Do you drink tap water?

allroundthesun
allroundthesun Posts: 290
edited September 25 in Food and Nutrition
Does anyone here who USED TO drink bottled/filtered/etc. drink tap water now? If so, how did you acquire a taste for it? How long did that take?

I've always drank (drunk? not sure how to conjugate that :embarassed:) bottled water, but I've recently had a big blow to my budget, and I almost always drink 12 cups/day (and some days I would drink more than that if I wasn't trying to restrict myself), so buying it bottled has become a major expense. It may be insignificant to some people, but for my budget, I just can't afford to spend $8/week on something I can get for free.

That said, I HATE the taste of tap water. Hate hate hate. I tried switching for a couple of weeks (I'd put it in a pitcher in the fridge hoping it being cold would help), and after a week or so I was just down to drinking 4ish cups/day because I hated it too much to force myself to drink it all day. Then I tried a couple of weeks of boiling it, waiting for it to cool, and then putting it in a pitcher in the fridge, hoping it would get ride of some of the chlorine/fluoride taste which I assume is what I dislike about the taste, but it was just as bad.

I'm also a bit creeped out because my apartment building was built in 1938 so our pipes are OLD and sometimes for the first 10 or 15 seconds after turning on the tap, the water comes out yellowish brown before running clear - I have no idea what material the pipes are made from; the water didn't make me sick, so I assume they're not lead or anything, but it still concerns me. Building managers and property management company are deadbeats, I can't even get them to fix the lock on the outside door - meaning anyone can wander into the building - so I'm not going to get any help there re: the pipes. Like I said, though, I didn't get sick, so worst case scenario they cause the taste.

Sooooo, given I NEED to get used to tap water, and not just stop buying bottled water, but actually *drink* the tap water as much as I drink bottled now, can anyone who's successfully switched to tap water - as in, at least finds the taste neutral - offer any suggestions/advice/input?

Thanks very much in advance!

:heart: -- Juliet
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Replies

  • Barbellerella
    Barbellerella Posts: 1,838 Member
    maybe save up for one of the Brita pitcher filters? =)
  • katschi
    katschi Posts: 689 Member
    Hi!
    I used to buy bottled water because I hated the taste of the tap water here but I was also tired of all the plastic bottles and the high price.
    I bought myself a Brita pitcher and it's taken away the chlorinated taste that I disliked so much.
    I now drink a pitcher of water a day.
  • vwbug86
    vwbug86 Posts: 283 Member
    I love water, but the water in the town I live taste like chlorine and dirt. So I bought a Britta Pitcher the filters only have to be replace every two months so it's not too expensive of an upkeep. Much cheaper than bottled water and it took the base chlorine taste out of it.
  • allroundthesun
    allroundthesun Posts: 290
    Really, you guys have had success with the Brita? I thought the water tasted just as bad when I tried it a couple of years ago. Maybe I'm just too picky, eek.
  • Shadowcasting
    Shadowcasting Posts: 124 Member
    I use a Britta water filter, as someone suggested above. It works really well and is pretty economical. Water in our area is pretty chlorine-y (yuck) and the water from by pitcher tastes .... tasteless? Clean? You know what I mean?
  • b_alanna
    b_alanna Posts: 15
    get the gallons. they are less then one dollar a piece. they taste just as good as water. and if your really hurting buy a few then refill them at those machinces for 25 cents or less.
  • vwbug86
    vwbug86 Posts: 283 Member
    If you can't do Britta have you tried buy the large refrigerator sized bottles of spring water. Much cheaper than the individually sized bottles
  • GoGetFitGirl
    GoGetFitGirl Posts: 6
    My mom has horrible water but I can drink if it is really cold- really, really cold. Somehow drinking near freezing water helps the taste for me. If you can swing buying one of those water filter jugs- that might help depending on what is exactly wrong with your water. I know money is tight but if it doesn't help the taste, you could always take it back. The one I like the best is Brita. Hope this helps. :-) Lynn
  • sarahsmom1
    sarahsmom1 Posts: 1,501 Member
    I drink my tap water My daughter buys the gallon size water for 59 to 99 cents and refills them saves on all the stupid small bottles that litter the earth and oceans
  • girlofsun26
    girlofsun26 Posts: 140 Member
    We have water stores out here that is filtered water..I cannot stand the taste of tap water..but it only cost me a 1.25 to fill a 5 gallon bottle which lasts me all week. Maybe you can look into a water store..
  • happybunnysbabe57
    happybunnysbabe57 Posts: 191 Member
    i hve always drank tap water cuz i am too cheap to buy bottled water and my mom use to buy flavered water that i thought was gross. r water has alot of minerals in it. i dont taste a difference in bottled and tap. lol it just has to be really cold thats it..
  • monoxidechick
    monoxidechick Posts: 339
    I used to live in a town with HORRIBLE water and my husband saved my life by getting my a water cooler for Christmas. I moved from that town and the water here is alright, but I still cant get myself to drink it. We have two large water jugs that we just take to the store and fill up at the machine and it is like 38 cents per gallon.
    The water cooler itself can be expensive, but I have some friends who just use the jugs and fill up pitchers to keep in the fridge. You can also get a spout attachment for the jugs that helps to pour the water into a pitcher with ease. This might be a solution for you to save on money and plastic bottles.
  • katschi
    katschi Posts: 689 Member
    I used to live in a town with HORRIBLE water and my husband saved my life by getting my a water cooler for Christmas. I moved from that town and the water here is alright, but I still cant get myself to drink it. We have two large water jugs that we just take to the store and fill up at the machine and it is like 38 cents per gallon.
    The water cooler itself can be expensive, but I have some friends who just use the jugs and fill up pitchers to keep in the fridge. You can also get a spout attachment for the jugs that helps to pour the water into a pitcher with ease. This might be a solution for you to save on money and plastic bottles.

