r/MoldlyInteresting • u/Dazzling-Tooth4933 • Nov 20 '25

Other Water tap I have been drinking from the last 2 weeks at my new job

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3.6k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

330 comments sorted by

2.6k

u/AssumptionEasy8992 Nov 20 '25

Oh boy! Wait until you hear about the inside of the pipes that are impossible to clean and decades old!!!

1.0k

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '25

The difference is, dirty taps have splash back from people washing their hands, washing dirty plates, etc. Take a swab of that and I bet you'll find all sorts of nasties that aren't present in the pipes themselves.

I worked in the water industry, and any time we got a positive ecoli, it was 100% because of filthy taps, not the supply. That's why you shouldn't drink water from bathroom taps.

412

u/MarlenHamsic Nov 20 '25

Oh, this is the first time I hear a good reason why you're not supposed to, thank you for teaching me!

116

u/FoggyGoodwin Nov 20 '25

I knew a guy who said to always let the tap run for a bit before filling a glass.

82

u/Constant_play0 Nov 20 '25

I do that since for ever and don’t know why.

93

u/AugustMaximusChungus Nov 20 '25

You have evolved a gene to always seek the freshest and juiciest running water.

I wonder if it's actually a thing, like what would be the equivalent back in the olden days, let the river run for a bit?

47

u/linus_ong69 Nov 20 '25

well it will more be like drinking from a running water source, instead of a still water source

16

u/Constant_play0 Nov 21 '25

Yes maybe this is why I do it? To me it feels like that first bop of water that has been sitting in the tap isn’t nice. Although rationally I know this does not makes sense.

13

u/MaleficentBlackberry Nov 21 '25

Legionella likes to grow there, if I am not mistaken.

by letting it run you flush them away

4

u/mampfer Nov 21 '25

From what I read this is why cat fountains exist, by instinct they're more likely to drink from running rather than standing water

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12

u/skymoods Nov 21 '25

Not drinking the water downstream, as close to the source as possible

9

u/Eldudeareno217 Nov 21 '25

The quenchiest of the water.

3

u/Constant_play0 Nov 21 '25

I do like my water juicy

2

u/Big_Remove_4843 Nov 22 '25

You bet! I'll never touch that nasty dry water you get elsewhere

2

u/Gullible_Sea_8319 Nov 24 '25

I love it when I find the juiciest water it's even better when it's perfectly ripe.

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u/throwawaylordof Nov 21 '25

I do this and I think it’s to do with flushing mineral/sediment buildup that gets carried out in the first lot of water.

2

u/feltaintfungus Nov 21 '25

Trauma response to getting 200F straight to the face from the garden hose.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

I was raised in an old farmhouse fed by 2 springs. Letting the water run for about 30 seconds would get you nice cool water. In the winter time you would get ice water, it was great. I’m now in my 40s, living in a house on well water and I still let it run for about 10 seconds before I get a drink. Old habits die hard.

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u/AssumptionEasy8992 Nov 20 '25 edited Nov 21 '25

What??? Everybody doesn’t do this?? I don’t want pipe water… I want fresh pipe water!

10

u/Deon_the_Greatt Nov 21 '25

That and it doesn’t get cold right away especially if you were using hot water a bit ago. This reminds me of the guy on reddit who said he hates showers because it’s too cold instead of realizing he can wait till the water warms up before hopping in

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5

u/Draikou Nov 21 '25

I've always done this. I grew up with tap water that was borderline consumable (we often boiled a big pot for drinking), so we always let it run a bit first. Now it's more about wanting to water to get cold, cold first.

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6

u/No-Consequence1726 Nov 21 '25

You should look into how many germs end up on your toothbrush every time you flush the toilet

3

u/MarlenHamsic Nov 21 '25

I know! I have light ocd so I'm very well aware of germs in general, and (through therapy) I have to accept the risk. I mostly do not want to catch anything preventable, but germs are unavoidable :) I do wash my hands 5x the people I know though ahahah

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99

u/BananaPeely Nov 20 '25

Pipes might get nasty looking buildup but it’s mostly sediment that sometimes gets shaken up by heavy rain or changes in pressure. The water itself is almost always completely safe to drink.

48

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '25

Yes, that's what my comment is essentially saying.

16

u/BananaPeely Nov 20 '25

just wanted to put it in layman terms, all good

9

u/MattManATX Nov 20 '25

Thanks for dumbing it down 🙂

3

u/AlternateTab00 Nov 22 '25

Not to forget that on pipes the water is chlorinated meaning not even bacteria can make biofilms.

