[cerberus]

hmm so the image i'm getting is it's ok to drink filtered, with a few voices claiming there's no reason not to drink it straight. ok, you made things clearer again. thanks.

[HKFella]

Originally Posted by taurus1976

Can any one suggest a good tap filter ? I am currently boiling my water in one of those electric kettles which I am not entirely comfortable with .... since the rule is to boil water for 20 mins to kill all germs !!!

Filter kitchen mains water through a small Aqua Guard and boil and keep it in an airpot (that Japanese constant hot water gizmo beloved of Chinese). Purportedly takes care of the last mile as well as the 20 min rule. Remove water from airpot to glass storage jar twice a day or as often as you need.

[cerberus]

hkfella, don't you think that's a bit much work just to drink water?

i mean where's the trade off in it?

[HKFella]

Not at all a bit much. Employer installed the filter in the kitchen at their cost. Airpot is needed anyway (by us at least - therefore no incremental cost). So where's not the trade off? We don't buy water. Also use outlet from Aqua Guard in sink to rinse/soak veggies and stuff before cooking. Very handy.

[KnowItAll]

>> i mean where's the trade off in it?

Bottled water cost ...

[HKFella]

you said it. also the hassle/plastic waste, depending on kind of bottle; avoids having to monitor long boils manually. it's just one alternative - works great for us.

[tex]

hey, there's a rather lengthy thread on this very topic, think it was last october. in the end, i got a ceramic filter at green concepts and have been happy with it, except for fact that the pipe needs replacement and i can't find one. agree its the last mile you worry about. our water actually had visible little metal bits in it.

[cerberus]

why is it that pipes are such a problem in a place as advanced as HK? if they can monitor the mains, can't there be building standards? it works in other cities around the world after all.

[HKFella]

Well, even in Toronto we used to run water through the tap for a certain while to get rid of last mile residue before filling up the ever-popular Brita filter. This was based on advice read in the papers (back in the late 80s).

Most of HK housing stock is fantastic engineering structurally (densely built tall buildings don't slide down the hillsides with the rains), but plumbing is old British style external which wasn't exactly created for high rises back then. My $0.02.

[cerberus]

fantastic engineering? well yeah they don't tend to keel over, but when that lady ten storeys down bangs pots around her kitchen, it's wakin' time for Holly.

and as for Toronto water, well, it IS Canada tsk tsk.
however, speaking seriously, wouldn't yo usay much of this is paranoia fostered by water merchants?
yes, there's people everywhere who don't trust governments (wonder why), but drinking tap water has never done me any har.....bluahqhaiua.