The Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWA) has warned against the boiling of tap water to reduce salinity, saying that the best method is to use reverse osmosis filtering of brackish water.
The Anti-Fake News Centre has checked with the MWA and was told that boiling of brackish tap water at 100oC will not reduce the salt content, but will cause the water to evaporate, leaving the water even saltier.
As a temporary relief measure, the MWA has been providing free drinking water to the public at all its branch offices. Also, the MWA is keeping households in Bangkok and suburbs updated on the condition of tap water and about when it is good for consumption and when it turns brackish, which is related to high and low tides.
High tides push sea water further upstream of the Chao Phraya River, to the area where raw water is drawn from the river for treatment for use as tap water.
Children, elderly people, those with heart disease, kidney problems or diabetes and small pets should not drink tap water. Drawing water from the Chao Phraya River or the connected canals to water plants is also not recommended.
