Do you pay water bills? If yes, then you are consuming water from the public utility system meaning your water is treated.
Here is why you can drink bathroom sink water: unless you have two separate water storage tanks which indicate that your home consumes water from two different sources, then water from the bathroom sink should be safe for consumption.
But is all bathroom sink water safe for drinking? We tackle the controversial topic and explain when bathroom water is safe to consume and when it is not.
Is Bathroom Sink Water Drinkable? (Reasons Why)
It is not entirely bad for drinking if it is good for brushing, assuming you have one water source. The public water supplier monitors and treats water supplied for consumption throughout the municipality and gives an annual detailed safety state of the water.
This is proof that your bathroom sink water is clean and safe, just like the water in the kitchen tap.
Drinking water from the bathroom sink is a foreign idea to many, and that is why it is one of the most asked questions.
This is because the water in the bathroom and that coming out of the kitchen sink feel and taste different, making kitchen water seem more quality.
Most people do not drink water straight from the bathroom sink because of hygiene. Still, when too thirsty and left with no other alternative, then it is perfectly okay to drink from the bathroom sink as long as you let the water run for a few seconds to get rid of water that had sat in the metal pipes for too long.
But again, how clean is your bathroom?
We are asking because the bathroom is a sensitive place where all body cleaning and defecation goes down and is, therefore, the one place susceptible to unhealthy growth of bacteria and contamination.
That aside, it is not always easy to tell apart clean water from bad water by examining it with the eyes, but here are a few tips to look out for that tell if the water, in general, is safe for consumption or not.
- Water should always be clear, but if it is colored or cloudy, the water is terrible and could contain harmful chemicals such as lead or copper, mainly from corrosion of metal pipes.
- If your bathroom water requires more or stronger detergents when carrying out laundry, it means the water is not treated, and metal elements such as lead or copper are present.
- Too much chlorine makes the water taste funny; despite being used to treat water in many parts of the world, too much of it could potentially cause serious health issues, especially chronic diseases.
- In some instances, water may taste metallic. That is because metal pipes corrode, and the metal ends up in our water glasses. In the 70s, health and sanitation were taken a notch higher when plastic pipes were introduced as metal, especially lead, were phased out.
Can You Drink Bathroom Sink Water Anywhere?
It’s probably not a good idea, but just because it could be safe to do so in your home does not mean bathroom water elsewhere is safe. For one, bathroom water is not well treated as kitchen water, and in public utilities, water is used specifically for cleaning and flushing.
They say habits are hard to die or control, and drinking from the bathroom sink should not be a habit to get used to but should only be for when things are out of hand.
It is not uncommon or weird to consume water from the bathroom, given that a majority of people will scramble to fetch and store bathroom water in basins when there is an impending water rationing or shortage.
- But is the water always safe?
- Does your town or region have water safety measures?
- Where does the town source its water from? From a river, a reservoir, or from underground?
- Are there mining activities around the town?
Knowing if the town, city, or region you dwell in considers the water in the pipes as safe for consumption is the first step in water consumption safety.
Next is determining if the cleanliness in your bathroom and water storage facility makes water in the bathroom safe for consumption.
If you are confident enough that it is, then well, who will keep you from doing so?
But when out of your home, it is best to drink safe water from safe outlets.
Is Bathroom Sink Water The Same As Kitchen Water?
In most cases, yes, but in some, no. In the spirit of curbing household bills, homeowners drill water from the yard and use it for bathroom uses while the kitchen is supplied from the main utility service because it is safe to use in drinking and cooking.
Whether bathroom water is okay for consumption is a universal concern because plumbers and homeowners assume that people will not fetch their drinking water from the bathroom for obvious reasons.
That is why untreated water from underground sources is connected for use in the bathroom and not the kitchen.
That is because initially, drinking from the bathroom was not in the immediate plan of the bathroom water distribution.
Water, in general, should bear the below attributes;
- Colorless
- Tasteless
- Odorless
Ultimately, the water in the kitchen looks and tastes better because the kitchen tap is fitted with aeration systems that air into the water, and that is why kitchen sink water is.
But if the kitchen and the bathroom receive water from the same source, what makes them different?
- The major difference is in the pipes. Kitchen piping is of better quality while the bathrooms’ are not.
- Kitchen water is linked to a cleaner, while bathroom water is not.
Where Does Bathroom Sink Water Come From?
For a home with one water source, water gets into the bathroom from the mains through water pipes that run through the wall from outside to feed the indoor taps according to the arrangement of rooms and quarters in the home.
Because the lavatory uses more water than anywhere else in the building, the main water meter is connected to the bathroom to prevent water hikes. Still, if the bathroom is upstairs, cold water goes through the kitchen before going through the wall and into the loft upstairs.
Otherwise, cold water enters the building through the utility room and branches off into a water heating reservoir situated in the loft while the rest go on to supply cold water to the washing machine, then sinks in the utility room before continuing into the kitchen and the bathroom through the piping system.
The now hot water in the water heater similarly finds its way into the bathroom in water pipes that run concurrently as those carrying cold water.
Every sink has two outlets, one with cold water and another with hot water.
But it is important to note that bathroom water is stored in a heating tank situated in the loft in older homes, while modern homes have instant heating systems that do not require two separate pipes that run throughout the home.
Tips To Make Bathroom Water Safe For Drinking
Now that this is a question that many people would love to know, it would be best to make your bathroom sink water good to drink if you have considered so or have done it before.
This is if you have youngsters in the house because they copy what the adults do while their immune system is low.
While water from the bathroom sink is used to brush and gurgle, drinking glass from it will not entirely hurt you, but health is not something to joke around with.
- Water Storage Tank
Most homes have storage tanks up in the loft for days when the water is not in the main taps unless the town or city you are dwelling in never runs out of water.
Water tanks have openings, and small animals might end up dead in the water tank. Dead animals will contaminate water and make people sick. Therefore, it is crucial to keep water tanks covered to prevent dirt and animals from finding their way inside the tanks.
- Water Purification
Water, on most occasions, has impurities and particles that carry bacteria and other diseases. Treating water by use of chlorine is not enough to make water safe for drinking.
When you use a clean white cloth to filter water, you will notice slime and other residues will be captured, which was not noticeable in the plain eye. Therefore, it became imperative to filter domestic water so that it is safe for drinking even from the bathroom sink.
- Change Old Bathroom Pipes
If you live in an older home, it means that your bathroom piping system could be lead pipes that were phased out years ago.
Lead does not corrode but has harmful elements, especially to young ones. For this reason, change the bathroom pipes from lead to either plastic or other safer materials, and make sure to change them every time you notice that they are eroding.
Final Thought
To practice good hygiene, you shouldn’t make a habit of drinking water from the bathroom sink so that you do not get used to the habit and find yourself consuming bathroom water even when you are not home.
And even though the municipal council takes measures to ensure that water is safe for consumption, the hygiene in the bathroom is not the same as in the kitchen.
