Drinking Hot Water from the tap

[Tom Rankin]

NYT Articles on drinking from the hot water tap in your home. Since many of us use hot water in the winter, I thought this was worth a read.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/29/health/29real.html?em&ex=1201928400&en=453d5a482ccc6236&ei=5087

Not universally applicable, but my house is over 50 years old, so I will take this advice.

There has also been discussion on drinking hot (non-boiled) water because it could have bacteria in it, but I will let you search for that one yourself.

 

[MattC]

Thanks for posting Tom. Lead is still a concern, even though most things are "lead-free" these days. Last week and weekend I was working on scraping, sanding and re-staining a small piece of furniture and while doing the scraping, it occured to me that one of the layers of old paint was probably about 40 years old, and probably contained lead. I wore a mask and tried to avoid breathing the dust.

I always boil cold tap water for water bottles, tea, etc.

Matt

 

[Stan]

Lead has been known to be a poison since the fall of the Roman Empire but like asbestos, which has long been known to kill people over time, it has been only recently that either have been banned from uses that are likely to make it into our bodies. The presence of lead in tap water can be from lead in old water lines. In Massachusetts, lead was banned from solder but many old pipes and joints contain solder containing lead. Lead can also be found in water fixtures ... watch what you buy from China ... that can also leach into your tap water.

If you are concerned about lead in your pipes, have the water tested. Public water suppliers in Massachusetts are required to provide reports of the contents of the water, including lead, but that does not guarantee that it won't leach into the water from within your building.

Lead in your body can build up over time; children are most susceptible to its damage. If you are concerned about lead in your body, a simple blood test might put your mind at ease.

Bottom line to me is that I am not bothered by the occasional use of hot tap water when filling my water bottle in winter.

 

[Oldsmores]

Just another reminder that water is dangerous - I'll stick to beer.

 

[WinterWarlock]

Just another reminder that water is dangerous - I'll stick to beer.

Now there's some advice to heed!