Water Quality in Singapore

Interviewed by Today Online: What do water filtration devices do; are they necessary given the quality of Singapore’s tap water?

2024-03-25T23:04:00.006+08:00

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

Concerns about DPG (diphenyl guanidine) by-product in drinking water

2023-11-07T23:33:00.001+08:00

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 I

Descaling for home appliances?

2023-09-21T15:56:00.002+08:00

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

The History of Water Quality in Singapore: Talking about Science from a Historical Perspective (or is it History from a Scientific Perspective)

2023-08-04T23:06:00.005+08:00

[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

Being Interviewed on Talking Point shown on Channel 5, Nov 2022: Is Bottled Water Worth Your Money?

2023-03-01T14:21:00.001+08:00

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

2022-08-31T17:22:00.006+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

Removing fluoride and chlorine from tap water

2021-05-31T12:30:00.002+08:00

After 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

Should you boil your tap water?

2021-05-31T01:19:00.001+08:00

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 access

Being Interviewed on Talking Point shown on Channel 5, 13 May 2021: Do I really need a water filter?

2021-05-14T00:47:00.006+08:00

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

Searching for NSF certified Doulton Water Filters

2020-07-27T16:37:00.000+08:00

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

Should I be measuring water quality in TDS (total dissolved solids) or EC (electrical conductivity)?

2020-05-25T15:55:00.001+08:00

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

Concerns about drinking tap water in a residential home in Singapore

2020-05-25T12:56:00.001+08:00

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 dispensers

Potable Water Testing in Seawater Desalination Plant

2020-04-09T22:26:00.001+08:00

I 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.