    My neighbours have one. The water is delicious ... meaning tasteless. :happy:
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 Member
    You can wean yourself into the tap water perhaps by getting flavour sticks, I'm loving this orange/tangerine one at the moment, or get some concentrated Lemon juice and add it to your water. I do it just to change the flavour now but you can start with a fairly strong flavouring then thin it out, the "suggested" stick of powder to 500mL bottle is way too strong for me now that I've been drinking water so much more, I do usually at least 1L of water per stick.

    And for those filling up at the store just know your store a bit, I've done renovations in a couple stores where their machine was hooked straight to the tap no filtration just "pure" city water. And if you're chosen little bottle of water is aquafina or dasani you know you're just getting city water from the nearest bottling plant where they get it dirt cheap by the 1000L and sell it to us for $1 or $2 right?
  • NobodyKnows
    NobodyKnows Posts: 764 Member
    I have never been a big fan of tap water. The only time I really drink it is the hot summer months when anything wet & cold is refreshing.
  • allroundthesun
    allroundthesun Posts: 290
    I drink my tap water My daughter buys the gallon size water for 59 to 99 cents and refills them saves on all the stupid small bottles that litter the earth and oceans

    Whoa, I have never heard of being able to buy a gallon of water and refill it at a grocery store with a machine at a low cost! Are any of you in Canada? Not sure if it's an American thing or if I just live under a rock. :laugh: That would be a great solution for me!
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    I used to only drink the flavored bottled water but between the sodium content and the cost, I decided to stop...I usually squirt a little lime juice in with my water and I refill throughout the day at the drinking fountain at work or the gym where for some reason the water tastes better than from my sink tap...
  • katschi
    katschi Posts: 689 Member
    I'm in Windsor. They have a machine at Remark Farms but I'm not sure if they have a store in Toronto.
    I honestly haven't noticed any others in any of the grocery chains here.
  • PoorGirlEatingHealthy
    PoorGirlEatingHealthy Posts: 209
    Maybe try slicing up some lemons or another fruit in it to save the taste? We weren't allowed to drink from the tap in my hometown so water from the tap pretty much petrifies me.
  • thomalr6180
    thomalr6180 Posts: 94 Member
    I used to only drink bottled water when I wasn't who was paying for it. Now that I am the one that pays, I use tap water. I have a Britta also. The one that I got can use water flavoring (raspberry, lemon, etc). I haven't used the flavoring, but you might want to give it a spin.
  • FireRox21
    FireRox21 Posts: 424 Member
    I love my Brita pitcher. I'm in Southern California and in my particular city, the water comes from mountain spring/aquaifers. In Los Angeles, it's a different story. Our tap water isn't too bad, but I find that the Brita filter really makes the water taste great. I also find that it helps to freeze the water and take it out of the freezer when it's slushy.

