Hot Tap water in London - Drinkable or not?

I can't imagine hot water from the tap being hot enough to brew coffee. But I drank water from a large bottle of Volvic I picked up at the local Waitrose for less than a pound. I use a Brita filter at home.

As a general rule here, from early childhood I was taught not to drink hot water from the tap. The cold water is fine to drink.

I'm not too clear on WHY this is the situation, but I really don't know anyone who drinks the hot water - we just boil cold water in the kettle and use that.

Most UK hotels and B&Bs have "hospitality" trays in the rooms- they have instant coffee, tea and sometimes hot chocolate, sugar, creamer and usually
"tea biscuts" (cookies). There is an electric "kettle" to heat the water, mugs or cups and saucers, sometimes small plates and napkins. That should meet your needs. Enjoy!

Reason why not to drink hot water from the tap:
"The reason is that hot water dissolves contaminants more quickly than cold water, and many pipes in homes contain lead that can leach into water."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/29/health/29real.html?em&ex=1201928400&en=453d5a482ccc6236&ei=5087%0A

Tami

Cold water comes straight from the mains, and is safe.

Everywhere I've ever lived the hot water starts life as cold water in a tank. You're therefore dependent on how clean / sealed the tank is. I've rented places where the tank is open in an attic and tends to attract dust. Not a problem if you are washing in it but not something I would want to drink. (I've heard horror stories of pigeons in hot water tanks, but these may be urban legends.)

So, I'm with your husband in this. I was brought up never to drink from a hot tap. Is the system not the same in the states?

Cheers
Alan

Toni, Tami already said she stays where they don't provide coffee/tea facilities in the rooms. I can't imagine, though, how they could control it if you took an immersion heater with you. Just make sure it's cooled before you put it away before leaving the room for the day!

The US system (or at least wherever I have lived)
is to have a hot water heater in the basement or somewhere else in the house if no basement) which is sealed and has to be replaced every 7-10 years.(they develop leaks). We have copper pipes. Am familiar with this as I just have had to replace mine. The water going into the tank comes straight from the mains. I have used hot water straight from the tap many times when I am cooking and wish to speed up the process. In addition, in one house, I had an
instant hot water attachment at my kitchen sink which heated the water to boiling. We used it all the time to make some instant coffee in a rush.

While traveling, I have on occasion used the hot water tap to make some instant coffee when I thought
I couldn't wait for breakfast!!! Of course, it is not great, but it is an instant jolt of caffene when you think you really need it!!

When I stay with my friends in England, they have never said anything about not drinking the hot water from the tap!!! Will have to ask them.

How about an immersion heater? (Dual Voltage or 240V)

How are they going to know you use one?

This is the advice from the UK Drinking Water Inspectorate.

http://www.dwi.gov.uk/consumer/faq/dws.shtm

Just how long did it take the Brits to figure out that they should put a lid on those tanks to keep out pigeons? Yikes!

First we had to figure out that we needed a roof on the building to keep the pigeons out of the loft!

At this point I think I will just bring one of the coils. I mean, its not like I am going to let it burn the hotel down!!
They must have had somebody cause a short or fire in the past. Thats why these kind of rules are usually stipulated.

Every house in which I lived in England had a SEALED copper tank for storing hot water which had been boiled after being fed in from the mains. I can't imagine anyone being crazy enough to have an uncovered hot water tank ... the water heater would be constantly trying to maintain the temperature. HOWEVER -- in many older homes there is still a COLD water storage tank in the loft for feeding WCs etc. These are gradually disappearing. If the cover gets dislodged from that, then anything is possible! Cold water taps (faucets to the colonists!) are usually fed straight from the mains. If you are prone to believing urban myths about things like pigeons in the water, you had better buy bottled water. Personally I would prefer an "in-cup" water heater to get beverages to the right temperature.

"storing hot water which had been boiled after being fed in from the mains."

The opposite is true for me. Every immersion heater has been fed from a cold water tank (has proved very useful on the rare occasions when we have been cut off!). That is probably because I have always lived, and still do, in houses 50 years or more old.

Dave:
Im not concerned about if its hot enough to brew coffee.... I would just need it hot enough to dissolve instant coffee like Folgers... something to slam down to get some kind of caffeine kick enough to wake me up!!

Toni:
Unfortunately like I mentioned. I am staying at the ever cheap Easyhotel which offers nothing whatsoever since I am too broke to be travelling in the first place but must because I will go nuts if I dont...lol

Frank:
Youre right, they wouldnt know if I used an element or not. I just try to follow rules. And I have considered getting a small travel one. I mean, a blow-dryer uses at least the same amount of electricity and doesnt short out the whole place so why would an element harm it? Maybe its because they want the guests to drink the coffee from the lobby for 1 GBP per 6 oz cup, out of the vending machine. Blecch. Not a fan of instant but stale vending machine coffee has got to be unpalateable...

And that hot water immersion thing in houses...That is a whole other mystery in itself.... What is up with that? I had no idea what was going on at my husbands mums house in Lancashire - I think they laughed when I came out of the bathroom because I was waiting for the water to heat up in the shower and finally had to ask someone, after standing there waiting.
"Oh luv, pull this cord for that thing on the wall, turn on this steam sucking thing, and turn that dial to get the temperature you need... " Apparently, the water isnt hot until it goes through the wall box thingy. Weirdness.

I wonder if when people post things about only getting a cold water shower, that maybe they are in an old B&B and did not figure out the immersion....

My mom told me when I was a kid not to drink hot tap water in Canada...I was too young to really question why and I've just never done it...it could be an old wives tale but it's just as easy to microwave a mug of cold water for 45 seconds I find...

Tami

An "Immersion" is UK speak for an electric hot water tank. It is heated by an (immersion) unit inside the tank itself and can be run independently from the central heating/hot water system eg in the summer.

The pull cord thingy in the bathroom is to turn the electricity on for an "electric shower" which, as you say, heats the water as it passes through the wall unit. It is judged to be more economical to only heat the water you are going to use. There are gas powered instant water heaters as well.

BTW on an early trip to Italy my OH pulled the hanging cord in the bathroom, expecting it to turn the shower on, then wondered why reception phoned to ask what the emergency was!

If you are travelling with an adapter (to enable you to use North American small appliances, such as a hair dryer), you might want to look into buying a "travel coil" before you leave. I have one that I have used for travelling in North America for years. I fill a cup with cold water, stick the coil in, plug it in an outlet and in about 5 minutes have a cup of boiling water. It lives in my suitcase between trips to ensure that I don't forget it. I took it to the UK last year along with my adapter, but, in the end, did not need it. However, it may be a possibility for you. Check with your local travel store about it if something like that would help.

Yes Ann, thats what we call an "Element" here, but it says on the hotel website that people area not allowed to use an element (heating coil) in the room.

And I cant microwave a cup of water because I will not have a microwave. I was just asking if anyone has ever used the hot tap water with any adverse effects.

Linda: It does make sense now, but I had no clue what the deal with the shower was before someone explained it to me!! And now I understand why my British husband always wanted to switch off the water heater. He just cant believe that in America, the water heater stays on all day keeping the water hot.

Wake up Ann! Tami did say about the prohibition on coils in the last sentence of her original post!