In Singapore, we turn on the tap when we need water, be it for drinking, washing or bathing; because we know that it is safe and clean. But despite knowing that tap water is safe for consumption, how many people actually drink directly from the tap?
Research and surveys suggest that at least 20 per cent of Singaporean households still boil water before they drink it.
In reality, it seems to be a far more common practice. My family does it and, probably, so does yours. However, why do we need to if our water is of high drinking quality?
Most people do it out of habit that was passed down from one generation to the next.
If you put yourself in their shoes, it is not hard to understand their fears. After all, Singapore did not have such high standards of sanitation and hygiene in the old days. Very few people, if any, had access to safe, piped water. So, water had to be boiled to kill any bacteria or pathogens that might be present.
But times have changed. Every household in Singapore now has access to safe drinking water. The water is also checked by the national water agency PUB on a regular basis to ensure that it complies with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality. Thus, it is no longer necessary to boil the water before drinking.
DOES IT REALLY TASTE BETTER?
Many still do, including my sister. It tastes different, she replied when I asked her why she did not drink directly from the tap. Perhaps; the taste is a matter of personal preference.
To be more objective, I conducted a blind taste test. Guess what. She could not tell the difference.
Generally, there is this public perception that unboiled tap water tastes worse than its boiled counterpart. This idea most probably originated from our parents and grandparents, who lived in that era of dirty water. Many constantly reiterated in the past that tap water is full of harmful bacteria (and hence tastes bad).
Since that situation has changed, so should our perception of tap water. Try being more objective the next time you drink unboiled tap water; it is really no different from the boiled stuff.
If that is not enough reason to start drinking tap water directly, consider the amount of money you can save if you skip the extra step of boiling before drinking. My family uses a 2400W Mistral electric kettle at home to boil water at least once daily. Assuming a daily usage of 30 minutes, it is found that the kettle consumes about 36 kWh of electricity, which costs S$9.10 per month (calculated using Singapore Power’s Home Electricity Audit). This means that we are paying S$109.20 every year just to boil water. Imagine how much money we could have saved over the years if we just drank from the tap. Using the gas stove costs slightly less, but you are still spending unnecessary money.
We are also wasting energy when we boil water. If we want to do our part for the environment and go green, we can start with something small like not boiling water unnecessarily. If every household in Singapore can stop this wasteful habit, we can reduce our carbon footprint and attain national energy savings.
Furthermore, the entire process of boiling water is just a huge hassle. Why spend unnecessary effort on boiling the water just to let it cool down again before drinking? If you turn on the tap, you get instant cool water that can quench your thirst in Singapore’s hot weather. That said, make sure that the pipes and taps in your residential or work building are in good condition (that is not rusty or broken) before you start drinking.
Once that is settled, the next time you are thirsty, simply turn on the tap, collect a glass of water and drink away.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lim Jing Xian is a Master student in Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore. This article is based on an assignment prepared for Water Policy and Governance course at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.
Seriously?
So our toilet tank water is safe to drink or not har?
This is a simpleton explanation to discourage boiling water?
Is he a biologist, chemist ? Where are the scientific arguments?
How is the water treated and preserved? What kind of chemicals is or are added to keep, impurities, germs/ bacteria at bay.
Boiling declorinate water AND kill germs.
I recommend he go talk to a scientist first before telling people its a waste of time and money.
He should also find out safer way of storing boiled water. Given the warm humid environment. Lots of crap will grow.
What you don't know can sometimes kill you. The only bliss is you don't know what.
The ignorance.... haiz.
i always boil lea.
My friend like to buy those expensive filter keep filter then boil then drink.
Boiling quite safe already, i drink in malaysia well water just boil can liao.
Last time worker make tea for me drink, i realise he use rainwater with fish inside, but boil already also nothing happen
i use $109.20 to boil water ai li huan loh
becos how do I "make sure that the pipes and taps in your residential or work building are in good condition (that is not rusty or broken) before you start drinking"???.
thanks for sharing.
I am one of those who boil water for drinking, mainly because its become a habit. Must try to change.
Save the planet:)
So this is how the school trains our new leaders on government propaganda?
I'll continue to filter and boil my water thank you.
My health is more important than that few dollars and laziness.
Lesson 1. The less educated the more gullible are the people.
Originally posted by jojobeach:
Is he a biologist, chemist ? Where are the scientific arguments?
Master student in Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore
aiming to be MP issit
This article is based on an assignment prepared for Water Policy and Governance course at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.
Am I missing something here?
somehow i choose to take this with a pinch of salt
singapore cancer rate is soaring, something must be wrong somewhere with the lifestyle and the daily entities we are exposed to
Everything is proclaimed to be safe and flawless, the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe in, the swimming pool that is deem cleaninated, the radiation emitted from the smartphones, something that make us ponder if it's really that so
If you understand how cancer is created inside your body. The questions will be easily answered.
Yes i do understand
Something is very wrong with modern living
A lot of harm won't surface overnight or instantaneously, but the detrimental effect is there and it will gradually intoxicate our cells over the years, like smoking and alcohol
Fast food franchise like KFC, macdonalds, bubble tea franchise, instant noodles, naturally they'll proclaim their food are safe and healthy
what do u tink of the govt's take on our drinking water, until the day it's proven harmful, they'll assure you it's safe to drink, don't worry
don't be brainwash
i boil water just for prevention
Better to be safe than sorry
This is another example of a scholar that think only in the classroom !!!
Yes if you discuss on the singapore water processing process - yes that is clean enough to drink !!! But hold it , our dear scholar only look at it in the classroom , he did not consider what happen after it got clean !!! It need to send down water pipes across island, is the water tank at your house clean ? or the pipes clean - that he did not take inconsideration .
At least put in a water filter to clean the water, if you do not boil.
Indonesian maid's body found in Woodlands rooftop water tank
http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20110516-279169.html
For winter season i think it also needed..
I trust the water quality BUT.....Do you trust the person who is contracted to clean the water tank?
I used to live a higher level and ever saw these men who are just half naked and climb into the tank to scrub and clean, their cleaniness, their sweat, the brown & black mulk they are cleaning out, etc....then a PUB guy comes to certify.......sure, I trust the water, I can also trust the PUB guy who is certifying but I no longer see the water tank the same way, I am boling my water from now on.
PLUS, in any good system with check and balances, the weakest link is still the people who is running it, if nobody gives a damn, who is to say the worst thing like some guy who murder people and throw them into the water tank like last time, wouldn't happen again? How can you be sure? Be safe not sorry, boil the water before comsumption.
Not after I watched Dark Water.
thanks for sharing.
i think it also needed.......!
i still prefer boiling my water :D
thanks
it has became more of a habit to me already :)
i use a chlorine filter thing from pasar malam . Costed me $68
It is the piping that is a concern, not the quality of our water. Esp old estates the pipes may be old & rusty. I just boil to be on the safe side, however the odd gulp should'nt be a problem : )