# Would you drink the water that comes out of your hot water faucet, or cook with it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 7, 2006, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325 "2006-02-07T01:09:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/1 "2006-02-07T01:09:56Z")
My SO wanted to add water to some veggies I was cooking. He turned on the hot water tap, filled up a glass with hot water and headed to the stove. I stopped him just before he poured the water in. I was appalled. :eek: Should I be? SO wants to know why. I always thought there was a reason not to use hot water from the water heater or the hot water pipes like bacteria growth, or build up in metal pipes that flakes off and slowly poisons you. I could’ve sworn that my parents or some teacher said it was bad. Or that it was just not done. Even when I make boiled potatoes or a pot of tea I start with cold water in the pot. I also use cold water for percolated coffee SO reasons that since the water is hot already, it will heat up faster, or in the case of the veggies, it won’t slow down the cooking time by cooling thats already hot. How do you feel about it? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/2 "2006-02-07T01:14:20Z")
The only explanation I ever heard was that water sits in the water heater, therefore it isn’t as “fresh” as from the cold tap. But I have drunk hot water (mainly in the shower) and I’ve cooked with it, and I haven’t noticed any adverse effects yet. To be honest, the reason I don’t usually bother, tho, is that it takes a while for the hot water to reach the kitchen tap, and I hate to waste water, so I just start with cold most of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/3 "2006-02-07T01:19:33Z")
I use the hot water for everything and have my entire life. I cook with it, brush with, sometimes even drink it. I didn’t even know about this so-called rule. It has never caused a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/4 "2006-02-07T01:36:07Z")
I’m fairly certain that once that hot water reaches boiling point after it goes into the pot of whatever you’re cooking; any bacteria that’s in there will die. I’m like **FairyChatMom** though. I’m way too impatient to wait for the hot water to reach the tap. So I just use cold. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/5 "2006-02-07T01:43:46Z")
I often drink warm water (to which I add a slice of lemon) straight from the tap. It’s never occurred to me that it could cause a problem. ---
**Author:** ![wheelie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b4bc9f/32.png) [@wheelie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheelie)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/6 "2006-02-07T02:02:33Z")
I don’t. I’ve seen some really nasty stuff inside old water heaters. If you need hot water for cooking why not just microwave it? ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/7 "2006-02-07T02:06:36Z")
You _wash_ your dishes and self in hot water. 'nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/8 "2006-02-07T02:12:44Z")
Hot water is more prone to dissolve lead from your plumbing. [The US Environmental Protection Agency](http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead/leadfactsheet.html) recommends against using hot tap water for drinking or cooking. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/9 "2006-02-07T02:21:44Z")
I always heat cold water for cooking, too, isn’t it lead poisoning we’re avoiding? I remember something about lead solder in older pipes, the hot water flakes it off or something? It’s all very vague, but I remember the admonitions my parents delivered being very dire indeed. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9d8465/32.png) [@wolf\_in\_second\_hand\_clothing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_in_second_hand_clothing)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/10 "2006-02-07T02:26:42Z")
> [@Twoflower](#): > > Hot water is more prone to dissolve lead from your plumbing. [The US Environmental Protection Agency](http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead/leadfactsheet.html) recommends against using hot tap water for drinking or cooking. That’s what my mom always said. I always heat up water on the stove or microwave when I need it warm. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/11 "2006-02-07T02:26:45Z")
> [@](#): > > I’ve seen some really nasty stuff inside old water heaters. :dubious: That’s like saying you shouldn’t drink filtered water because of all the crud that can be found in the old filter. Yeah well, that’s what’s left over _after the water passes through the tank_. In the cold water line, all of that crap goes straight into your drinking glass. ---
**Author:** ![Achren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@Achren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achren)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/12 "2006-02-07T02:34:45Z")
A related question: is there any difference between hand washing dish in hot, and washing them in cold? I’ve always washed them in hot (tradition you know!) but my apt. mate washes them in cold, saying it’s the soap that really gets the dishes clean so why use hot water? I have no response since as far as I know, that’s right. Dopers? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/13 "2006-02-07T02:56:05Z")
> [@Achren](#): > > A related question: is there any difference between hand washing dish in hot, and washing them in cold? > I’ve always washed them in hot (tradition you know!) but my apt. mate washes them in cold, saying it’s the soap that really gets the dishes clean so why use hot water? > I have no response since as far as I know, that’s right. Dopers? Your apartment mate is basically right. You can’t get kitchen sink water hot enough to kill most of the nasty germs. However, I always heated it for my own sake. Who wants to keep sticking their hands in cold water? ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/14 "2006-02-07T02:57:07Z")
> [@wheelie](#): > > I don’t. I’ve seen some really nasty stuff inside old water heaters. > > If you need hot water for cooking why not just microwave it? Yes, I usually microwave it, that’s what I would have done with the veggies. > [@Twoflower](#): > > Hot water is more prone to dissolve lead from your plumbing. [The US Environmental Protection Agency](http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead/leadfactsheet.html) recommends against using hot tap water for drinking or cooking. Thank you. It’s nice to know I’m not just being anal. This must be where I heard it, they mention the lead solder used for sealing the pipes and running the water if it’s been sitting for more than 6 hours. I remember taking my son to get tested for lead when he was little. My house was built in 1912, I don’t know if we have the original water pipes or how old they are. They’re copper, but they are soldered. Anyway, this is New Jersey water we’re talking about. If I lived in Australia, Maryland, Massachusetts, etc., I don’t think I’d worry about it so much. Thank you everybody. > [@Patty O'Furniture](#): > > :dubious: > > That’s like saying you shouldn’t drink filtered water because of all the crud that can be found in the old filter. > > Yeah well, that’s what’s left over _after the water passes through the tank_. In the cold water line, all of that crap goes straight into your drinking glass. I filter the cold water for drinking, but not for cooking: > [@SHAKES](#): > > I’m fairly certain that once that hot water reaches boiling point after it goes into the pot of whatever you’re cooking; any bacteria that’s in there will die…snip ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/15 "2006-02-07T03:18:00Z")
