2y ago

People around the world, do you drink tap water without boiling?

For context, I live in Hong Kong where most people drink tap water after boiling first. Some may install water filter but may still boil the water. Very few drink bottle water unless they're outside and too lazy to bring their own bottles.

Now, I'm researching whether I can drink tap water in Iceland (I'm going there in August), and while it looks like the answer is affirmative, almost no web article mention whether I need to boil the water first. People in Japan (a country I've visited a few times) also seems to be used to drink tap water directly without boiling.

The further I searched, the more it seems to me that in developed countries (like US, Canada and the above examples), tap water is safe to drink directly. Is that true? Do you drink tap water without boiling?

It sounds like a stupid question but I just can't believe what I saw. I think I experienced a cultural shock.

Edit: wow, thanks so much for the responses and sorry if I didnt reply to each one of you but I'll upvote as much as as I can. Never thought so many would reply and Lemmy is a really great community.

2nd Edit: So in conclusion, people from everywhere basically just drink water straight out of tap. And to my surprise, I checked the Water Supplies Department website and notice it asserts that tap water in Hong Kong is potable, like many well-developed countries and regions.

However, as the majority of Hong Kong people are living in high-rise buildings, a small amount of residual chlorine is maintained in the water to keep it free from bacterial infection during its journey in the distribution system. Therefore it is recommended to boil the water so that chlorine dissipates.

So, in short, I actually do not need to boil the water unless I hate chlorine smell and taste. But I guess I'll just continue this old habit/tradition as there's no harm in doing so.

539 comments

US here. Yes, can confirm I can, and do drink water from the tap without boiling. The city provides, maintains, and regularly checks the safety of the water. Notices are put out if something damages the pipes and a "water boiling" policy is put out promptly over local radio and/or newspaper.
- It depends on where you live in the US for sure. Not everywhere has drinkable water. And even more places have poor-tasting or very hard tap water.
  
  Also depends on what's happening. I used to live in the US in Texas and when the power went out at all we would need to boil for a while. A lot depends on the local government and utilities in the US, every state and county seems to do stuff in a slightly different way.

In the US, the only time you'd have to boil water before drinking in most places is if there's something wrong with the water system and they put out a "boil water" advisory, and that's pretty rare. It's definitely not something you have to on a daily basis. Some people will use water filters but it's not usually a necessity.
- Very true. However in the less urban areas there is often well water which varies by jurisdiction from drinkable to toxic (even flammable!) Also some places in the US have water that is unsafe to use even if it was boiled. Usually water is handled on the local level and can be different depending on the local government’s ability, wisdom, and funding.

Lol, I was you 10 years ago. For context I'm Malaysian and we only drink water that is first filtered and then boiled. When eating outside we generally avoid iced drinks unless it's a reputable shop.
Then I moved to Australia and reacted with utter horror to see my then-bf drink straight from the tap. I was like wtf you're going to get parasites! Spit it out!
Now I drink water like Aussies and my kid refills her bottle from the tap too. My parents, when they visit, still boil water to drink but they've at least stopped thinking we're trying to murder their grandchild.

Berlin, Germany: we drink water straight from the tap. It's free and delicious. If you don't feel like drinking tap, just drink a "Berliner Rohrperle". It's the same thing with a fancier name, because our tap water is awesome.
Nowadays we even have public drinking fountains dotted around the city.

Netherlands: our tap water is better than bottled spring water

It is safe in most parts of the EU. If you can't, they tell you, usually.
Iceland has one of the cleanest water in the world.

If you can't drink your tap water without boiling, your government has totally failed you.

Finland
Yes. Our tap water is among the cleanest on earth

German here. Yes, constantly. The only reason to not do it would be taste (personal preference) or sometimes due to pollutants entering the system, which is explicitly communicated by the city.

Australian here. Yes, I regularly drink water from the tap without boiling it.
The only exception is if Sydney Water issue a "Boil water" alert. That usually only happens after really major flooding though.
- West Aussie here, straight from the tap. Though different areas will taste different, they're nearly all safe to drink. Any unsafe are well signed.
  
  The taste of the water varies a fair bit depending on the area. I find northern suburbs of Perth water tastes a bit odd and would definitely want to filter it if I lived there.
- Another Australian here. Our water is safe to drink out of the tap. I drink tap water daily and have so all my life.
- Another Australian here who drinks water on tap. Some places have bad tasting water but it’s still drinkable. It’s probably only bad because it’s different.
  
  Adelaide water is fine now

Tap water in Brazil is supposed to be drinkable, but I use a filter anyways because I don't trust the companies.

I've lived in Canada and the US and I've never thought twice about drinking water straight from the tap.

