According to local health authorities, tap water in Phuket Town and Patong is safe to drink. There are even signboards around Phuket advertising this claim. “The water supplying these two municipalities is treated and checked based on drinking water standards set by the Thai Industrial Standards Institute and the World Health Organization”, said Sayan Wareearunroj, Manager, Phuket Provincial Water Works Office some years ago.

However, he cautions that a regular check of water pipes within and leading to the home is necessary to prevent contamination, as the water may be safe when it leaves the processing plant, but it may become contaminated because of debris and other contaminants entering the supply from broken pipes, corrosion or other sources. Outside of Patong and Phuket Town, it's generally accepted that water treatment systems are either non-existent or not scrutinized, and most would advise caution when drinking from these sources, if at all. However, many residents who live in the more rural areas of Phuket would claim that they have been drinking the water for many years without complications, so the answer remains as clear as mud.

Drinking contaminated water could cause diseases such as typhoid, polio, hepatitis A or cholera – but these are very rare in Phuket. The most common problem associated with drinking contaminated water is gastroenteritis (diarrhea) from bacteria. Parents should take note that fluoride is not added to any water source on the island. Phuket also sources its water from dams and catchment areas, as well as water stored in deep abandoned tin mines, and for many, bore (ground) water is used.

The quality of the water that you receive from your source can be tested; however, testing requires proper collection bottles and should be sourced from a certified laboratory. One laboratory in Bangkok, Test Tech Company Ltd Tel: 02 8773271-74 will send you the bottles and instructions on shipping requirements to Bangkok. Local companies such as Environmental Solutions & Protection Corporation (ESP) Tel: 081 030 4278 will also arrange for testing; a comprehensive “International Standard Drinking Water Analysis” from a lab and will cost around 14,000 baht, covering 34 tests for bacteria, physical and chemical properties as per most international and WHO requirements. 

If the water is found to have unsafe levels of contaminants, a reputable filter from a well know international company such as a reverse osmosis or UV light system can be installed at a cost of around 20,000 baht. Cheaper copies of these filtration systems are available from most hardware stores.

An alternative is to use bottled drinking water, which is inexpensive and can often be delivered right to your home. For the large 20 litre plastic containers that are sold across the island, my understanding is that no governmental standards or checks are applied to check the quality of this water, and the cleanliness is left solely to the businesses who bottle it, as is cleaning the returned bottles and containers. I used to use this water for many years, until I started receiving containers with sediment and green algae inside the bottles indicating that they may not be as clean as they should be.

Another more expensive alternative is to buy branded water, such as Nestle or Singh water from the supermarkets and shops. Being more expensive does not guarantee that it's pure though, so the choice is yours. Installing and then maintaining a filter system maybe the safest approach.

Peter Davison is the Manager International Services
at Phuket International Hospital.
Tel: +66 (0)76 249400. Email: info@phuketinternationalhospital.com.