4 ms·

>unless you have a cup or something and don't mind drinking from the bathroom faucets. To my understanding, this is no different than using the tap from your k

by Nadya 11y ago

>unless you have a cup or something and don't mind drinking from the bathroom faucets. To my understanding, this is no different than using the tap from your kitchen sink. It still comes from pipes and tap water is tap water. It's mostly a mental thing.

davidw 11y ago
Yeah, I'm sure the water's ok there, it's just kind of a PITA to even get at it. Sometimes, too, it comes out at some kind of default warm temperature and you can't change it.
bryans 11y ago
To be fair, you're forgetting that in public restrooms, not only is there more airborne fecal matter and bacteria (which means it statistically settles on surfaces at a higher rate), but that there is often contact between unwashed hands and the faucet's aerator. The latter is even (and especially) true for automatic sinks which have short spouts and the sensor is placed vertically too close to them. This causes/forces people to basically rub the aerator as they wash.
- Nadya 11y ago
  There's fecal matter regardless of where you are. [0] Water coming out of the faucet isn't typically in contact with the exterior of the aerator. The amounts are non-harmful (although possibly still a bit disgusting when you stop to think about it). [0] http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/mythbusters-database/fecal-matter-on-toothbrush/ http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/mythbusters-da...
  - bryans 11y ago
    Yes, we are all familiar with the Mythbusters episode, which does not take anything away from the fact that particulates will be in higher concentrations inside a public restroom. Increased concentration means increased risk of transference and consumption. As to your other point, people are not only touching the external edges of the aerator, but the aerator itself, which water does come in contact with. Lastly, the bacteria present are not non-harmful, and a solid chunk of feces is not required to cause illness. The only reason why these illnesses don't commonly come from restroom faucets and surfaces is that, even though the bacteria are present in the water while washing your hands, the transfer from water, to hands, to mouth is much more difficult and unlikely, especially after drying your hands. However, if you drop those bacteria directly into a glass of water, which goes directly into your mouth, your risk increases dramatically. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fecal-oral_route https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fecal-oral_route
    - grkvlt 11y ago
      Increases dramatically to what? I don't think there have ever been any cases of people being made ill due to drinking water from the taps in a public bathroom anywhere. Interestingly, the water from the kitchen cold tap in a house is cleaner and safer than bottled water - according to a harm reduction leaflet for IV drug use in the UK, may be different in other countries, admittedly.
      - Nadya 11y ago
        A bit of research showed me that the hot tap and kitchen (and bathroom?) taps are often drawn from the main, which is often an uncovered source in the attic which can collect dead bugs/rodents and such and that scenario is fairly common. I don't imagine many public restrooms draw from an uncovered main like they do in residencies, but I don't live in the U.K. so won't pretend to know such a detail. Furthermore I'm led to believe the cold tap would be fine, it's the hot tap you have to be wary of. >I don't think there have ever been any cases of people being made ill due to drinking water from the taps in a public bathroom anywhere. I can't help but imagine that is likely due to the fact very, very, very few people would drink water from the tap of a public bathroom and tracing it down to such a detail would likely prove to be difficult unless many people drank from that bathroom. E: To the person who downvoted, mind explaining why attempting to do research into U.K plumbing to educate myself on a difference between U.S plumbing and U.K plumbing is a downvote-worthy offense? I wouldn't think twice about drinking from a U.S public bathroom if I was thirsty. I'm being led to believe I shouldn't from a U.K bathroom due to plumbing differences between the U.S. and the U.K. If I have collected any misinformation you should instead correct me so that others do not receive wrong information. Thank you.
        bryans 11y ago
        Unfortunately, it's useless to attempt finding out why someone downvoted you. HN pretends to pride itself on civil discourse, but the reality is that, just like in life, the assholes run the show. It's a shame, because you are exactly right in your reasoning and research.
gutnor 11y ago
That's making a lot of assumptions about the plumbing. Especially considering that a lot of public toilets and even hotel indicate that water from the tap is not safe. For a practical example, in my old flat, the bathroom tap was hooked to the cold water tank that fed the hot water tank, hence potentially unsafe (definitively unsafe before I cleaned it after changing a valve). The kitchen tap was taking water directly from the main. That is BTW quite a typical british setup. Anyway you are probably safe regardless.
- peteri 11y ago
  This is getting less common in the UK, usually when a new combi boiler is installed the tank is removed / uninstalled. But in general it's good advice for the UK as expansion overflow from the hot water system went back into the cold tank (also there might be dead wildlife in the tank). I think there used to be restrictions about connecting mixer taps directly to the water main (I suspect this changed sometime in the late 80s / early 90s) as I remember a friend getting his shower replumbed so he could get mains water pressure in the shower and it seemed like a newish building regulation thing. I think virtually all new installations are mains water pressure throughout.

