tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-317498812024-03-25T23:20:16.598+08:00Water Quality in Singapore<br><br><br>
<big>
<b>
This blog is dedicated to water quality, water and wastewater treatment and everything else water.
<br><br>
It also discusses various activities in environmental education by the author to impress upon our students water issues and the importance of good water quality.
</b>
</big>CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.comBlogger238125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-26258739338347376282024-03-25T23:04:00.006+08:002024-03-25T23:19:44.249+08:00Interviewed by Today Online: What do water filtration devices do; are they necessary given the quality of Singapore’s tap water? You may find the article here (Today Online 25 Mar 2024).Obviously, my views were not fully captured in the article for which I do understand why. For those interested, I have reproduced the entirety of my responses below.
PUB has
stated that tap water in Singapore is safe for drinking and that there is
no need for such filtration systems. Can you explain why this is so and
CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-46167598855915195762023-11-07T23:33:00.001+08:002023-11-07T23:33:15.370+08:00Concerns about DPG (diphenyl guanidine) by-product in drinking water Dear Mr Chen Ko,
I am a fan of reading your blog posts. Thank you for doing
such a great public service for sharing your knowledge.
I have a question. Recently there is a Straits Times report
about possible DPG-chlorine by-product in tap water:
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/local-scientists-studying-chemical-in-tap-water-to-determine-if-harmful-to-human-health
ICKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-76788428640001199182023-09-21T15:56:00.002+08:002023-09-21T15:56:41.832+08:00Descaling for home appliances? Also, what are the consequences if we don't descale - the
iron, airpot works fine.
For Nespresso, I read that they will take longer to heat or
water will be cold, coffee will be bitter.
They still heat up.
How do I know if the 1) to 3 items need descaling?
Thanks again.
Thank you Mr Chen Ko for your thorough water blog.
Hope CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-50173817604408023772023-08-04T23:06:00.005+08:002024-03-25T22:35:29.898+08:00The History of Water Quality in Singapore: Talking about Science from a Historical Perspective (or is it History from a Scientific Perspective)[Appended in March 2024: The experience in 2023 had been so positive that I returned in March 2024 to give another round of training to the latest batch of docents of the National Museum of Singapore. The session was conducted more like a discussion rather than a lecture. This is one of my preferred modes of "training" for adult learners.] I recently (March 2023) had the privilege to be CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-14982133086526161892023-03-01T14:21:00.001+08:002023-03-01T14:21:22.481+08:00Being Interviewed on Talking Point shown on Channel 5, Nov 2022: Is Bottled Water Worth Your Money?Despite the title of this episode as given above, I was not sought for my views on bottled water. Instead, I gave my take on alkaline water which appeared in a segment in the middle of the show. In a nutshell, my stand has been consistent with what I have been saying on this blog all this while. (Check out an earlier post for a more in-depth discussion: Why I wouldn't be drinking alkaline (aka CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-24520714660504742862022-08-31T17:22:00.006+08:002022-08-31T17:24:46.725+08:00 Hi Mr Chen
I saw your blog after researching on hard water in
Singapore. I also read your reply a few years back on hard water.
I just want to share that i just moved to a new flat and the
water is indeed hard. My kettle, sink, shower glass and toilet bowl are all
impacted. They come back in 2 days.
While i have asked PUB to do a water test, my suspicions is
that they CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-25013613798230409372021-05-31T12:30:00.002+08:002021-05-31T12:32:04.985+08:00Removing fluoride and chlorine from tap waterAfter my interview by CNA, some questions came in about the removal of chlorine and fluoride from tap water. Unlike other substances in tap water, chlorine and fluoride are added into tap water by the water treatment process. Chlorine is supposed to keep water free of pathogens as the water is conveyed from the water treatment through kilometres of piping (with many other equipment in CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-9824550344414285872021-05-31T01:19:00.001+08:002021-05-31T01:19:09.517+08:00Should you boil your tap water?After my interview by CNA, some questions came in about the necessity of boiling tap water. Are there benefits to it? Does boiling mitigate the effects of contaminants from piping and water tanks?First off, let's be clear that boiling water has been a tradition in Singapore for a long time, probably dating to before independence, and for good reasons. In the old days, not everyone had accessCKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-71682596859408758812021-05-14T00:47:00.006+08:002021-05-28T17:09:16.847+08:00Being Interviewed on Talking Point shown on Channel 5, 13 May 2021: Do I really need a water filter?I was approached by the producer for Talking Point to be interviewed for my views on water filters in the context of the home user in Singapore. I ended doing a show-and-tell of three different types of water filtration processes in addition to the interview. Shooting took place a month before the programme was aired on TV though the MeWatch version appeared earlier.For my part, the programme CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-82583155296786540432020-07-27T16:37:00.000+08:002020-07-27T16:37:02.010+08:00Searching for NSF certified Doulton Water Filters
Dear Chen Ko
I was actually planing to buy
Doulton counter top water filter. While I was doing the search to find out for
info, I read your blog on NSF certified. One thing led to another.
I understand yearly testing is
required to keep certification updated. I was given a link by supplier and they
are certified NSF 42. I cant comprehend the claim but it was only Chlorine
Reduction. I CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-30276998883921400312020-05-25T15:55:00.001+08:002020-05-25T15:57:02.274+08:00Should I be measuring water quality in TDS (total dissolved solids) or EC (electrical conductivity)?
Hi
there,
I
would like to ask you with regards to measuring TDS. I have did some reading
and searches but am still confused. Would need your help in checking my
understanding and also some qns.
