Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not drink bathroom water?!

82 replies

AddisonM · 16/12/2020 21:34

What is the answer to this??

I would never drink it. I’m unclear on why, other than my mum, aunts etc all used to say you shouldn’t drink water from the bathroom tap.

This is a long standing debate between DH and I - he thinks I am insane. It’s the same water, says he.

I assumed it was one of those weird family idiosyncrasies but then my neighbour the other day said something about never drinking water from the bathroom tap 🤷🏻‍♀️

OP posts:
MustardMitt · 16/12/2020 21:35

A long time ago, bathroom taps were fed from a tank in the loft. If this is the case in your home, then absolutely don’t drink it. Likelihood is though that your water is mains fed and exactly the same as downstairs.

LittleStepsDaily · 16/12/2020 21:36

I wouldnt drink from the hot tap, no matter whether from the bathroom or the kitchen, because the hot water sits in a tank in the loft. The cold taps are connected to the mains in most houses so it is the same water

user1488622199 · 16/12/2020 21:37

I don’t either. My dad always said not to. I thinks it’s because the water for bathrooms used to be stored in a tank in the house so what you were getting isn’t fresh. Now it tends to come from the mains so the same as in the kitchen.

That being said, I still refuse to drink it! I’m 37 and still doing what my dad told me... 🙄

Eckhart · 16/12/2020 21:37

The stuff from the tap is fine. But don't drink the stuff in the toilet.

dementedpixie · 16/12/2020 21:37

@MustardMitt

A long time ago, bathroom taps were fed from a tank in the loft. If this is the case in your home, then absolutely don’t drink it. Likelihood is though that your water is mains fed and exactly the same as downstairs.
We have a tank in the loft that supplies the upstairs taps and our house is only about 20 years old.

I dont mind a bit of pigeon water tbh

unchienandalusia · 16/12/2020 21:37

It's from Ye olden times when the cold water was from a tank in the attic. Many a time a dead rodent could be found floating in ours.

daisypond · 16/12/2020 21:38

Never ever drink from the bathroom tap. The cold water from ours definitely comes from the tank in the loft.

FestiveFannyGallops · 16/12/2020 21:38

I'm the same. Has to be from the kitchen.

Sparklesocks · 16/12/2020 21:38

It’s a psychological block for me - I feel like it tastes different even though I’m sure it doesn’t, my brain just says so!

When I was growing up I was told the water from the bathroom just came from a big tank and was just sitting there for potentially days until the tap turned on (so fine for washing hands and flushing the loo) but the kitchen tap was from a fresh supply. Nooo idea how true that is but it stayed with me!

I’ve also heard you should avoid drinking from the bathroom tap in some older buildings as the pipes are old copper/metal which could leak lead into the water. Again - no idea how true!!

Original poster
AddisonM · 16/12/2020 21:39

How do you know where it comes from?!

OP posts:
BathTangle · 16/12/2020 21:39

As @MustardMitt says, it's to do with bathroom taps being fed from tanks in the roof in the past. I remember going up to our tanks as a kid and finding a dead pigeon in there....that's why you don't drink the water!

dementedpixie · 16/12/2020 21:40

Depends on your central heating system. I have expansion tanks in the loft and a hot water cylinder in an upstairs cupboard. If you have a combi boiler then all your water is mains water

formerbabe · 16/12/2020 21:41

I'm so confused by this. I drink from the bathroom tap when thirsty and too tired to go to the kitchen...dh thinks this is disgusting. I think the water is from the mains...we don't have a water tank. Not sure though

daisypond · 16/12/2020 21:41

@AddisonM

How do you know where it comes from?!
If your turn off your mains water, do your bathroom taps still run? If so, the water is coming from the water in a tank.
helloxhristmas · 16/12/2020 21:41

Depends where your water is from. Tank in the loft no way. Ours is on the mains so no different to the kitchen.

dementedpixie · 16/12/2020 21:42

Water tanks aren't from that far in the past. I have tanks in my loft right now. I must be immune to our upstairs water as I haven't died yet from drinking it.

RunningFromInsanity · 16/12/2020 21:42

Like I’m going to go all the way downstairs to get a glass of water from the kitchen when the bathroom is 4 steps away..

dementedpixie · 16/12/2020 21:42

@formerbabe

I'm so confused by this. I drink from the bathroom tap when thirsty and too tired to go to the kitchen...dh thinks this is disgusting. I think the water is from the mains...we don't have a water tank. Not sure though
If you don't have a water tank then all your water is mains water
FestiveFannyGallops · 16/12/2020 21:43

But the bathroom taps get black gunk inside the end bit so that puts me off plus my dad said not to do it. The kitchen tap never gets gunky so I don't get why the bathroom tap does. Apparently it's harmless but it's disgusting so no thanks.

Eckhart · 16/12/2020 21:44

@RunningFromInsanity

Like I’m going to go all the way downstairs to get a glass of water from the kitchen when the bathroom is 4 steps away..
There's probably a comparable risk of falling downstairs as there is of contracting leptospirosis from drinking 'rat tea'...
Bollss · 16/12/2020 21:44

@AddisonM

How do you know where it comes from?!
Put your thumb over the tap while it's running. If you can't stop it, it's mains. If you can, it's tank fed.
formerbabe · 16/12/2020 21:44

@dementedpixie. Thanks...I always think it tastes different to water from the kitchen tap...but maybe it's my imagination working overtime!

HarrietOh · 16/12/2020 21:44

I don’t have a loft in my bathroom so assuming I’m safe Grin

Original poster
AddisonM · 16/12/2020 21:45

We have what i think is a hot water tank in the loft and a water cylinder. Not a combi. But if I switch off the water the bathroom taps don’t run so it must be mains water then.

I still won’t be drinking from it. It’s far too ingrained. But I’ll probably stop making a fuss when DD fills her water bottle from it (she can’t reach the kitchen tap)

OP posts:
Henlie · 16/12/2020 21:45

A long time ago, bathroom taps were fed from a tank in the loft. If this is the case in your home, then absolutely don’t drink it. Likelihood is though that your water is mains fed and exactly the same as downstairs.

This!

We did away with our tank in the loft a few years ago, and installed an unvented cylinder. Everything is now mains fed, so we drink from bathroom taps. It’s just the same as the kitchen.