I wish I could drink water from the tap, but I live in FL and it tastes absolutely horrid here. I do, however, cook with it, which brings me to the OP’s mention of hot water heating up faster beause it’s already hot. Couple of years ago, I was cooking dinner with my chef boyfriend and I went to fill a pot with hot water for boiling. He asked what the hell was I doing, didn’t I know about the sediment in hot water tanks and anyway, cold water heats up faster than hot water. I’m used to just humouring him, but I thought I’d caught him in a lie when he mentioned that fact about cold water. Boy, was I wrong! He gave me this lecture about temperature and degrees and this point and that point - even broke out a pen, pad of paper and calculator to mathematically prove to me that cold water does, indeed, reach boiling faster than hot. I don’t remember his explanation, but it convinced me at the time, and I always use cold water when cooking. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/16 "2006-02-07T03:22:41Z")
> [@LunaV](#): > > I wish I could drink water from the tap, but I live in FL and it tastes absolutely horrid here. I do, however, cook with it, which brings me to the OP’s mention of hot water heating up faster beause it’s already hot. > Couple of years ago, I was cooking dinner with my chef boyfriend and I went to fill a pot with hot water for boiling. He asked what the hell was I doing, didn’t I know about the sediment in hot water tanks and anyway, cold water heats up faster than hot water. I’m used to just humouring him, but I thought I’d caught him in a lie when he mentioned that fact about cold water. Boy, was I wrong! He gave me this lecture about temperature and degrees and this point and that point - even broke out a pen, pad of paper and calculator to mathematically prove to me that cold water does, indeed, reach boiling faster than hot. > I don’t remember his explanation, but it convinced me at the time, and I always use cold water when cooking. [He was wrong.](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_101c.html) ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/17 "2006-02-07T03:45:00Z")
> [@Achren](#): > > A related question: is there any difference between hand washing dish in hot, and washing them in cold? > I’ve always washed them in hot (tradition you know!) but my apt. mate washes them in cold, saying it’s the soap that really gets the dishes clean so why use hot water? > I have no response since as far as I know, that’s right. Dopers? It’s a lot easier to dry the dishes afterwards if you used hot water. Besides that, I find it’s harder to clean greasy stuff with cold water. ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/18 "2006-02-07T04:22:15Z")
> [@Achren](#): > > A related question: is there any difference between hand washing dish in hot, and washing them in cold? > I’ve always washed them in hot (tradition you know!) but my apt. mate washes them in cold, saying it’s the soap that really gets the dishes clean so why use hot water? > I have no response since as far as I know, that’s right. Dopers? It is the soap that gets the dishes clean, [Cecil](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_398.html) says so. ---
**Author:** ![BoringDad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ad7895/32.png) [@BoringDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoringDad)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/19 "2006-02-07T05:49:18Z")
> [@Twoflower](#): > > Hot water is more prone to dissolve lead from your plumbing. [The US Environmental Protection Agency](http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead/leadfactsheet.html) recommends against using hot tap water for drinking or cooking. The EPA recommends against using hot tap water for cooking? Sure, but inherent in that recommendation is the assumption that the pipes have lead in them in the first place. So it’s a CYA from the EPA. If you have new piping, this recommendation is pointless. The only possible reason to use cold water for drinking and cooking is that the water in the cold water pipes comes fairly directly from a main and the water in the hot water pipes has sat for an unspecified amount of time. This gives some non-zero chance that the hot water has used up it’s chlorine residual and is vulnerable to bacteria growth. So if you are at the lake house for the first time in the season and the water has sat in the hot water tank over the off season, I’d use cold water. Otherwise, it doesn’t make much difference at all. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2006, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325/20 "2006-02-07T06:21:59Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > [ > > > [@lunaV](#): > > > > I wish I could drink water from the tap, but I live in FL and it tastes absolutely horrid here. I do, however, cook with it, which brings me to the OP’s mention of hot water heating up faster beause it’s already hot. > > Couple of years ago, I was cooking dinner with my chef boyfriend and I went to fill a pot with hot water for boiling. He asked what the hell was I doing, didn’t I know about the sediment in hot water tanks and anyway, cold water heats up faster than hot water. I’m used to just humouring him, but I thought I’d caught him in a lie when he mentioned that fact about cold water. Boy, was I wrong! He gave me this lecture about temperature and degrees and this point and that point - even broke out a pen, pad of paper and calculator to mathematically prove to me that cold water does, indeed, reach boiling faster than hot. > > I don’t remember his explanation, but it convinced me at the time, and I always use cold water when cooking. > > Yesterday 08:57 PM > > He was wrong.]([http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2\_101c.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_101c.html)) Ya’ know I remember talking about this with my science teacher back in jr. high. I believe she said this nasty rumor gets started because cold water changes states faster than hot water does. (people get this confused apparently) Now what the hell that’s supposed to mean; I have no clue… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-drink-the-water-that-comes-out-of-your-hot-water-faucet-or-cook-with-it/343325.md?page=2)