water

[MikeLowrey]

Just one more thing.I read a lot about drinking-not drinking the water from the tap. I read you are not allowed to put filters in your tap. So is the water safe or does everybody using bottled water? The thing is that we shower wash our veg's, meats ,clothes, teeth, eat in restaurants,ice cubes in our drinks, use the Spas-very popular?-, etc.

How do you people manage if the water is "dirty"?
Or is it????????????????

This isn't Australia. Here in Hong Kong, you use a filter and boil the water before you drink it or use it in your cooking.

[PDLM]

Here in Hong Kong, you use a filter and boil the water before you drink it or use it in your cooking.

I think what you mean is that you, MikeLowrey, do, but to assume that everyone else does would be a mistake.

[Sigga]

Amazing how much ignorance there is around.

HK tap water is perfectly safe to drink. If your pipes are old, you may want to run the water for a while first. The only real threat to health comes from old water tanks on the roof.

If you don't like the chlorine smell/taste, stand the water in a loosely-cover container in the fridge for a few hours and the chlorine will dissipate.

fluoride is not harmful at HK levels, nor is the chlorine.

Don't be so wet!

[Boris]

Why is it that postings in here still seem to assume that the drinking mains supply in HK in unsafe?
It isn't.

The mains water is well treated and safe. The stuff that comes out of the tap is, in about 99.9% of cases as safe as at origin. If it wasn't, then we would see, as HK'ers love to complain about EVERYTHING, loads of press and residents with banners outside buildings.

All this crap about THM and VOC is a distraction. RO and UV just a commercial ploy to get you to pay more money for something you don't really need.

If anyone in HK has a concern because they think the water tastes " funny ", they have concerns about pipework in the building OR the just " don't trust it ", then just go get a test kit from one of the water filter suppliers listed in YP, or Google - Water test kit and buy online. Go to your building supervisor and get them to test it if your too impoverished to do it yourself.

Some of the recommendations for systems placed on the thread are ridiculous.

UV filters ??? Don't get me started. OK for your fishpond breaking down algae but fast flowing treated mains water supply, give me a break. Simply - its a con to get you to spend money.

RO - Been there done that in this thread and others. Another con.

THM and VOC - the items are talked a lot here and especially by one person who hasn't a clue what they are or what is done to secure your supply against them.

HK has an efficient treating system, maintained and upgraded all the time. Pre 97, and because the water supply in HK is relied upon to come from the mainland, it was always the scenario that the " Reds " would poison us and we would all die in our beds from this source. Therefore the purification and checking systems are of a very high quality. Better by thousands of miles than most US cites.
The stories of boiling water, although true, are based locally on mainland family and Chinese practices. My wife is Chinese I have to put up with her wierd ways every day and get chastised if I do not comply. You lot do not need that in your lives , believe me.

Guys / Girls. WE are not being supplied with water from the local village pond, or an unfiltered / untreated underground source subject to heavy THM contaminants like many high profile cases in the US and others.

Use a filter if it makes you feel safe. But you only need one thats for particulates and leads / heavy metals. If traveling China, every hotel I have ever been in has bottled water and you MAY feel safe drinking that. Maybe not if your a paranoid hippy dude.

Personally I have recommended a portable filter for travelling. IF you insist on drinking tap water on your travels in China then get one with protection from THM and VOC by all means. However, even I would be hard pressed to find the courage to use anything that comes out of a Chinese tap. Filtered or otherwise.

BUT in HK ?? Unless you need it for phsycological needs or you live in a 70s building then dont waste your time.
Pour your water in a glass, smell its fresh aroma, see it is clear and sparkles. You just filtered your water !

[Vrindavan]

Not just the Water Authority people are so proud to the water supply in Hong Kong

[KnowItAll]

Boris - Amen.

[sunniefaith]

Everyone has different views on water...just pick what suits you, your budget and your taste. Personally, I love my distilled water so much so that I give my puppy distilled water too.

[Boris]

Personally, I love my distilled water so much so that I give my puppy distilled water too.

I love Guiness but I wouldn't impose it on my goldfish !

[sunniefaith]

I love Guiness but I wouldn't inpose it on my goldfish !

lol....puppy loves her distilled water too....it's the hubby that thinks its ridiculous!

[Miss Swiss]

"Personally, I love my distilled water so much so that I give my puppy distilled water too."

Your dog is not human.....I don't see why you have to give it distilled water....do you let it walk, or wheel it around in a basket like lots of other people?