It’s well known that drinking tap water from the sink in the kitchen is perfectly fine in almost every city and town. The bathroom isn’t really considered a place to drink water, however, it has a sink with hot and cold water. So, here’s a rundown of whether it’s OK to drink water from the bathroom tap.
As a general rule, it’s safe to drink water from your bathroom tap. The water that flows to the kitchen sink, the bathroom tap, the shower, and into the toilet water tank all comes from the same source. But, don’t drink hot water according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Hot water from the shower, taps in the bathroom, or taps in the kitchen should not be consumed. There are a few reasons why that are explained below. But, first here’s where the water in the cold water taps in a bathroom comes from, and why it’s safe to drink.
Where Water From the Bathroom Sink Comes From
Virtually all plumbing systems are mostly located behind the walls, and therefore they are out of site. So, most people aren’t aware of where the water that comes out of the bathroom taps comes from. Here’s where the water in your bathroom comes from and why it’s safe to drink.
In general, water from the bathroom sink comes from the municipal water supply. There is typically one pipe that leads from the government water supply lines that is then distributed to different areas of the house. It also goes to a hot water cylinder to create hot water.
Therefore, drinking water from a tap on the exterior of the house, from the taps in the bathroom, and from the sink in the kitchen is all the same.
However, many homes have a water filter on the kitchen sink tap. This can be located underneath the kitchen sink. So, technically the water in the kitchen can be different and more pure.
All of the cold water that enters your home goes through one shut-off valve, which is called the main shut-off valve. It’s a good idea to know where this is located for your home in case a pipe bursts, and water start flowing into your home. Due to the fact that it can take some time for a plumber to come out and shut it off for you.
Here’s a video that shows what the main water valve looks like and how it functions:
Before the main water valve, there is a water meter, typically located on the exterior of the house. This records how much water is used so that the utility company can calculate your water bill.
Where hot water comes from [and why you shouldn’t drink it]
Hot water that comes out of the shower, and the hot water that comes out of faucets comes from the hot water cylinder. The hot water cylinder is filled with cold water, which is heated.
There are two types of hot water cylinders. One type has an electric heating element at the bottom. The other type is gas-powered and has a gas-stove-like element below the hot water cylinder.
When you turn on a hot water faucet or turn a faucet to the hot setting instead of cold water is drawn from the hot water cylinder. The USA EPA has stated that you should not consume hot water, or cook with hot water (source).
They state the reason is that hot water can dissolve any minor contaminants more easily, and cause increased concentrations of them in the water. So, it’s not a good idea to drink water that comes out of the shower, the hot water faucets, or the hot setting on a faucet.
Is the Water in the Bathroom the Same As the Kitchen?
The kitchen is where people prepare food, and get a glass of water, and it’s well known that water from the kitchen tap is almost always safe to drink.
However, a bathroom is used for washing and isn’t typically where people grab a glass of water. So, here’s whether the water in the bathroom is the same as the water in the kitchen.
The water in the bathroom is the same as in the kitchen. But, many kitchens have a water filter installed that makes the water that comes out of the tap cleaner. It can be located under the sink, or have a dedicated cold water tap.
However, the water in the bathroom and the water in the kitchen come from the same water supply.
Therefore, it’s perfectly fine to drink cold water from the faucets in the bathroom and is no different from the cold water that comes out of the faucet in the kitchen. Provided the faucet in your kitchen is not fitted with a water filter. It’s very uncommon for faucets in the bathroom to be fitted with a water filter.
Is All Hot and Cold Water in a House Safe To Drink
There are many places in a home where there is hot and cold water. For example, the laundry machine, the faucets in the bathroom, the shower, and the faucets in the kitchen. Here’s a summary of whether all the hot and cold water in a house is safe to drink.
As a general rule, all cold water from faucets in a home is safe to drink. But, you should never consume hot water from any part of the house including the kitchen according to the EPA. The water to the dishwasher, laundry machine, faucets, shower, and toilet all come from the same source.
This includes both hot and cold water. The same is true of faucets located on the exterior of a house. Such as those used for water sprinklers, and hoses. It all comes from one main pipe that has a single shut-off valve that is typically located in the basement.
But, hot water comes from a hot water cylinder. The US EPA states that hot water is much more likely to contain contaminants. This is because the hot temperature dissolves contaminants in the pipes and hot water cylinder which can get in the water.
Amos Christen graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Interior Design from Drexel University — Philadelphia, PA. Since 2003, Amos has worked with top interior design professionals in this area, including architects and interior/graphic/lighting designers. As a skilled interior designer, Amos Christen is highly versed in fine arts and crafts and uses that to supplement his main area of expertise. He often publishes articles related to home décor on several websites, including Sprucetoilets.com, Sprucebathroom.com, and Mybesuitedhome.com. He also contributes to leading interior design magazines.