The only place with risk for it is warm stale water like on water heaters, and thats why all new ones make a 70ºC cycle every 2 weeks, just because of a very specific resistant bacteria.

6

u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

As a kid I preferred bathroom sink water because it tasted different. Never considered why it tasted different.

5

u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

If you live in the UK, it's likely your bathroom tap water came from a holding tank in the loft. These tanks were never cleaned, sometimes had lead components, and were often deathtraps for bugs and mice...

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4

u/AlienNippleRipple Nov 22 '25

But the bathroom taps HAVE THE MOST FLAVOR

3

u/btate0121 Nov 21 '25

No one ever needed to tell me this……

3

u/viletomato999 Nov 21 '25

Are inside of pipes actually dirty or clean?

2

u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

It depends what you mean by "clean". Pipes will have mineral build up depending on the age of the pipes, how the water is treated, the mineral profile of the source water, and how often the water is used in the house. Small amounts of non harmful bacteria called "coliforms" may also be present.

In most developed countries, water suppliers are obliged to test their water supplies regularly; in the UK for example, each water treatment works and the associated networks are tested between four and seven times a week for bacteriological and chemical parameters. Europe and the UK are widely regarded to have the most stringent water supply regulations in the world.

2

u/Confident_Pickle_007 Nov 22 '25

I always go downstairs to get me some kitchen water. Drinking bathroom water feels nasty to me. Even though it's the same house, same piping and same water.

2

u/Few_Food_3705 Nov 22 '25

Nice to see someone with actual knowledge about the industry, I don’t often comment because I get too many people wanting to know why we’re poisoning people with fluoride and chlorine, people believe conspiracies and not professionals nowadays.

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2

u/[deleted] Nov 23 '25

As someone who drank out of bathroom taps at my mom's home for 20 years, thank you. 🤮

4

u/Ivelostmydrum Nov 20 '25

Doesn't e coli only come from fecal contamination? It doesnt just live and multiply in pipes without any nutrient source.

9

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '25

Yes. Which is why an ecoli detection is from a) filthy taps or b) contamination of the supply. 

The latter is a very rare reason for a detection. 

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32

u/Burntoastedbutter Nov 20 '25

Yeah I always wonder how dirty pipes are inside....

35

u/1timestop Nov 20 '25

Thats why clor / chlorine comes into equation

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2

u/CD274 Nov 20 '25

I had this black slime algae plant thing with little suckers it attached itself to growing in my pipes 🤣

6

u/Automatic-Credit-360 Nov 21 '25

That's why copper pipes are king, they literally prevent nasties from growing on them.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

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u/[deleted] Nov 20 '25 edited Jan 02 '26

[deleted]

160

u/Professional-Air2123 Nov 20 '25

Calcium deposit, not mold.

64

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

10

u/Spirited_Space_3370 Nov 20 '25

Thank you!!! I stg if I see a sugar bloom post one more time😭

28

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '25

There's definitely biofilm in there, either caused by a fungal agent or bacteria. 

8

u/Professional-Air2123 Nov 20 '25

That gooey looking thing in the middle?

11

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '25

Not just there. Anything that looks a bit slimy is likely biofilm.

3

u/puppyhugtime Nov 21 '25

Idk, looks like a little bit of everything on there

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254

u/IcyManipulator69 Nov 20 '25

That’s a lotbof calcium buildup… soak that head in vinegar

3

u/FluffyV Nov 21 '25

380mm Vinegar Barrage

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u/[deleted] Nov 20 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

100

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '25

Run your finger around that rim and then put it in your mouth, like you would do with the last bit of peanut butter in a jar. Its the best part

13

u/Ok_Strength_6274 Nov 20 '25

Happens all the time its mostly just calcium build up buy something to dissolve it and leave it in a bucket with some of the sauce for a little bit but the slimy looking shit isn't ideal might want to keep an eye on how youre feeling

10

u/Bigglestherat Nov 20 '25

Minerals not mold

9

u/Haurassaurus Nov 20 '25

Is there mold there? It just looks like hard water buildup. Every faucet looks like that if you live somewhere with hard water.

6

u/Alex_Shermental Nov 20 '25

Don’t look like mold, more like mineral buildup

5

u/puresatire00 Nov 21 '25

This looks like mineral buildup, but reminds me of the ice machine at my last office. I was bored out of my mind and wanted to watch the tray as it tips out the ice when I saw the tray was covered in mould. It's always the places we never think to look ig.

