Is Bathroom Tap Water Safe to Drink? Experts Explain Why You Shouldn't

Drinking tap water from a bathroom is not actually a common habit.

But some people tend to do this, and there's a reason why.

Imagine waking up very thirsty. To quench their thirst, some individuals will go to their bathrooms to drink tap water instead of going to the kitchen.

For others, this seems like a harmless act. However, experts warned that drinking bathroom tap water is dangerous.

Is Bathroom Tap Water Safe to Drink?

According to The Daily Mail UK's latest report, Scottish Water-Scotland's statutory water provider revealed that drinking tap water from restrooms is dangerous.

Experts stated that bathroom tap water is dangerous because of two reasons. The first one is water used for restrooms is commonly stored in a tank at the top of houses.

Since the water tank is exposed to outside forces, it is more vulnerable to contamination from birds, mice, and pests.

The second reason is that some bathrooms use lead pipes to get water. This can contaminate water with lead particles, making it dangerous for consumption.

Why Drinking Water Contaminated With Lead is Dangerous

Scottish Water explained that when lead pipelines are used, there's a high chance that poisonous metal could contaminate the water.

Drinking this water regularly could lead to health complications, especially among babies and children.

WHO stated that consuming lead can lead to kidney damage and high blood pressure. It can also negatively affect the nervous system and brain.

Aside from this, it could also affect pregnant women since it can cause stillbirth, premature birth, low birth weight, and even miscarriage.

Safety Habits to Practice

To check if your bathroom tap water has lead, you can best ask for assistance from your water provider.

If you know how to check your water pipes, then better. If you have access to your water pipelines, you will know if they are lead by using a coin to scratch them.

Once you identify if the water pipes are lead, here's what you need to do:

Ask a licensed plumber to replace them.
Never use hot water for cooking or drinking.
If the water is hot, you must run the tap water for a few minutes until the temperature drops.