Im
looking to get HM Digital COM-100 which has 4 modes, µS,
mS, ppm
0.5 (NaCl) Scale & 0.7 (442™) Scale. Actually I am interested in using the 442 mode. Based on the
specification it CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-13069852374303205452020-05-25T12:56:00.001+08:002020-05-25T12:56:26.011+08:00Concerns about drinking tap water in a residential home in Singapore
Hi Mr Chen,
I've been reading your blog after stumbling across it while
trying to find out more about water quality in Singapore.
I’ve always drank tap water neat, since childhood and never
had any issues but ever since having a kid of my own, I've always questioned
somewhat the quality of drinking water in my home. Perhaps because my other
mummy friends are using fancy water dispensersCKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-9940152231810976932020-04-09T22:26:00.001+08:002020-04-09T22:26:20.619+08:00Potable Water Testing in Seawater Desalination PlantI received a request for help from a staff in a seawater desalination plant. As it was a private request, I will not paste its entire contents here. The short version of it is: he needs some good reference books to help him in his job of performing water quality testing in the plant.
<!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal
0
false
false
false
CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-20006028428829792502020-03-13T09:57:00.000+08:002020-03-13T09:57:13.888+08:00What do you need in conducting Field Studies of Water Quality in Singapore?<!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal
0
false
false
false
EN-SG
ZH-CN
X-NONE
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-13217083754340130242019-11-01T14:26:00.001+08:002019-11-01T14:26:55.088+08:00Removing hormones from drinking waterThis post is a follow-up from a previous one: Hormones in our water supply and should we be worried
<!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal
0
false
false
false
EN-GB
ZH-CN
X-NONE
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-89317577960084876822019-10-26T00:24:00.001+08:002019-10-26T00:24:14.493+08:00Hormones in our water supply and should we be worried<!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal
0
false
false
false
EN-GB
ZH-CN
X-NONE
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-89009096600097139432019-10-25T23:55:00.000+08:002019-10-26T00:02:40.376+08:00Mineral deposits clogging up piping in northern part of Singapore<!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal
0
false
false
false
EN-GB
ZH-CN
X-NONE
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-74342211384527198072019-10-25T23:31:00.000+08:002019-10-26T00:02:59.066+08:00Floor cleaner odour in tap water in Tampines<!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal
0
false
false
false
EN-GB
ZH-CN
X-NONE
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-6766822567887910512019-07-25T11:29:00.000+08:002019-07-25T11:34:27.309+08:00Some Thoughts on Hydrogen Water
Hi Chen Ko,
I am Kenny, similarly i have great interest in drinking
water. I started this journey i was put incharge of fresh water system during
my national service with the navy. There was a time i am the project manager
for <> from water technology. I have not much interest of
PH and alkaline, and i agreed on your point on PH and alkaline. But i wish to
hear your view on Hydrogen CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-35966343188447941052019-07-18T23:57:00.002+08:002019-07-18T23:57:41.468+08:00Revisiting: Do we really need water filters?The original post with the same title "Do we really need water filters?" came out almost 9 years ago and it is still one of the most well read posts. Along the way, I have written many other posts to further explain this fascinating topic.
Recently, a well known media company interviewed me on the various aspects of drinking water in Singapore - bottled water, water filtration, alkaline water, CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-59441699913774417362019-07-18T22:54:00.000+08:002019-07-18T22:54:10.421+08:00Is RO (reverse osmosis) water drinkable? Busting some of its myths and reiterating some of its truthsRO (reverse osmosis) water used to be all the rage 10-20 years back. Heck, you almost found RO in every water treatment device in the domestic market! You would surely be forgiven for believing that RO WAS the only water treatment available for the consumer.
Well, the rage has quieted down somewhat now. We see a lot of other water treatment methods nowadays - UV, microfiltration, ultrafiltrationCKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-9964575562647473742019-03-08T11:43:00.001+08:002019-03-08T11:43:16.124+08:00A too good to be true water filter?
Hi
Chen Ko
Thanks
for sharing your knowledge on Singapore's water quality. Your blog has been
extremely helpful in my search for a new water filter for my family.
Yesterday,
I chanced upon this review:
iwaterpurification.com/cleanwater4less-countertop-water-filter-review/
Cleanwater4less
is only about 50usd and has 10000 gallons capacity. This means it will last 10
CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-18400520509255848442019-02-26T06:54:00.000+08:002019-02-26T06:54:12.498+08:00Can you extend the recommended operational duration of a water filter? Part 2This post is a continuation of a previous one.
Here is an extract of the original questions of which I have yet to answer.
What are the health dangers of
delayed filter replacements? For one, you'd previously advised me about silver leaching even more
from an old filter.
Based on the (considerably low) fluoridation levels in
Singapore's water, is it possible to actually CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-55258329742854068082019-02-19T08:48:00.000+08:002019-02-19T08:52:03.046+08:00Can you extend the recommended operational duration of a water filter? Part 1
Dear Chen Ko
I hope this email finds you well!
Thank you for your insights which helped me greatly in choosing a water filter
previously. Doulton has served me well. 🚰
I write again
for your advice on when to replace filters - the most troublesome part as it
can be a bit of an art and science, especially where there is no replacement
indicator on the filter.
The recommended CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31749881.post-50469751244399857092019-02-17T19:37:00.000+08:002019-02-17T19:37:17.930+08:00Water quality standards for bottled water?
Dear Chen Ko,
I am Bob searching for
information about safe drinking water qualities from internet.
The web bring me to your
blog and found that you are knowledgeable about drinking water.
I am writing to ask you about
safe drinking water qualities from bottled water dispenser.
Please look at the 2 photos
carefully. This water dispenser is located in our working CKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00272705682208942508noreply@blogger.com3