Do people drink water from the bathroom tap tap

[KW33]

Back story is I work in a perdomately male work place. We have a small coffee machine that needs to be filled up with water every so often. The unisex toilets are not too far from where the team sit. On two separate occasions, one male manager went into the bathroom to fill up the water. I interjected and said no, I will get water from the water despenser in the kitchen which is not close to where the team sit. Then the same thing happened today, another male colleague went to do the same thing. I again interjected and got the water from the kitchen water despenser. When I asked the colleague today, he said it's the same water tank so why wouldn't you use the tap water from the bathroom. I said no that's disgusting at which point another male colleague said there's no difference. He would use his tap water in the bathroom at home. Again I was lost.

So now I want to know is this a thing? I have never used the bathroom tap water as drinking water and never would. However this might be a me thing, or is it a woman thing. I have now started asking everyone....even though what one of them said about it being from the same tank may be true. In my head the kitchen tap water can be used for drinking and the bathroom tap water is for washing your hands etc. Has anyone else had a similar experience or thing to be amazed at what some people class as normal and you class as disgusting.

I think, in a public bathroom, it has to have a sign saying if it’s not drinkable because it’s from a tank. In the old days it used to say “non potable” but now occasionally you see see a “not drinking water” sign.

This 👆

Since you asked I googled it. Here is my AI overview:

”In the UK, it is generally considered safe to drink from a bathroom tap as the water supply is usually the same as the kitchen tap, meaning it comes from the mains supply and is safe to drink; however, it's important to check your home's plumbing system to be sure, especially if you suspect a storage tank which might not be as clean.”

I’m guessing elsewhere in the world you’d get a different answer. Having recently had our home extended and renovated in the UK I can confirm they used identical piping for the water supply in the kitchens and the bathrooms. They did use different piping for the central heating.
If you are UK based you are labouring under a misapprehension and if you are elsewhere in the world then chances are the set up where you are is different.

No! Definitely not at work either.

In my house at home (UK), the water in the bathroom comes from a cold water tank in the loft, so I would generally not use it for drinking.
However, I DO clean my teeth with it, and secondly, if the water is going into a kettle to be boiled, then I don't think it would really matter.
The water in our kitchen comes straight from the mains tap.
The idea of the cold water tank in the loft, seems to be a thing of the past, and in modern homes, I think the water all comes from the mains.
Often in offices/hotels, there will be a dedicated drinking water tap, and if there is one, I would be inclined to use that.

no i try not to

I don't at home because it comes from a water tank on top of the block and pigeons have got it there in the past. At work, absolutely yes as it's the same pipes. Have worked in places where we only had access to water in the toilets so if we didn't use it, we wouldn't be getting a cup of tea

Yep, and generally I don’t use bottled water and drink straight from the kitchen tap. However, we live in a hard water area so use bottled water in our coffee machine to prevent limescale buildup as it would destroy it.

I’m a woman and drink from the bathroom tap at home or in hotels.

However, I’d probably not use water from a men’s work bathroom tap for communal coffee as men’s toilets seem to be of dubious cleanliness. Though - the water would be boiled thereby killing any germs so you’d probably be ok.

I know this is a bit of a dick move but to save your embarrassment if you have to write anything in work (other than anonymously on a forum) the word is ‘predominantly’.

No because only the kitchen tap is mains fed the rest is from the tank.

I assume you are being tongue in cheek here.

In newer house all cold water taps are fed straight from the mains.

Older houses will have a cold water tank. I wouldn't drink tap water that isn't straight from the mains.

Not necessarily.

Totally fine unless it has been specifically marked as non-drinking water.

I never drink tap water at all

If you want to find out where the cold water in your bathroom comes from switch the stopcock off to stop the mains water and turn your cold tap on. If it runs freely then it comes from a water tank in the loft. If you get a few drips then nothing it comes from the mains and is safe to drink.

no - I wouldn't drink water from the bathroom unless it is boiled in a kettle or similar.
Bathroom cold water often comes from a cold water tank in the loft & could have been sat there goodness know how long with dead spiders & who knows what in it as they are usually open

I did as a teenager for years as my mother would regularly withhold access to water/kitchen. She told me I’d get sick
from the bathroom tap but I was thirsty so I drank it on many occasions and I was fine.

If in the UK and are on mains water you can drink it.

Unless it’s been stored in a tank in the loft.

Where does Morality come into it?

Best to use bottled water with the lowest calcium content, as under heat the calcium content will slowly harden and block the internal coffee machine water parts.

😄😄 i am, as much as i don't like it, others can do as they please

For the coffee machine it really doesn't matter if it's mains fed or not - heating it to make coffee will get rid of most things that could be an issue.

In a work environment any tap which isn't mains fed should be labeled as not for drinking. In a home environment it depends but most people only have mains fed in the kitchen so shouldn't be drinking water from a bathroom tap unless it's being boiled.

I quite happily drink from bathroom tap at home, because I know that all my water comes directly from the mains supply - there is absolutely no difference in the water out of any tap, even the garden tap or the toilet fill, if it came to it.

Obviously if a tap is fed by a tank then you shouldn't drink from it.

At work I don't drink from the toilet taps, but it's probably entirely safe as it's not marked as not being drinking water.