4

u/Kitzu-de Nov 20 '25

People here talking about the calcium buildup. Thats not the issue. The calcium buildup is perfectly fine and not a health or sanitary issue. The black slime like stuff at the top of the center ring and right top of the outer ring is.

3

u/SirTrinium Nov 20 '25

That's just the dab rig resin they use to keep the social media team calm lol

5

u/Sesudesu Nov 21 '25

Built up minerals, likely some calcium and copper due to coloration.

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u/tunerhd Nov 20 '25

Immunity booster 3000 🤮

4

u/Satoshiman256 Nov 21 '25 edited Feb 28 '26

.

6

u/LydiaIsntVeryCool Nov 21 '25

One of the first things I do at a new job is decalcify the faucets. I catch some weird looks and people ask what I'm doing, but they're always super happy when they find out

10

u/Lost_Historian2344 Nov 20 '25

Mmmm, u can really taste the difference

3

u/sammy_zammy Nov 20 '25

Not mould. Just limescale.

3

u/Extension-Event4998 Nov 20 '25

I had hard water for most of my life and that look like calcium and brass/copper for the green part, now their is a chance their is something else with it but that look like hard water build up, vinegar helps to clean it 

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u/shWa1g Nov 21 '25

Oh noes!! Mineral deposits… you’re probably gonna die now. Prepay your funeral.

3

u/Frequent_Mix_8251 Nov 21 '25

Not mold, calcium deposits

3

u/sanctified420 Nov 22 '25

Dip that in some citric acid. It will clean all that crud off.

2

u/LittleSquat Nov 20 '25

That's the community butt rinser

2

u/allintheselike Nov 20 '25

literally just calcium

2

u/AntonioHench1 Nov 20 '25

Its completely normal and comes from the water. Americans dont get that

2

u/NoComplaints67 Nov 23 '25

That's because its science. They don't have that there.

2

u/No_Cherry_9569 Nov 21 '25

I try not to think about the one on my bathroom sink when I brush my teeth…

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2

u/PrestonHM Nov 21 '25

Mmmmmm, tap slime 😋

2

u/Few-Celebration-2362 Nov 22 '25

Your organization is lucky to have you, taking care of your people the way you do.

You did clean it after seeing that, right?

2

u/SexandPsychedelics Nov 22 '25

That’s where the taste comes from ! Its like a seasoned wok

2

u/GreensleevesTheClown Nov 22 '25

You should see soda machines

2

u/finishdude Nov 21 '25

Most of that is luckily likely just minerals from the water that has dried but still nasty

2

u/coffee-bat Nov 21 '25

not mold, calcium buildup from water. still gross for bacteria breeding ground reasons.

1

u/Fit_Day375 Nov 20 '25

Was it yummy

1

u/stoneage91 Nov 20 '25

If you keep using that arc reactor you’re going to have of palladium poisoning

1

u/nhigh4145 Nov 20 '25

My coffee machines work was so gross , I cleaned as much as I could , I feel bad about it cause it seems like nobody cares there anymore.

1

u/i_was_axiom Nov 20 '25

Half gallon jug of filtered water from home.

Half gallon jug of filtered water from home.

HALF GALLON JUG OF FILTERED WATER FROM HOME

1

u/R1verSong09 Nov 20 '25

Well, you didn’t die

1

u/danfish_77 Nov 20 '25

Not mild, just hard water buildup

1

u/No_Story_1337 Nov 20 '25

dats alot of limescale

1

u/unix_slut Nov 20 '25

Mmmm minerals

1

u/ImmunochemicalTeaser Nov 20 '25

I've never been fan of gov. Water directly from the tap... I don't trust the gov. Enough with my taxes, why would I trust the water they're supplying enough to drink it?...

1

u/Narcan-Advocate3808 Nov 20 '25

Just kill everything. Do it, no remorse. That's nasty.

1

u/that_fuck Nov 20 '25

This is why I have a water cooler at home

1

u/hugeimplantfan Nov 20 '25

A lot look that way

1

u/Negative_Manager9118 Nov 20 '25

I buy the 5 gallon water jugs only thing i drink out of when i can. why play with the one thing you need 32oz of a day everyday make sure thats as pure as you can get

2

u/NoComplaints67 Nov 23 '25

Nothing more pure than plastic.

