Water refilling stations Beware

[Dave Hounddriver]

2 minutes ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

You get used water jugs?

Many of the water delivery places around here, Dumaguete, use their own jugs.  They just replace the empty jug with a full one for 25 pesos every time they are in the area.  I have 3 of their 5 gallon plastic jugs that I use and it costs me nothing provided I keep buying from them.

The thing I hate is that they reuse the lids over and over.  They do wash them good but the lids are designed for single use.  If I give back a water bottle without a lid they charge me an extra 10 pesos.

[robert k]

I use the rectangular jugs with the valve and I haven't had a problem with my water. I keep a carafe and a few bottles of water in the chiller. I have gotten service water while out and about that has given me problems but not lately. I believe my gut has somewhat acclimated to local water. When I first arrived in the Philippines I brushed my teeth with tap water because I didn't want my body to be virgin territory for the local microbes. What I will not do, is eat soup from a local restaurant chain because they make about 75 liters at a time, turn the heat off under it, let it cool below safe temperature, serve it throughout the day possibly rewarming it but not heating it enough to sterilize it. Recipe for disaster.

[Jollygoodfellow]

3 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

They do wash them good but the lids are designed for single use. 

I dont think the lids/caps where I get mine are reused but who knows. My bottles come wrapped in a proper plastic seal around the lid that you have to cut off. When l get the next one I will take a picture. 

[virginprune]

When I lived in town I used my own rectangular blue container which I filled at my local filling station. 

Now I drink the water from my own well, no problem in 2 years. I fill my blue container from the tap and keep that in outside fridge which I then use to replenish a couple of carafes for the in house fridge freezer. We wash these thoroughly every few days.

[Rich wood]

8 hours ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

You get used water jugs?  We use the water filling station. I don't worry about what other people do with their jugs - we get our jugs back.  When they wear out we buy new ones in the city, and wait at the water shop while they fill them.

That's a great tip , never thought of it Thanks 

[Tukaram (Tim)]

9 hours ago, Dave Hounddriver said:

The thing I hate is that they reuse the lids over and over.  They do wash them good but the lids are designed for single use.  If I give back a water bottle without a lid they charge me an extra 10 pesos.

I know for a fact that the shops around here reuse the lids.  If you send one in without a lid... you get it back without a lid ha ha.

[Clermont]

The stepson gets bottled water delivered and it's always capped and sealed. BY the way how do filtration systems work over there, just like the charcoal ones we have in Aussie, good enough or not. 

[Rich wood]

13 minutes ago, Clermont said:

The stepson gets bottled water delivered and it's always capped and sealed. BY the way how do filtration systems work over there, just like the charcoal ones we have in Aussie, good enough or not. 

I'm not sure weather charcoal filters will eliminate all the junk in the water here , might check online . Thanks R

 

6 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

I dont think the lids/caps where I get mine are reused but who knows. My bottles come wrapped in a proper plastic seal around the lid that you have to cut off. When l get the next one I will take a picture. 

ich 

[Dave Hounddriver]

7 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

. My bottles come wrapped in a proper plastic seal around the lid that you have to cut off. When l get the next one I will take a picture. 

Yes.  It is the lid underneath that plastic seal that is reused.  Once you take the lid off and take a good look you will often find the lid below it is scratched or cut or obviously used before.  I have got used to the fact that they are "recycled" lids as all the water re-fillers I know use the same tactic (easy to spot if you take your own bottle in and ask them to refill it).  Anyway, it hasn't killed me yet, its just that I know they should not be re-using the caps:

https://www.aquazania.co.za/2016/08/single-use-water-bottle-caps-vs-reusable-water-bottle-caps/

Quote

 

It may not be the case for every bottled water supplier out there, as we do not know every single process of sterilisation and cleaning their water bottles undergo, but the risk associated with permanently adhered bottle caps that are re-sealed with a sticker can be far reaching.

If there is any kind of bacteria picked up by the water bottle from another user and the supplier’s sterilisation method is not able to fully remove the bacteria lodged inside, it is possible the water may become contaminated. Furthermore, in comparison to the sturdiness offered by a single-use water bottle cap, the resealable bottle cap method is not as reliable. Stickers do carry merit in terms of durability, but a puncture could spell disaster.

Lastly, when you own a water cooler, chances are you store a few water cooler bottles next to it, making it easier to replace your water when your current bottle is depleted. The sticky residue used to adhere the label to the lid may possibly be transferred into the spike (which pierces the lid) inside your water cooler  – and the build-up of this adhesive over time may eventually find its way to your water and cause a strange taste.

 

 

[Howard]

When we do get water from the stations around here we always get our same jugs back, We have owned these jugs for many years. How or if they clean them I don't know.(my stomach says they don't..haha). We can't wait around for them to fill them as they service most of the Barangay so I think they only turn the machine on once a day and then they have delivery guys bring them to the house. I just feel better picking up 2 6 liter bottles of bottled water for me and the wife, usually lasts about 3 days. It's more expensive but gives me peace of mind and stomach!