Five facts about water (Walla system!)
It happened to all of us that we woke up in the middle of the night thirsty with a dry throat and were too lazy to go to the kitchen to fill a glass of water.
The quick solution is to sip some water from the tap in the bathroom sink and go back to sleep.
After all, what does it matter which tap the water comes from?
So it turns out that it matters a lot.
We have only just discovered why you shouldn't drink water from the bathroom or toilet tap - and if you have also sinned against it until today, trust us that it won't happen again.
In a study by Scottish Water in partnership with WaterSafe, it was found that water is less safe to drink when it comes from the bathroom tap than from the kitchen tap.
The main problem is that in old houses the water that comes out of the bathroom faucet is less fresh, this is due to the fact that the bathroom water is usually stored in a tank located at the top of the house - which means that the risk of contamination from birds and other common pests increases.
Do you drink water from the tap in the bathroom?
You should stop (Photo: ShutterStock, New Africa)
This is not the only reason: in very old houses (especially those built before 1970) lead is used to make the piping connected to the bathroom faucets.
Over time, this toxic metal dissolves into the water supply and can cause a variety of health problems.
According to NHS Inform, in adults lead poisoning can cause fatigue, headaches and memory loss.
In Israel there are still houses with lead domestic pipes, although many of them have been replaced with plastic and copper pipes which are much safer.
If you are not sure - you should check what material your piping is made of.
In 2018, WaterSafe spokeswoman Julie Spinks argued that it was essential to replace lead pipes in the UK: "Plumbing in homes is the responsibility of the home owner so we urge all households to take a few minutes to check if they have lead pipes. To protect health , we recommend replacing lead pipes that supply drinking water to bathrooms and kitchens with copper or plastic pipes."
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Drinking water from the tap (Photo: Giphy)
If until now you were not aware of the potential health hazard of drinking the bathroom tap water - you are not alone.
One Redditor wrote: "I drank a glass of tap water in the bath last night and my wife looked at me like I was totally crazy. Isn't that the same water you drink in the kitchen?".
Another user explained: "In newer homes, it's the same as kitchen water. The common perception of not drinking from bathroom faucets comes from older plumbing systems where the cold water would come from a main tank in the loft, along with potential contaminants that may have collected there."
So here's some food for thought for the next time you're thirsty in the middle of the night.
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