As part of a vision where households in Malaysia have access to clean, safe, and healthy drinking water, Panasonic Malaysia (Panasonic) collaborated with Panasonic Corporation to commission a study to investigate the effectiveness of removing impurities from boiling water compared to filtered water.
The water quality assessment study revealed that while boiling effectively removed chloroform, it was unable to remove the other three impurities – manganese, iron and free residual chlorine, which are commonly found in our tap water. In some cases, boiling even led to increased manganese concentration due to water evaporation.
Keisuke Nishida, Managing Director of Panasonic Malaysia said, “For generations, boiling water has been our go-to method for purification – it’s a classic way to keep things clean. However, with Malaysians becoming more interested in healthy living, we began to wonder if this traditional approach is still the best way to ensure the water, we consume is truly pure and beneficial. Driven by this curiosity and our commitment to delivering healthy living solutions to every Malaysian home, we partnered with esteemed researchers to compare boiled and filtered tap water.”
Panasonic engaged the expertise of Dr. Minhaz Farid Ahmed, a Research Fellow at the Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI) at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), and Professor Dr. Mazlin Mokhtar, Deputy Head of Research at UNSDSN-Asia and former Director at LESTARI.
To ensure comprehensive results, the study involved testing tap water from 48 sites across 6 states – Kelantan, Perlis, Selangor, Johor, Sabah, and Sarawak. The focus was on these four elements due to their prevalence in Malaysian tap water and potential health risks at high concentrations:
- Free residual chlorine: Used for disinfection but can impact taste and odour.
- Chloroform: A potential carcinogen created by chlorine reacting with organic substances in water.
- Iron: Heavy metal found in some water sources and can be at high levels due to ageing pipes.
- Manganese: Another heavy metal with potential health risks at high concentration
It is crucial to note that the water tested is treated at water treatment facilities and meets the Ministry of Health’s national drinking water quality standards.
1. Kelantan area
As the main source of water in Kelantan is groundwater, it is known as an area with a low water quality rating in Malaysia.
2. Perlis area
Perlis had relatively high values in all evaluation items in this test.
Verification tests from the study revealed that the three types of Panasonic’s water filter and purifiers (TK-AS500, TK-AS700, TK-CJ300) significantly outperformed boiling in removing impurities from tap water in these two areas where water pollution was particularly high in this verification. While boiling effectively eliminated chloroform, Panasonic’s filters excelled in reducing levels of iron, manganese, and free residual chlorine, key indicators of water quality. These findings underscore the effectiveness of Panasonic’s filter cartridges in delivering cleaner, purer water.
Dr. Minhaz Farid Ahmed shared his insights, stating, “Three types of Panasonic’s drinking water filtration systems (TK-AS500, TK-AS700, TK-CJ300) showed better performance, based on one sampling at six states in Malaysia, in removing free chlorine, iron, manganese, and chloroform from tap water than boiling the tap water at the household level. This research aligns with WST2040 (Malaysian Water Sector Transformation 2040), and the results will contribute to ensuring a safe drinking water supply at the household level in Malaysia. We hope that Panasonic will continue to work effectively to help Malaysia safeguard drinking water quality for all residents.”
“Our goal is to raise awareness about the benefits of using water filters or purifiers at home. By doing so, we can all enjoy cleaner, safer, and healthier drinking water. At Panasonic, we are committed to helping Malaysians make choices that support a healthier lifestyle every day,” concluded Keisuke.
To learn more about Panasonic’s advanced water filtration technology, visit our website for product information (https://www.panasonic.com/my/consumer/kitchen-appliance/water/).
[Specifications of verified models]