Drinking from the tap?

Question

Do americans not do this? Ive seen a couple of things where they cringe at drinking straight from the tap. i practically live off tap water.
is it not safe to drink there? where else do you get water from? buying bottled water must cost a fortune.
i normally just turn the tap on and drink from the stream of water if i cant find a cup. would you not normally do that?

OH YEAH, WHEN I SAY TAP I MEAN FAUCET

Answer 1

Tap/faucet water -- from water utilities -- in the US is safe. There may be exceptions to this from time to time (contaminant spills, flooding, local line punctures, etc) but any such will be announced if you pay attention to your local news or regularly log onto a local news web site. Bottled water in the US is a fad, perhaps brought on in the last couple of decades by (1) so many Americans traveling overseas to places where the local water isn't safe (I have been places where the tap water _wiggled_) (2) being so handy to carry when you are out and about and (3) too much disposable income. I predict that sometime in the next decade we'll be slapping ourselves on the forehead and exclaiming "How did I ever fall for that?" Note -- one of the largest US producers of bottled water just recently admitted that they drew it from the local supply; it is high-priced tap water.
As a mark of civilization, however, and so my wife doesn't get all medieval on me, I use a glass rather than just drinking from the tap stream. If I'm down to no cups, I take that as a sign from God that the dishes need washing.
If you are on well water or a small private system, I would suggest regular testing. The county should have a testing service.

Answer 2

A lot of places I've lived did not have good enough tap water to use as drinking water. I've always found it best to buy bottled water, or recently I've started using a water filter which attaches to the faucet, allowing the water to be filtered enough taste good enough for straight drinking. There are places in the US that do have adequate drinking water from the tap, which are usually cities in and around the mountainous areas from where the bottled water originates, such as Mt. Shasta (in California).

It's so common for Americans not to drink tap water, that it's not surprising to hear that you get so many negative or curious responses to your comments about drinking from the tap. Isn't that sad?

Answer 3

I don't drink from the tap/faucet. Yes, bottled water costs me a fortune. I should buy a filter, but I haven't done that so far. I am aware that tap/faucet water is perfectly safe to drink unless there is a pipe break (very, very rare), but I think the bottled water tastes better.

Answer 4

Tap water here is perfectly safe and fine to drink. Some people drink it, but I was raised on well water...quite different than the city water I have rom the tap now. I got a water filter for $15 and the water tastes great without the cost of bottled water :)

Answer 5

There are too many stories of polluted water to feel comfortable drinking from a tap these days. Even if the water is considered safe for drinking, we remember that last time the news had a story about 100s of people getting sick from an infestation of some kind, so that keeps us suspicious of our own water. Some people use well water, and while it may be 'safe' there may be a taste that makes drinking it unpleasant.

Some people are concerned about the cleanliness of the tap/faucet. If other people drank from it, their germs may linger.

I at least filter my water (my fridge has a built-in filter, but I used to use a Brita).

~Kyanna

Answer 6

That's a surprising question. I always thought the stereotype went the other way around. Where I live, most people drink from the faucet...in fact, I learned in my Environmental science class that it's healthier to drink from the faucet. The government puts in some sort of mineral that helps keep your teeth health, and those who drink strictly bottled water don't have that and have more teeth problems...

Answer 7

Yeah, almost EVERYONE here doesn't drink tap water; especially near large cities. Tap water in larger developments contains impurities that can be harmful such as lead and bacteria. A lot of people just use water filters that hook onto the faucet or just use the filtered water system built into their fridge. Our family buys tons and tons of bottled water, but it really doesn't cost us a fortune.

Answer 8

The tap water where I live is tasty and safe to drink; I drink it all the time. But drinking directly from the tap/faucet is considered classless. I did it when I was a kid, but now I use a cup.

Answer 9

I drink from the tap, my water is actually good where I live. Some places around here, the water has a high mineral content and can have odd color, odors, or tastes, so some people prefer bottled over tap.

Answer 10

I'm a Brit in London UK. Tourist information for Jamaica always advises against drinking the local water. I visit Jamaica regularly and always drink from the faucet. It actually tastes better than British water because it is pure water unlike the British water which has things added to it to "purify" it