Why dont people drink tap water?

Question

Does boiling it get the germs out? My tap water looks nice and clear and tastes refreshing. why do people say it is wrong to drink it?

Answer 1

You're lucky - my water is clear but boy does it taste of chemicals ??? In the past week its got worse and tea made with tap water tastes like its had disenfectant added - its disgusting !!!!!

Answer 2

Most tap water tastes like the pipes it comes through. No, boiling does not get ALL the germs out, While in the pipes tap water picks up minerals and contaminates that boiling will not take out.I don't know why some people say it's wrong to drink water. I drink it all the time, with out boiling it.

Answer 3

Unless your water company/local authority says otherwise, then drinking water from your kitchen tap - and often other taps in the house such as utility room - is safe to drink (and so shouldn't need boiling it to kill any germs). Who says it's wrong? They're crazy. I'm perfectly happy drinking tap water at home, and it's what I ask for at restaurants as it's free. However, when in different counties I sometimes prefer bottled water if I find the tap water different to home and not very nice, which can happen to me! Call me fussy, I don't know. But generally then drinking your tap water is the done thing surely!?! Otherwise people are wasting a lot of money on bottled water and being wasteful towards the environment also.
When abroad it is different, as many countries are not as lucky as us - their tap water may not be safe to drink so bottled water is the safe option in such situations.

Answer 4

It's a huge debate over whether you should drink tap water or bottled. However, because of the Safe Drinking Water Act (in the US) - tap water is safe to drink just as much as bottled water is! Sometimes tap water even has fluoride in it, which is good for your teeth. People used to be concerned about lead getting into the water, but that really isn't a problem anymore.

Bottom line - if you like your water - keep drinking it and save the money of bottled!

Answer 5

i drink about 1 1/2 litres of tap water a day and a couple of mugs of coffee and perhaps a cup of tea - i used to drink just coffee but im trying to be a bit healthier...on an unfortunate note i do know that UK water is flurodised and flurodine is a poisen im just hoping something else will kill me first - boiling water doesn't remove fluoride it concentrates it (it's in bottled water as well so that doesn't change things the thing that saying something is a reccomended dose doesn't mention is what happens when you exceed that dose), several years ago the pipes were made of of lead so there was a risk of lead poisening but these have been replaced by copper or plastic now

Answer 6

There is nothing wrong with uk tap water and it is very safe to drink. When i was in south wales the water was lovely, tasted like it was from a spring. Now i am in the south east of england i still drink the tap water here but the water is so chalky, there are actually bits of chalk in it, that i tend to buy mineral water more often here.

Answer 7

Well, right now in BC, Canada we can't. There was so much rain that it caused a landslide to fall into our reservoir. Our water was disgustingly brown, it's gotten a bit better but still smells like creek. Most restaurants won't serve fountain drinks or anything made with ice. We have to boil our water for now, and the markets are in high demand of bottled water. There have also been some fights that broke out over bottled water. I can't wait till things go back to normal.

Answer 8

Clever marketing by bottled water vendors who in some cases actually bottle and sell you tap water.

UK water is clean and safe to drink!!! and in some areas is better for you than mineral water. It is definitely cheaper!!!

Boiling water actually removes oxygen which by being in the water not only improves the taste but helps keep it pure and fresh. Keep drinking pure fresh tap water.

By the way I do not agree with adding all the unnecessary fluorides etc which are not required.

Answer 9

In some countries the tap water is refreshing and quite safe. Boiling will obviously help. Let it cool down before you drink it though. LOL.

Answer 10

I just finished off a bottle of tap.

I drink tap more than anything else (I had the bottle from a purchase I made while on the road. I usually keep them for a little while)

I don't see why people prefer bottles over tap (except for reasons above).

Let's see...$2 or FREE, which do ya choose?

(This does not apply to those who get well water. YUK!)

Answer 11

The water from the tap varies from area to area. If I were to travel, I would not drink the tap water because I would be wary of the quality. Some places have bacteria in the water which the denizens of the place are immune to, but travelers can get sick from.

At home, I drink tap water. Elsewhere, it's all bottled for me.