Although some variation in the quality of drinking water will occur because of the different sources of water used and different forms of treatment, drinking water that meets the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (the Guidelines) is considered safe to drink.
USE ONLY COLD WATER FOR COOKING AND DRINKING. Do not cook with, or drink water from the hot water tap. Hot water can dissolve more lead more quickly than cold wa- ter. If you need hot water, draw water from the cold tap and then heat it.
Safe and clean drinking water
It means that Melbourne's water is clean and safe to drink. In fact, it's some of the world's best drinking water. So, you don't need to purchase drinking water from your local shop, you can choose tap water every time.
The answer given by most professionals is that the public tap water in Australia is “perfectly safe to drink”.
Soft water is the most common form of water in Australia. Unlike hard water, soft water is free of harsh minerals that can damage your home and your body.
Although some variation in the quality of drinking water will occur because of the different sources of water used and different forms of treatment, drinking water that meets the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (the Guidelines) is considered safe to drink.
In some cases, severe scalding can even result in death. This is why the plumbing laws require a maximum temperature of 50°C at the outlets of each shower head or tap. This is hot enough for a bath or shower, but not hot enough to cause severe scalding.
Twinings – who know a thing or two about tea – recommend that you never use boiling water to make a cup of tea. Instead, you should wait for water in the kettle to cool for a couple of minutes before pouring. If you're using a boiling water tap, you don't have that luxury – but if you have a steaming hot tap, you do.
With most boiling water taps, the water comes out at around 98°C, which is perfectly fine for coffee and tea.
Boiling water can only remove solids and bacteria, meaning it will not remove harmful substances such as chlorine and lead from tap water. Furthermore, boiling tap water with lead actually concentrates this contaminant making it more dangerous than if left alone.
Make Sure Your Water Is the Right Temperature
Pouring boiling water on your tea can burn the leaves and bring out unwanted bitterness. In general green and white teas need a temperature of 140°F to 185°F. Black or herbal teas should be 208°F to 212°F.
“Hot tub water temperatures should never exceed 104 degrees Fahrenheit. A temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit [equivalent to 40 degrees Celsius is considered safe for a healthy adult.”
120 degrees Fahrenheit is the safety recommendation against scalding, but 140° is the common default setting. Most experts agree that anything below 120 degrees creates a risk for bacteria to develop inside your water heater from stagnant water, such as legionella that causes Legionnaire's disease.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urges all users to lower their water heaters to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to preventing accidents, this decrease in temperature will conserve energy and save money.
Melbourne Water is proud to have taken out top honours at the Ixom Best Tasting Tap Water in Australia competition. The prestigious prize was awarded to a sample from our Cresswell Water Treatment Plant at the Water Industry Operators Association of Australia's hotly contested competition in Casino, New South Wales.
Reason 1: most of our water comes from protected catchments
Most these catchments have limited public access, producing very clean water that needs little treatment. Natural filtration means less treatment, and less treatment means more affordable water.
Drinking plenty of water every day is essential for good health. Australian tap water is the best choice for staying well hydrated.
However, if you don't have a thermometer handy, or would simply like to do it by "feel," there is an easy way to discern the right temperature. Run the water over your wrist and if it feels warmer than your body temperature, but not hot, that should be just about right.
Follow these tips for safe hot water temperature: Set the temperature of your water heater to 49°C (120°F) to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria such as Legionella.
At the least, all new water heaters must be preset at 60°C and equipped with antiscald devices to deliver water at 49°C to the entire household. Electric water heaters already installed should be set at 60°C to limit the risk of Legionella contamination.
No, a 30ºC wash is generally considered a warm wash. A cold wash is below 20°C and is usually reserved for clothes that are very delicate. Washing at 40ºC is also considered a warm wash, while 60ºC is a hot wash and 90ºC is a very hot wash.
But if you keep your hot water temperature at 120 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, you'll be within an acceptable and safe range.
Hot water is generally 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54 degrees Celsius) or above. Warm water is generally between 90 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit (32 to 43 degrees Celsius). Cold water is generally between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 27 degrees Celsius).
If the kettle is clean and dry, you pour water as soon as removed from the heat source, filled up to the brim, it will be potable for at least 2–3 days.