At first, I found it funny — just one of those quirky things people do when half-asleep.
But after a few months, that habit began to bother me. Something about it didn’t sit right. I kept thinking, isn’t bathroom water different from the kitchen’s filtered kind? Whenever I mentioned it, he just shrugged and said, “Water’s water.”
Still, one night, curiosity got the better of me. I decided to find out for myself if there really was any difference — or if I was just overthinking.
What I discovered shocked me.
Technically, most household taps draw from the same main water supply, but the plumbing paths they take can vary a lot. The kitchen tap is usually connected directly to the main cold-water line, meaning the water that comes out is fresher and cleaner.
Bathroom faucets, however, can be linked to older or secondary pipes — sometimes even a rooftop or attic storage tank. Over time, stagnant water in these systems can collect residue, bacteria, and traces of metal. So while it might look crystal clear, bathroom water isn’t always as pure as it seems.
To test it, I ran a little experiment at home. I filled two glasses — one from the kitchen tap, one from the bathroom — and set them side by side. The difference was subtle, but noticeable: the kitchen water looked bright and clear, while the bathroom glass seemed slightly dull and cloudy.
Then I tasted them. The bathroom water had a faint metallic aftertaste. My husband still didn’t believe me, so I bought a home water testing kit to be sure. The results confirmed what I suspected — the bathroom sample had slightly higher hardness and trace metal levels. Not dangerous, but definitely not ideal for drinking every night.
Afterward, I did more research and found that most experts agree: bathroom tap water isn’t unsafe, but it’s better used for washing and brushing teeth rather than for regular drinking. If you must drink it, it’s best to let it run for a few seconds to flush out any stale water or, better yet, attach a small filter.
In the end, the solution was simple. I started keeping a filled water bottle on our nightstand. And now, so does my husband — ever since the night he woke up, took a sip from the bathroom tap, and immediately spat it out because it tasted like metal.
That was the moment he finally admitted I’d been right all along. Sometimes, convenience just isn’t worth the risk.