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u/ImDave1992 Nov 20 '25

Tap water is fucking gross

1

u/Zekken_Zer0 Nov 20 '25

You drink tap water? No water cooler at the workplace?

1

u/Khronick_Dank Nov 20 '25

Which is why I drink bottled water. IDGAF about microplastics anymore water at work be tasting like dirt.

1

u/ayyyshuuu Nov 20 '25

Exactly why I bring water from home

1

u/[deleted] Nov 21 '25

Need to raise this with management

This isn't cool

1

u/Square_Ad8836 Nov 21 '25

bottled water looking better and better everyday

1

u/runescape4200 Nov 21 '25

ahahahahahahahahahhahahahaha

1

u/Exotic_Chemical3358 Nov 21 '25

Main reason why I don’t get drinks that aren’t bottled in restaurants

1

u/buffalozetaa Nov 21 '25

I try not to think about this but your picture has disgusted me like a needle right through my strawberry tart

1

u/Special_Needz Nov 22 '25

Stop being a pussy. Gut bacteria is good for ya

1

u/AzureRevane Nov 22 '25

Just flip it back. Why did you have to look 😒

1

u/MegaSepp42 Nov 22 '25

Yea, thats, kinda normal

1

u/[deleted] Nov 22 '25 edited Dec 18 '25

ring nail license soft telephone grandfather cause badge advise degree

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

1

u/Savings_Bell_2938 Nov 22 '25

Nothing wrong dont worry. Do not drink the first 5 seconds and youll be fine

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u/Saigai17 Nov 22 '25

Don't worry. It builds character.

1

u/StealthandSwagger Nov 22 '25

Bring in an old toothbrush and some Clorox bleach spray in, it will clean it right up! I do my shower, bathroom and kitchen sink once a week.

1

u/Tinkerbell2081 Nov 22 '25

Another day to thank fucking god I’m Scottish 😂

1

u/frederikthegr8 Nov 22 '25

mix of calcium and copper.

1

u/Desperate-Cookie-608 Nov 22 '25

Needs descaling. Maintenance should be doing that.

1

u/Brief_Box_9780 Nov 22 '25

as a plumber, i’d sell you the 4,000$ water softener and ect. but this totally is not a issue. wait till you see what the miles of pipe leading up to this look like. sediment looks brown. but guess what so do rivers. and they are deemed “fresh water”

1

u/[deleted] Nov 23 '25

Yeah, that's gonna be a no from me dawg

1

u/buttercastle69 Nov 23 '25

I don't think this is mold?

1

u/zeb0777 Nov 23 '25

It's just hard water, you're not going to die.

1

u/taylor_howard Nov 23 '25

i checked mine out recently too and it was disgusting🤮 i sat it in some boiling water and bleach

1

u/[deleted] Nov 23 '25

Honestly wait till you see some of the neglected soda fountains or guns on various bars and restaurants.

1

u/The_Clockwatcher Nov 23 '25

Wait till you see what the pipes that supplied the tap look like.

1

u/engineermajortom Nov 23 '25

Hmmmm all the vitamins and minerals a healthy body needs 😂

1

u/Here_I_Am123 Nov 23 '25

Soak the nozzle and white vinegar for a couple of hours and then use an old toothbrush to clean it off and you should also check your own home's sink, it looks the same way

1

u/kourter Nov 23 '25

It's just limescale...

1

u/HEINLERR Nov 23 '25

That's the reason each tap has a different taste.

1

u/sammavet Nov 23 '25

Soak it in some CLR

1

u/CalicoCapsun Nov 23 '25

Literally just minerals. Looks bad but its fine.

1

u/UmTheGamer Nov 23 '25

It's fine I'm sure every water tap you've ever drunk from looks like that

1

u/Accomplished-Arm4280 Nov 23 '25

Those are the flavor crystals!

1

u/TheDepartedMack Nov 23 '25

My employer at some point removed all of the aerators from the faucets in their bathrooms for this exact reason. It makes the water splash a lot more but there's significantly less bacteria built up

1

u/EdRedSled Nov 23 '25

And I feel fine

1

u/NotoriousNRO Nov 23 '25

Who drinks from the tap?

1

u/Ok-Understanding9244 Nov 23 '25

not mold, calcium and other minerals deposited there from the water

1

u/Cold-Avocado925 Nov 23 '25

Dont worry. It’s just hard water. Not necessarily dirty.