Important:
Despite the overall quality of the water in the region, the water pipes can ruin it. If you got lead pipes you should avoid drinking the water or using it for cooking. Boiling won't change it.
In Germany, landlords are legally required to tell you if there are lead pipes in your house, don't know about other countries. Typically, the risk of having lead pipes is higher if the house is older.
TL;DR: lead pipes are very bad

México. NO. Do not drink the tap water. Boiling does not help. It has a bunch of heavy metals and other contaminants in it. It sucks because mechanical filtering is incapable of removing them effectively. Reverse osmosis does but it is a challenging and expensive process to properly keep in your house. We always buy bottled water. Trucks deliver twice a week.

Netherlands - we have some of the cleanest tap water here. You can drink water from any tap. Ironically bottled water from the shops is a big seller here and you see people with liters of the stuff in shopping trolleys and I’ve never been able to figure out why anyone would spend money on something that we have an abundance of in our houses

Interestingly it's perfectly safe to drink tap water in Hong Kong. But tradition and fear of the government keeps water boiling alive.
https://www.mychinainterpreter.com/china-travel-guide/can-you-drink-tap-water-in-hong-kong/
As opposed to say parts of the US where you really shouldn't drink tap water but everyone does anyway. Flint Michigan looking at you.

I'm from Germany and I always drink Tap water without boiling it first. Well to be fair, I turn my tap water into sparkling water with my beloved SodaStream.

Germany, yes we do drink water without boiling it directly from the tap. Tap water must in general have drinking water quality across the country. However, even it may not be a health risk, some people don't like the taste. Where I live, it tastes very good.

German person here.
Tap water is very regulated here in Germany. It's legally classified as food. The community and your landlord are obliged to make sure the water stays within the regulations. You can also always contact the water company and have your water checked if it is within the regulations.
Usually it's absolutely save to drink directly from the tap if there isn't one of those. It may not always taste great, though.

BC, Canada - our tap water is perfectly safe and delicious! My experience in North America has been generally safe to drink tap water, but there are areas where it is not safe. I find it similar to reviews - if nothing is wrong, people are less likely to leave a positive review.

Italy here: tap water is drinkable BY LAW, at least inside houses and public places.

Australia here, and yes, the tap water is perfectly fine and normal to drink straight out of the tap - no filtering or boiling needed.

In France we drink it straight without boiling it. But water quality control is pretty strict here in France and more generally in Europe

US here, live in the vicinity of Boston, Massachusetts. Water is very safe out of the tap - we get an annual report of what's in it from the Mass. Water Resource Authority (MWRA) and it's tested regularly. Tastes good too, if I'm honest. I would say that MOST developed areas of the US have perfectly safe drinking water out of the tap, though it doesn't all taste very good (looking at you, Washington DC). However there are some more rural areas where the water out of tap is not safe for drinking, and where boiling or bottled water is recommended. I remember traveling out west back in 2010 and being surprised at this.

In Germany tap water is considered "one of the most strictly controlled food products"

In Germany, France, the Netherlands, Great Britain, and italy, everybody also just drinks it without boiling or anything

In Germany: tap water is drinkable without boiling, if you go to a restaurant you can even ask for a glass of tap water with your meal

Here in the Netherlands (and I’m pretty sure most Western European countries) its perfectly safe to drink tap water without boiling

I'm in Canada and we just drink the tap water. Some northern and remote native communities have to boil their water and it's considered an embarrassing failure of basic human rights.

As long as you don't live in Flint, USA water is generally safe to drink from the tap.

Yes I'm drinking untreated tap water in Germany, got a SodaStream to add bubbles sometimes. When we were recently visiting the US (NYC) I drank tap water, too, but my wife didn't like it because of a distinct chlorine smell and taste but I didn't mind

In the US, tap water is regulated to higher standards than bottled! In the rare cases where there is a problem with it, everyone gets notified, for example http://www.msdh.state.ms.us/msdhsite/_static/23,0,148.html.
NYC prides itself on having really good water, both for local food production, and just for taste. NYC did this by buying up land around its reservoirs further inland and building a large aqueduct system. The water isn't even filtered!
That said, some locations have unpalatable water, such as towns near the ocean that get their water from nearby wells.

Here in Austria we drink our tap water as it is. It comes basically straight from the mountains, you can't get any better.
In our biggest city, Vienna we even have the best water in the country (in my opinion) if you live on the West side of the Danube river. I miss the Viennese water, no joke!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the EU has regulations that say tap water should be drinkable as-is.
That said, in some places it may taste a bit weird - and by place I mean even in the same city. I live in a city in Hungary, lived in four different buildings on different parts of the city. 3/4 the water was fine 99% of the time, though the fourth one was absolutely nasty. Didn't live there long luckily.

I'm Icelandic. The water is potable straight from the tap: no filtration or boiling required, albeit the hot water may smell a bit of sulfur due to being heated with geothermal energy.

