject to up to six years imprisonment and/or a 10,000-baht fine.
Medical specialist of infectious diseases Dr Ekachai Singhatiraj said that when it comes to coin-operated water dispensers, the problem is usually not associated with the quality of tap water that flows into the machine. The most worrying part, however, is the fact that consumers cannot be sure if the filters are replaced as instructed.
"If the filters are good and can still do their job efficiently, then it should be fine, such as those for household use where owners are required to replace filters every six to 12 months. But in the case of the machines in public places, it is hard to tell if they are properly maintained. The best way to check the water quality is by means of laboratory tests," said Dr Ekachai.
According to the specialist, the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority says that tap waiter is, in fact, drinkable. Even so, before flowing into water vending machines, the water is filtered and left to precipitate. Chlorine is later added to rid bacteria, viruses and parasites. The water is then distributed for household use.
But if clean water passes through old or contaminated filters, the result is drinking water that can be bad for health. The Department of Health also stated that drinking water from coin-operated water vending machines, if contaminated, is likely to lead to several gastrointestinal illnesses, especially food poisoning, diarrhoea, dysentery (inflammation of the intestine causing diarrhoea with blood), typhoid fever (a type of life-threatening bacterial infection which leads to high fever, abdominal pain and diarrhoea) and hepatitis A (viral liver disease transmitted through contaminated food).
"In normal circumstances, there is bacteria in the food we eat, but mostly it doesn't cause any severe symptoms," the doctor explained. "There are certain types of bacteria, such as salmonella that brings about diseases. Therefore if water filters are badly contaminated, then it might be harmful to consumers' digestive systems."
Nonetheless, Dr Ekachai urged consumers not to be frightened when it comes to buying drinking water from these machines because normally people drink water from various sources, including bottled drinking water from time to time.
One way to make sure that water we drink is free from contamination, he continued, is to bring it to a boil before consumption to kill germs and unwanted micro-organisms. Given that water purifiers, filter replacement or bottled water can be quite pricey, this is actually quite an economical approach.
"Boiling tap water can also get rid of the smell of chlorine because heat enables chlorine in the water to evaporate," he said.
"Using water containers that are up to standard is also key, especially when it comes to bottled water available in the general market," the specialist added. "On the consumer side, they had better opt for products that are certified by the Food and Drug Administration and containers certified by the Thai Industrial Standards Institute. That's one way to help shield against contamination."