    Have you tried adding some orange, lemon or cucumber slices to your water to mask the flavor?

    As for the Brita filters, you can sometimes find coupons in the newspaper or online. Do you have Costco-type warehouse stores in your area? Sometimes you can find a big pack of filters for $15. If you use your pitcher/filter daily, each filter will last about 2 months. The big pack of filters usually has 6 filters. It's pretty economical.
  • ContinuousEffort
    ContinuousEffort Posts: 136
    I drink tap water. I actually like it so much that I fill bottles to take with me during the day. It has different tastes and sometimes gets earthy. Am I weird to like tap water??
  • dawgmaven
    dawgmaven Posts: 10 Member
    I can't taste a difference between (Chicago) tap water and bottled. I rarely buy bottled as it seems an unnecessary expense. I've heard that much bottled water is just bottled tap water anyhoo.
  • skinnyhopes
    skinnyhopes Posts: 402 Member
    Never, but I do drink filtered water from my fridge.
  • elliecolorado
    elliecolorado Posts: 1,040
    I always drink tap water, I usually add a slice of lemon. Lemon water is my favorite!
  • fukuyama
    fukuyama Posts: 43
    Have you tried boiling the water ?
  • annacataldo
    annacataldo Posts: 872 Member
    To tired to read all these so not sure if someone else has suggested it...but... do u know someone that has well water instead of tap water? My boyfriends water comes from a spring compared to mine that's city water (tap)...anyway, u could go once a week or 2x a monthly, and fill up ur old bottles & empty gallons at their house when u go to visit...

    Also, in my area, I know of 2 springs that r public, and u see ppl there all the time filling up..its a bit of a drives into the country from where I'm at, but...just suggesting--maybe ur area has something like that...its just like a pipe that comes out and fresh mountain spring water pours out at all times...

    Another suggestion...my boss has this 5gallon water dispensor...I'm not sure how much she paid for the stand but I know its 1.75 for the refill, or 35cents to just get a gallon...

    Also...have u tried adding lemon to ur water? It boosts metabolism so it'd be win win, help the taste (hopefully) plus the metabolism thing...

    Also ice water helps metabolism, the colder the better, however sometimes the ice has a stronger chlorine odor that the water...not always...

    Lastly, what about switching to iced tea? Ud still get ur water, plus tons of natural antioxidants, and depending on the tea even potassium. It'd help the water flavor without adding some type of crystal light artificial type thing...
  • CarolMorris66
    CarolMorris66 Posts: 59
    We came to Florida a couple of years ago from England where I think our tap water is very good and extremely palatable and found all of your water awful... bottled or tap. I came home and felt completely dehydrated (we visited in July/August), so I feel very sorry for you all having to drink it and not having the nice tasting water that we have... or is it just what we are used to???
  • MissingMinnesota
    MissingMinnesota Posts: 7,486 Member
    Maybe try slicing up some lemons or another fruit in it to save the taste? We weren't allowed to drink from the tap in my hometown so water from the tap pretty much petrifies me.

    Sliced cucumbers work great too.
  • foodforfuel
    foodforfuel Posts: 569 Member
    When I drank tap water, it always tasted better if I put it in a glass bottle or jar and let it get really cold in the refigerator. I would save big jars from spagetti sauce or cocktail juice and wash them out really well. For some reason the water tasted better from a glass jar.
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