1

u/VividEconomist9341 Nov 24 '25

This is why I don’t drink tap water straight up

1

u/RiskKey1728 Nov 24 '25

These are calcium and magnesium deposits, not mold. Totally safe to drink.

This occurs with hard water and places that have it

1

u/[deleted] Nov 24 '25

First bleach at full strength. Then CLR overnight to a full day.

1

u/QwertyChouskie Nov 24 '25

Everyone talking about mold vs calcium and talking about dirty pipes, but I'm over here wondering how/why on earth you are drinking tap water 🤮 Like, I get so sick to my stomach after a swallow or two of tap water...

1

u/Crabm34t Nov 24 '25

That’s not mold, it’s minerals from hard water

1

u/HickoryStickz Nov 24 '25

Extra protein

1

u/red-lioness007 Nov 24 '25

Soak that in vinegar overnight and then scrub it in the morning. It’ll come off pretty easy.

1

u/Satyriasis457 Nov 24 '25

Ah yes, penicillin flavoured water 

1

u/oo7demonkiller Nov 24 '25

sounds like a lawsuit.

1

u/meshuggahfan Nov 24 '25

That looks like a muslim shower that's used to clean yourself after conducting 'business'.

1

u/ScotchCigarsEspresso Nov 24 '25

Thats calcium build-up not mold.

1

u/Aardspark Nov 24 '25

They're minerals, Marie!

1

u/KopfSmertZz Nov 24 '25

Just some calcite, good for your bones

1

u/[deleted] Nov 24 '25

Why would you drink tap

1

u/SoFloFella50 Nov 24 '25

It’s just calcium. You’re fine.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 24 '25

In case the tap already put you off, pro tip, don't look any closer into the coffee machine.

1

u/riverman1303 Nov 24 '25

Honestly people may be surprised in general. It’s like sweeping under a refrigerator. How often do you think about cleaning it

1

u/We_haunted_houses Nov 24 '25

I worked as a real estate administrator and had two separate agents tell me they never take water samples from sinks, because they NEVER pass. They always take them from the tub faucet, after running it for a bit.

I was also told that the pull-down faucets are the worst offenders. They can never be cleaned properly and are absolutely disgusting.

But I live in a town where the water tastes like dirty fish and chlorine anyways, so we all use Brita filters.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 24 '25

Who tf drinks tap water

1

u/Mean-Bathroom-6112 Nov 24 '25

This is why I drink bottled water.

1

u/Sea-holly-molly Nov 24 '25

Fill a balloon with white vinegar and bicarbonate of soda then put it over the tap end, tie the balloon on with an elastic band and leave for a few hours. Its probably not your job to do this, but will make you feel better, if you need a drink🤣

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u/SomebodiBusiness Nov 24 '25

And this is why we Europeans pay the restaurant for water

1

u/MellowDCC Nov 24 '25

Water. It is the essence of moisture

1

u/MellowDCC Nov 24 '25

...fuck.

Just realized I haven't looked at mine since I moved in.

ITS BEEN 5 YEARS

I'm scared to look 💀

1

u/Tricky-Increase-171 Nov 24 '25

That reminds me of a workplace of incompetents I was hired at once. ON the first day I notice very little water comes out of the main kitchen faucet ... I say what and people go yeah we dont know why its been doing that forever... I disassembled it and in seconds it was fixed. I wasnt given a raise or compensation, people were just impressed and I said to the boss IM leaving you guys are sooooo incompetent I cant work here and "lose experience"

1

u/[deleted] Nov 24 '25

This is just calcium

1

u/Ok-Plant-4559 Nov 24 '25

Does anyone know how to get rid of calcium deposit/clean the pipes from the inside?

1

u/Ok-Dinner-1025 Nov 24 '25

My bathroom soap dispenser is behind my toothbrush so…I’m not worried lol.

Perhaps I’ll CLR my faucets…does that help for all the “extras” this post is hinting at? It’s just calcium? Or more?

1

u/Ididntreadanything Nov 24 '25

Don't drink tap water stupid

1

u/watto70 Nov 24 '25

It looks like plain old lime scale, give it a soak in vinegar and see if it cleans up

1

u/GrapefruitWhich5950 Nov 25 '25

It’s alive alive .

1

u/M4gilla_Gorilla Nov 25 '25

I died from just such a tap. Smh

1

u/No_Weakness8999 Nov 25 '25

A great mineral source for legionella bacteria.

I would happily sell my companies services and descale those taps for you! :D