Australia. My local water supply is sourced from a muddy river. Not ideal as there is agricultural runoff and occasional algal blooms but it is a semi-arid region and the only option. The towns water supply has sediments settled out then is filtered, treated with chloramine, then UV, then fluoridated for dental health. We mainly drink it chilled through an inline fridge filter. There is no need to boil as the chloramine and UV kill any microorganisms. The bigger concern is probably agricultural chemicals but I am sure the quality is monitored. Some people still buy bottled water because they are ignorant. We take water bottles filled with tap water to school and sports and the schools all have chilled tap water for refilling water bottles.

I'm from Melbourne Australia but currently live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Both areas have drinkable tap water without having to boil it.

Hong Kong: safe to drink from the tap. I filter it for taste and do not boil it.
Here is a recent government test, which I think is a good complement to asking what people do or do not do.

In Germany the tap water has, by law, higher quality standards than bottled water. So yes, you can drink the tap water without boiling.

Chinese person in Canada: I just drink cold tap water, but my parents and grandparents drink boiled water. Not really for safety concerns over here, but they, my grandparents especially, subscribe to that traditional Chinese medicine thing of don't put anything cold into your body ever.

I’ve been to Iceland a few years ago. The tap water often had a strong smell of sulfur, especially in the capital, Reykjavik.
Maybe it’s still safe to drink, but the taste was not great. Even showering was not awesome.

Most people I know of don't drink from tap water here at all, boiled or not.
Edit: I forgot to share where I'm at lol (Indonesia)
- A location might be useful.
- I grew up with a water cooler so it just felt natural to continue.
- Where is “here”?
  
  Here, at Lemmys.
- I’m many countries, it’s considered rude to ask for tap water when you are out to eat. You’ll get a bottle of water. At home, though, most people just drink filtered water.
  
  That is because bottle of water are overpriced in restaurants, as are all drinks. So this is their way of making money when the meal alone isn’t enough for them to be profitable. I don’t like this, they should charge the meal what they need. In France they are required by law to provide free tap water when requested.
  
  Fuck that, if I'm in a place where tap water is safe there's no way I'm buying this overpriced, wasteful shit.
- Here too!

Poland: I drink tap water everyday, it's safe to drink, it's tasty and it's cheap :)

In NL, the public water company pulls their water literally from the exact same springs as the expensive bottled waters (no joke). So our water is exactly the same.

UK. Yip. Water "hardness" varies across the country which means people usually prefer the taste of the water in the region they grow up in. Other than all the leaky underground pipes and lack of investment in a privatised service, UK water is actaully very good.

Philippines here. You cannot trust the tap water in this country anywhere, even after boiling. You really have to use a good water filter or just buy jugs of purified water from a water station.

Canadian here. Municipal water supply is highly filtered and treated. I drink it straight out of the tap.

Manila, Philippines: My drinking water comes from a delivery service that drops off a few blue containers of drinking water every few days. I've never swallowed tap water but I do use tap water when rinsing after toothbrushing. The sticker on the blue containers has the company name on it, contact details (obviously), and something about "18-stages latest US technology".

Netherlands, yes we drink straight from the tap. We're in the top 5 of safest drinking water in the world. Buying bottles of water is a marketing trick for fools out here.

I'm in northern BC Canada. I drink out of the tap, sometimes without even using a glass

Tapwater in Iceland is safe to drink. Went there a couple of years ago and spoke to the locals regarding bottled water. They told me that the bottled water is the 'same' water I get from the tap.
In France I once went to a water museum, yes those exist. They told us that tapwater is safe to drink and that we should stop buying bottled water.
I live in The Netherlands myself and I don't know better then drinken water from the tap. I would go as far as saying that we are among the countries with the best tapwater in the world.

UK checking in here - straight from the tap is perfectly safe. I still put it through a filter though because I like the taste and it makes me feel fancy.

In Germany, Luxembourg and Norway I was drinking it straight from the tap. In Germany specifically, tap water is more regulated than bottled water you buy from the shop, making it safer to drink.
When I was living in Africa (Liberia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Madagascar, Kenya) as well as now in China, tap water is generally considered unsafe for consumption, no matter if you boil it or not, due to the possibilities of heavy metal poisoning. At home I tested my water through a lab (twice with ~24 months in between) and it's free of any dangerous metals or chemicals so I use it for cooking and for my coffee machine, but even though it's supposedly drinkable I wouldn't do so - neither boiled nor fresh.
Same applies for HK by the way, even though you don't have as much heavy industry poisoning the water supplies, the proximity to Shenzhen alone means that there's gotta be a ton of toxic fumes washing down that ends up in your freshwater supply. And while boiling gets rid of bacteria and stuff, many carcinogens are largely unaffected.

I’m from Scotland which has some of the best tap water, so yeah, I drink it without boiling.

In Canada, I know people from Hong Kong who still boil water before drinking. They have been in Canada for 40+ years, have seen everyone around them drink tap water, and yet hang on to this ritual of boiling copious amounts of water.

539 comments

Important: