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Original poster

To think you can drink tap water in a 1st world country!

284 replies

Drowninginconfusion · 13/07/2025 22:10

My OH will not drink tap water and it drives me insane. He just drove 20 minutes home at 10pm because he left half a bottle of water on the side at home and no shops are open and in his words ‘I take my water seriously’

I think the reason it drives me insane is because the reason he won’t drink it is because of the hormones etc in it but yet he has spent his whole life being obese. He goes through intense phases of working out and eating really well and loses weight but ultimately he is still obese and thinks that the one time he got to 17st is some sort of achievement that he needs to tell me about allllllll the time. He drives without a seatbelt on, he took pretty hard drugs as a young man and has always drunk alcohol (although he barely does these things now) I think another reason is that he constantly watches strong men / sports personalities talking about their workouts and nutrition and he insists on telling me about things that I have no interest in and have told him as much - after many years of politely saying ‘ooh interesting’ whilst secretly thinking ‘I bet you weren’t thinking about the processed meats giving you cancer when you ate your McDonalds wrap for breakfast 😡’ or ‘I’m 9 years older than you and manage to get more done in any given day than you do despite the fact that I’m not interested in an ice bath’ I know there’s no link to obesity from tap water but Jesus Christ something has to kill you! I doubt it will be the rusty pipes or hormones in the water! He had the audacity to ask me if I felt comfortable eating a sweetie the other day (not fat shaming me, I’m not fat, more that he wanted to make the point that there were no ingredients on the wrapper, pretty sure there were no ingredients on the sweet and sour chicken from the Chinese that he ate last night either 🤪)

I also know lots of you are going to tell me to get a grip and let him live as he pleases but if you had to listen to him go on and on about it whilst he’s sat there sweating and needing 400 bowel movements a day you would find it a hard pill to swallow.

Do you drink tap water? AIBU to think that in an emergency a bit of tap water isn’t going to kill you!

OP posts:
Mammamia182833 · 14/07/2025 09:38

There’s microplastics in both bottled and tap water. No sense in worrying about tap water when there’s plenty else to worry about!

Oscarbravoromeo · 14/07/2025 09:33

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

ThorsRaven · 14/07/2025 09:30

belladeli · 13/07/2025 22:57

If you live in a hard water area then no you can't drink it, well unless you filter it first.

You ideally should filter it first but you don't have to.

@BMW6 It's to do with PFAS etc

The Drinking Water Inspectorate:

Where water companies artificially soften water before putting it into supply, it is recommended that they maintain a minimum total hardness of 150 mg/l (as CaCO3 calcium carbonate). This is because there is some limited evidence of a relationship between water hardness and cardiovascular health which may be related to the beneficial properties of magnesium and calcium in the diet.

Hard water may reduce heart attacks, study shows | The Guardian | 2004

Drinking hard water may reduce the risk of people suffering heart attacks, according to new research.

Is hard water dangerous to drink? | McGill University

Millions of people rely on hard water which contains high concentrations of dissolved minerals. Far from being dangerous, these dissolved minerals actually seem to be beneficial for those consuming the water.

Is hard water bad for you? 2 water quality engineers explain the potential benefits and pitfalls that come with having hard water | The Conversation | 2024

Other than aesthetic and water heater concerns, drinking hard water is actually good for you and doesn’t come with any serious adverse side effects.

Oscarbravoromeo · 14/07/2025 09:30

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Devilsmommy · 14/07/2025 09:28

Samiloff · 14/07/2025 09:26

If you weren’t talking about health, why did you say "once in a blue moon won’t kill you"?

You mean you choose not to drink it. Fine, but I'm sure thousands of others in your area don’t find it "disgusting" and do drink it. (Maybe they also worry about the mountains of unnecessary discarded plastic from bottled water.)

Edited
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Honestly I'd imagine people in my area filter it first as it's almost greasy in your mouth when taken straight from the tap. I agree that you don't need bottled all the time, a filter jug does the job

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 14/07/2025 09:27

Devilsmommy · 13/07/2025 22:38

If you live in a hard water area then no you can't drink it, well unless you filter it first. It won't kill you once in a blue moon though. Does he drink milk at all? If yes, ask him why he can accept all the hormones in that but not water😂 he sounds very conflicted with his healthy living whilst being obese

Yes, you can. I have been drinking hard water from the tap for more than half a century and I' m alive and kicking.

Original poster
Drowninginconfusion · 14/07/2025 09:26

JoyFractal · 14/07/2025 09:24

I think the tap water is the minor issue here. You seem very frustrated about many issues with your husband. Venting is a step in the right direction towards resolving those issues.
If I were your friend, I'd give you a hug and tell you just to let it all out.

Thank you! My sister is good at listening to me vent about it all. We are just decent people really and wouldn’t want him homeless because of course people aren’t all good or all bad are they? Life is more complex than that.

OP posts:
Samiloff · 14/07/2025 09:26

Devilsmommy · 14/07/2025 09:22

I never said anything about health reasons. Should have specified that I meant in my area the tap water is disgusting so can't drink it

Show quote history

If you weren’t talking about health, why did you say "once in a blue moon won’t kill you"?

You mean you choose not to drink it. Fine, but I'm sure thousands of others in your area don’t find it "disgusting" and do drink it. (Maybe they also worry about the mountains of unnecessary discarded plastic from bottled water.)

JoyFractal · 14/07/2025 09:24

I think the tap water is the minor issue here. You seem very frustrated about many issues with your husband. Venting is a step in the right direction towards resolving those issues.
If I were your friend, I'd give you a hug and tell you just to let it all out.

gmgnts · 14/07/2025 09:24

belladeli · 13/07/2025 22:46

Hormones in tap water?!?! Really?

he's not wrong about that bit, we were told that at school

www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/jun/02/water-system-toxic-contraceptive-pill

If you read the article carefully, it's about hormones in river water - not tap water - and hormone damage to fish. The impact on humans has not been demonstrated and seems to be minuscule, if it even exists.

Christwosheds · 14/07/2025 09:24

Nanny0gg · 14/07/2025 09:16

We have to filter our hard water because otherwise the chlorine makes it undrinkable

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There’s chlorine in tap water generally, but levels go up after a burst water main etc. As far as I know the levels aren’t higher in hard water areas.

Devilsmommy · 14/07/2025 09:22

Samiloff · 14/07/2025 09:13

Absolute nonsense. Of course you can drink tap water in a hard water area. Filter it if you prefer, but don’t pretend it’s for health reasons.

https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-you-asked/you-asked-hard-water-dangerous-drink#:~:text=Millions%20of%20people%20rely%20on,for%20those%20consuming%20the%20water.

Show quote history

I never said anything about health reasons. Should have specified that I meant in my area the tap water is disgusting so can't drink it

Samiloff · 14/07/2025 09:22

Nanny0gg · 14/07/2025 09:16

We have to filter our hard water because otherwise the chlorine makes it undrinkable

Show quote history

That’s your choice, not a necessity. I bet plenty of people living in the same area do drink the tap water.

Christwosheds · 14/07/2025 09:21

Devilsmommy · 13/07/2025 22:38

If you live in a hard water area then no you can't drink it, well unless you filter it first. It won't kill you once in a blue moon though. Does he drink milk at all? If yes, ask him why he can accept all the hormones in that but not water😂 he sounds very conflicted with his healthy living whilst being obese

You can drink hard water ! Millions of Londoners drink it every day. It’s actually slightly protective against heart disease and good for bone health.

Original poster
Drowninginconfusion · 14/07/2025 09:20

Internaut · 14/07/2025 09:11

Your DH needs a car that bleeps at you if you don't do the seat belt up. With any luck it would annoy him into doing it.

I daren't even tell you how he bypasses that!

OP posts:
Original poster
Drowninginconfusion · 14/07/2025 09:18

Dolphinnoises · 14/07/2025 08:38

Have you thought about messing with his head talking about the chemicals from plastic leaching into water?

I hadn’t….but now I have.

OP posts:
Nanny0gg · 14/07/2025 09:16

BMW6 · 13/07/2025 22:47

WTF are you on about!

I live in a very hard water area and took part in clinical trials regarding Osteoporosis. They told me I had excellent bone density BECAUSE I drink tap water in my area!

Who says you can't drink it??? Who says it needs to be filtered first???

As for only drinking it once in a blue moon I've been drinking pints of it every day for 67 years!

Have you been smoking crack?

Show quote history

We have to filter our hard water because otherwise the chlorine makes it undrinkable

Teaandtoastserveddaily · 14/07/2025 09:13

My ex did this, whilst also drinking several litres of gin a week and eating cuppa soup every day.

Ick.

Samiloff · 14/07/2025 09:13

Devilsmommy · 13/07/2025 22:38

If you live in a hard water area then no you can't drink it, well unless you filter it first. It won't kill you once in a blue moon though. Does he drink milk at all? If yes, ask him why he can accept all the hormones in that but not water😂 he sounds very conflicted with his healthy living whilst being obese

Absolute nonsense. Of course you can drink tap water in a hard water area. Filter it if you prefer, but don’t pretend it’s for health reasons.

https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-you-asked/you-asked-hard-water-dangerous-drink#:~:text=Millions%20of%20people%20rely%20on,for%20those%20consuming%20the%20water.

Is hard water dangerous to drink?

What is Hard Water? Hard water is water containing high concentrations of dissolved minerals, usually calcium or magnesium carbonates (CaCO­3 or MgCO3), chlorides (CaCl2or MgCl2) or sulphates (CaSO4or MgSO4). The hardness of water depends on its source...

https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-you-asked/you-asked-hard-water-dangerous-drink#:~:text=Millions%20of%20people%20rely%20on,for%20those%20consuming%20the%20water.

Internaut · 14/07/2025 09:11

Your DH needs a car that bleeps at you if you don't do the seat belt up. With any luck it would annoy him into doing it.

Samiloff · 14/07/2025 09:04

Needsleepneedcoffee · 14/07/2025 09:01

Last year there were quite a few people hospitalised in the UK with I believe it was cryptospiridian in their tap water... there were quite a few areas that were advised not to drink the tap water whilst they sorted out the issue.

I'm also in the UK, but the issues with water in Flint have been widely publicised.

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Ok, but highly unusual isolated incidents with tap water problems aren’t a big enough issue to justify all that plastic. And whether or not you are aware of the Michigan issue does not affect whether I am (and I read a 'broadsheet' newspaper daily).

Needsleepneedcoffee · 14/07/2025 09:01

Samiloff · 14/07/2025 08:52

we've all heard of people getting ill from tap water, and also what happened in flint, michigan

I've never heard of anyone in a developed country getting ill from tap water, and I have no idea what happened in Flint, Michigan! (I don’t mean to sound unwelcoming or jingoistic, but this is a British site with majority British readers and contributors.)

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Last year there were quite a few people hospitalised in the UK with I believe it was cryptospiridian in their tap water... there were quite a few areas that were advised not to drink the tap water whilst they sorted out the issue.

I'm also in the UK, but the issues with water in Flint have been widely publicised.

SilenceOfTheTimTams · 14/07/2025 08:54

Brefugee · 14/07/2025 08:50

I'm concerned about hormones in tap water. Where is it coming from?

But yes, tap water is safe unless your water board tells you it isn't. It is hugely wasteful to drive around for half a bottle of water, and to buy water in plastic bottles. He's been looking at too many stupid tiktoks

Hormones in tap water:

https://www.dwi.gov.uk/consumers/learn-more-about-your-water/endocrine-disrupters-and-drinking-water/

Finishes with:

”It is correct that EDCs are of concern in the protection of wildlife and the environment in general, however, there is no evidence that EDCs pose a risk to human health through drinking water.”

Endocrine Disrupters and Drinking Water - Drinking Water Inspectorate

What are Endocrine disrupters? The phrase Endocrine Disrupting Compounds or EDCs refers to a diverse group of chemicals that have the potential to alter the normal functioning of the hormonal system across a wide range in humans and animals. The Endocr...

https://www.dwi.gov.uk/consumers/learn-more-about-your-water/endocrine-disrupters-and-drinking-water

dogcatkitten · 14/07/2025 08:53

Neemie · 14/07/2025 08:51

Hard water is completely fine to drink. Some people even consider it healthier.

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Soft water can have a bit of a taste and isn't good for your teeth! Good for washing and doesn't leave limescale though.