The Minister of Water, Land and Natural Resources Dr Xavier Jayakumar said in Parliament that the water from treatment plants throughout Malaysia is 100% safe to drink straight from the tap.

He isn’t the first to make the claim. In a 2016 interview with BFM, SYABAS said that our water is clean even by international standards, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). The National Water Service Commission (SPAN) also said that our water supply is free from E. coli bacteria.

However, Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye said a few days later that treated tap water must be boiled before drinking, because water is supplied through a network of pipes — some of which could be old and rusty — that run thousands of kilometres long.

Although it tastes unpleasant, experts agree that rusty water is not a health hazard, except potentially for people with haemochromatosis, a rare disorder which causes excess iron accumulation in body organs.

Rusty water may appear if a water main breaks, a fire hydrant is activated or when iron water pipes become corroded over the years. Low levels of iron particles can turn tap water yellowish, while higher levels will turn it reddish-brown. If the rust originates from your own water pipes, you can have a plumber flush, treat, repair or replace them.

The Deputy Health Minister’s statement also implies that boiling can remove rust from water, which is untrue. Boiling is the best way to kill disease-causing organisms, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites, but it does not remove rust.

Dr Xavier contends that old water pipelines that become corrosive is a localised issue, and does not speak to the quality of our water treatment plants and its end product. The good news is that most of the old galvanised iron pipes in Malaysia have been replaced with stainless steel and PVC pipes.

So, if it’s established that our water is clean and rusty water does not kill, are you ready to start drinking tap water? Let us know.

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