hot tap water Can you really drink tap water safely? According to the Federal Environment Agency, you shouldn’t always do this.

A glass of warm water in the morning or before eating is said to be good for digestion . And the water for the potatoes or pasta also boils faster if warm tap water is used.

Federal Environment Agency warns against warm water

However, the Federal Environment Agency advises against both. The reason is a loss of quality. “Because it [the water] stayed in the pipes for longer due to the circulation in the hot water system,” explains the Federal Environment Agency. However, circulation is important so that sufficient hot water is flushed to all points of the drinking water pipes and thus the formation of legionella is avoided.

hot tap water In addition, under certain circumstances and depending on the pipe material, certain substances such as heavy metals can dissolve in the warm water that has been standing for a long time. They would then not be eliminated during cooking. “Even if the quantities are small, you should always use fresh water from the cold tap when preparing food,” it continues.

If you still want to drink warm water from the tap or use it for cooking, you should handle it in the same way as you would with cold water: first let it run for a few minutes so that the pipes are sufficiently flushed and the unwanted components are flushed out.

Drinking water quality of tap water: influencing factors

In Germany , tap water is generally drinking water quality. This means that you can drink it safely under certain circumstances. Factors that can reduce the quality and therefore have a negative impact on your health include water that has been left in the pipes for a long time – for this reason you should only use it in the morning after getting up, after work or when you come back from vacation Turn on the tap and let everything run.

Another factor is the condition of the water pipes. In very old buildings, their material can have a negative impact on tap water. And the temperature of the water also plays an important role when it comes to health and hygiene.

If this is not removed sufficiently, legionella could form, explains the Robert Koch Institute. You can find out here whether 50 degrees Celsius is sufficient or whether the tap water always needs to be heated to 60 degrees Celsius .