by Nadya 11y ago

davidw 11y ago

Yeah, I'm sure the water's ok there, it's just kind of a PITA to even get at it. Sometimes, too, it comes out at some kind of default warm temperature and you can't change it.

bryans 11y ago

To be fair, you're forgetting that in public restrooms, not only is there more airborne fecal matter and bacteria (which means it statistically settles on surfaces at a higher rate), but that there is often contact between unwashed hands and the faucet's aerator. The latter is even (and especially) true for automatic sinks which have short spouts and the sensor is placed vertically too close to them. This causes/forces people to basically rub the aerator as they wash.

Nadya 11y ago
There's fecal matter regardless of where you are. [0] Water coming out of the faucet isn't typically in contact with the exterior of the aerator. The amounts are non-harmful (although possibly still a bit disgusting when you stop to think about it). [0] http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/mythbusters-database/fecal-matter-on-toothbrush/ http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/mythbusters/mythbusters-da...
- bryans 11y ago
  Yes, we are all familiar with the Mythbusters episode, which does not take anything away from the fact that particulates will be in higher concentrations inside a public restroom. Increased concentration means increased risk of transference and consumption. As to your other point, people are not only touching the external edges of the aerator, but the aerator itself, which water does come in contact with. Lastly, the bacteria present are not non-harmful, and a solid chunk of feces is not required to cause illness. The only reason why these illnesses don't commonly come from restroom faucets and surfaces is that, even though the bacteria are present in the water while washing your hands, the transfer from water, to hands, to mouth is much more difficult and unlikely, especially after drying your hands. However, if you drop those bacteria directly into a glass of water, which goes directly into your mouth, your risk increases dramatically. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fecal-oral_route https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fecal-oral_route
  - grkvlt 11y ago
    Increases dramatically to what? I don't think there have ever been any cases of people being made ill due to drinking water from the taps in a public bathroom anywhere. Interestingly, the water from the kitchen cold tap in a house is cleaner and safer than bottled water - according to a harm reduction leaflet for IV drug use in the UK, may be different in other countries, admittedly.
    - Nadya 11y ago
      A bit of research showed me that the hot tap and kitchen (and bathroom?) taps are often drawn from the main, which is often an uncovered source in the attic which can collect dead bugs/rodents and such and that scenario is fairly common. I don't imagine many public restrooms draw from an uncovered main like they do in residencies, but I don't live in the U.K. so won't pretend to know such a detail. Furthermore I'm led to believe the cold tap would be fine, it's the hot tap you have to be wary of. >I don't think there have ever been any cases of people being made ill due to drinking water from the taps in a public bathroom anywhere. I can't help but imagine that is likely due to the fact very, very, very few people would drink water from the tap of a public bathroom and tracing it down to such a detail would likely prove to be difficult unless many people drank from that bathroom. E: To the person who downvoted, mind explaining why attempting to do research into U.K plumbing to educate myself on a difference between U.S plumbing and U.K plumbing is a downvote-worthy offense? I wouldn't think twice about drinking from a U.S public bathroom if I was thirsty. I'm being led to believe I shouldn't from a U.K bathroom due to plumbing differences between the U.S. and the U.K. If I have collected any misinformation you should instead correct me so that others do not receive wrong information. Thank you.
      - bryans 11y ago
        Unfortunately, it's useless to attempt finding out why someone downvoted you. HN pretends to pride itself on civil discourse, but the reality is that, just like in life, the assholes run the show. It's a shame, because you are exactly right in your reasoning and research.

gutnor 11y ago

That's making a lot of assumptions about the plumbing. Especially considering that a lot of public toilets and even hotel indicate that water from the tap is not safe. For a practical example, in my old flat, the bathroom tap was hooked to the cold water tank that fed the hot water tank, hence potentially unsafe (definitively unsafe before I cleaned it after changing a valve). The kitchen tap was taking water directly from the main. That is BTW quite a typical british setup. Anyway you are probably safe regardless.

peteri 11y ago
This is getting less common in the UK, usually when a new combi boiler is installed the tank is removed / uninstalled. But in general it's good advice for the UK as expansion overflow from the hot water system went back into the cold tank (also there might be dead wildlife in the tank). I think there used to be restrictions about connecting mixer taps directly to the water main (I suspect this changed sometime in the late 80s / early 90s) as I remember a friend getting his shower replumbed so he could get mains water pressure in the shower and it seemed like a newish building regulation thing. I think virtually all new installations are mains water pressure throughout.