Is water from the bathroom taps safe to drink?

Question

Im normally too lazy to go downstairs so I end up drinking this. How do you find out if its stored in the tank or not?

Answer 1

Water coming from the Bathroom is normally directed from the main storage tank in the loft, It is advisable not to drink this water, upset stomaches and diseases can form. Water to the cold tap in from the Kitchen sink is the main coming in and feeds directly from the mains water and is ok for drinking.

Answer 2

Yes and no , depends on your water system , yes if you direct cold water supply , ( straight of the mains ) No if the water to your bathroom comes from a stored supply , usually in the loft. Reason being the nasties that can grow in in stored water , due to the fact it is static for a long time , and the temperature can be just right ( due to the solar effect on the roof ) to encourage the growth of bacteria.

Answer 3

I have a feeling this varies depending on where you live. North Americans have got so used to the idea of having cold water on tap at all times that they forget not everywhere in the world has this luxury. (That or they forget that this isn't a US-specific site. It's so tiring.)

Indeed, in some parts of the world drinking water and washing water do come from different sources. If you're in the US and on a municipal water service, all cold water will be equally fit to drink. If you have a well, on the other hand, your water may require treatment to remove minerals or cysts before it is fit to drink (either safety-wise or taste-wise). In other countries, though, it's important to know which water comes from where. If your bathroom cold water comes from an attic tank it might be contaminated with minerals, and you might want to avoid it. (In these countries the kitchen water is often filtered, but the water going to the rest of the house isn't.)

Good luck!

Answer 4

Yes, of course it is

Answer 5

The city water is perfectly safe to drink from either your kitchen or bathroom faucets, or even your tub.  It all comes to your house through the same pipe.  If the water company has issued a boil advisory, don't drink the water until you have boiled it as directed first, but you can bathe or wash chothes in it o.k.

Answer 6

Well i think there is actually a different legal standard of quality which has to be met for bathing water and drinking water. But i do it all the time still alive but i doubt it is really any good for you.

Answer 7

If you live in the US, and have city water,yes, well water, you are on your own.

Answer 8

In modern houses it is perfectly safe

Answer 9

In the UK    NO WAY  JOSE   the water usually comes from a stored tank in the attic which may contain dead birds , spiders, and bats.    In other countries you are probably OK

Answer 10

Surely you can't be serious.

Answer 11

Yes, as long as its the cold tap.

Answer 12

It'll be fine.

I have been drinking half a pint of water during the night from the bathroom tap since I was around 7 years old, 13 years on I am still alive and don't have any diseases!

Answer 13

yes it is,you use the water to brush your teeth,you gargle with it,

Answer 14

It shouldn't do you any harm although if it is coming from a CWSC, cold water storage cistern and not mains fed then you shouldn't really. All these postings about dead things floating about in it is nonsense. The CWSC should have a lid so nothing gets in there and have insulation.. Just stick your head up in the loft and look for a big tank, That will be your CWSC

Answer 15

NO! Not at all. The water that runs through your bathroom and kitchen sink are different. The water in your bathroom contains a substance (probaby a chemical) that makes it unsafe for drinking. Evian is 50p.

Answer 16

Yes, from the cold tap. The water from the hot tap is held in tanks, and often contains chemicals.

Answer 17

Yes.

If not then millions of people are going to die of nasty water intake. They rinse their mouths out with it.

Answer 18

ya its fine i do the same thing

Answer 19

course it is its the same source

Answer 20

I never thought it was safe :-S but still wouldn't drink it

Answer 21

Well a lot of +&- Personally I wouldn't drink the water if it came from a storage tank because you could have all sorts of things floating in it ( dead birds,mice & other nasty,s )

To find out if the cold taps in the B/room are on the mains supply turn off the cold water stop tap ( usually under the kitchen sink ) then run both cold taps in the B/room for say 30sec if ether stops then it's on the mains if not then it's fed from a tank

So it's up to you

1/ Walk downstairs at night for a drink

2/ Take a drink of water when you go to bed

3/ If the taps are tank fed drink the water & risk getting the back door trots!!

Answer 22

Probably not - both hot and cold taps are likely to be fed from tanks in the loft which may have all sorts of nasties in them. Strictly speaking i think you will find, in UK at least, only a tap fed directly from the rising main is considered as drinking water. This means, for most people, the kitchen cold water tap and possibly an outside 'garden' tap.

Answer 23

better if its boiled first. ok for tea or coffee!

Answer 24

I personally wouldn't but yes of course it is drinkable! It is just sitting in a tank at the top of the house (usually in the attic) for longer..

Water from the kitchen sink is water which flows into the house constantly and is regenerated often but the bathroom water is like drinking bottled water that has been left open for a few days!!

I've been to India and the water they drink a h**l of a lot worse than our bathroom water!! So if you ever wake up late at night and are too tired to go down stairs then drink the bathroom water to quench thirst!! Remember what other countries drink.. Your government or council wouldn't pump bad water!!Hope I answered your Q!!

Regards..

Answer 25

Turn on the cold tap, then turn off your mains stop c**k,(maybe under the kitchen sink) if the taps stops then its off the mains supply and it is safe to drink

Answer 26

It is if it comes straight into the house & is not stored in a tank first.

Answer 27

If it comes from a loft storage tank there may be dead squirrels, rats, birds spiders etc. and their excreta in the water.

Why not take a small bottle of water from the kitchen tap to bed with you - and when you go out, costs nothing.

Answer 28

from the answers it seems that there are different views. basically it is this: check where your supply comes from. water which comes straight into the house is fit to drink. water is stored in the tank, and in some dwellings bath water comes from the mains and is fit to drink but other times from the tank.

locate your tank and run your bathwater. If the tanks stays silent the water comes from the mains, if it begins to fill it can come from the tank.

Answer 29

yup