My German is a little rusty, but I’m almost certain that this is a recommendation from Das Umweltbundesamt (national environment agency) against using hot tap water for food preparation:
Drinking warm water from the hot water pipe is only recommended to a limited extent. Because it has stayed in the pipes for longer due to the circulation in the hot water system. Circulation is necessary so that everything comes out of the tap hot enough to avoid legionella formation. On the other hand, depending on the cable material, substances can come loose. Even if the quantities are small, you should always use fresh water from the cold tap when preparing food.
Hmm, interesting.
I live in a place where hot water is either from a continuous flow heater, so basically no extra circulation; or from a small under-sink water heater where the water is kept at safe temperature and the distance to the tap is near zero.
But I guess in places with these big, central hot water storage thingies what the article says makes sense.
In America you hear slightly similar concerns about tank-type water heaters. We’re a bit less paranoid about them; what the Brits call “mixer taps” are typical equipment here, but you will hear people distrust drinking from the hot water heater, especially if the tank is old and unmaintained, the anode rod is shot and the tank itself is rusting.
I’m personally okay with drinking water from a water heater I know is well-maintained, and I can think of exactly three water heaters I know is well-maintained, which doesn’t include my own. I’m pretty sure the previous owners neglected it.
Entirely depends on where you live.
In Germany, generally tap water is food safe, whether cold or hot.
But I also hear in Britain it’s often a seperate tap, as the hot water used to come from a local storage cistern where it could be contaminated.
My German is a little rusty, but I’m almost certain that this is a recommendation from Das Umweltbundesamt (national environment agency) against using hot tap water for food preparation:
https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/trinkwasser-das-beste-lebensmittel
The middle paragraph, translated to English:
So yes, you’re right. It’s not recommended to do.
Hmm, interesting.
I live in a place where hot water is either from a continuous flow heater, so basically no extra circulation; or from a small under-sink water heater where the water is kept at safe temperature and the distance to the tap is near zero.
But I guess in places with these big, central hot water storage thingies what the article says makes sense.
In America you hear slightly similar concerns about tank-type water heaters. We’re a bit less paranoid about them; what the Brits call “mixer taps” are typical equipment here, but you will hear people distrust drinking from the hot water heater, especially if the tank is old and unmaintained, the anode rod is shot and the tank itself is rusting.
I’m personally okay with drinking water from a water heater I know is well-maintained, and I can think of exactly three water heaters I know is well-maintained, which doesn’t include my own. I’m pretty sure the previous owners neglected it.