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Pony Talk => Off Topic => Topic started by: BlackCurtains on September 09, 2018, 07:37:52 AM

Title: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: BlackCurtains on September 09, 2018, 07:37:52 AM
Parts of Florida are having multiple water crisis at the moment. There is toxic algae in the brackish water, red tide along the coast, flooding, wandering gators due to the flooding, and tropical storms starting up in the Atlantic causing everyone to stock up on bottled water. It's kind of a mess!

We had to visit three stores to find enough gallons of water. We always drink bottled water since the tap isn't safe to drink. You can cook with it but it's better not to drink it. Sometimes it smells like fish :crazy:

Now me, personally, would be fine with a filter on the tap. But the rest of my family can't cope with something like that :hmm: At least we recycle. It seems like most people in my area drink bottled water. Sometimes there will be a special on the local news about 'is our tap water safe to drink' and it's always divided. A while back I looked up the info on who supplies our water and it comes from several different ground sources. All had citations in the past for contamination above the allowed amount. So, yeah. Don't really wanna drink it!

We could drink tap water where I grew up in Wisconsin. It was delicious! So was the water from our natural springs. It's been so long since I could fill a glass up from the faucet and take a drink - or even drink right from the hose outside in the summer! Ah, memories :lol: The only time we had to worry about the water was when muscles or other sea animals got into the reservoir, since the source was Lake Michigan.

What about where you live? Is your water safe?


edit: I realize option 3 doesn't really answer the question and I should have allowed more than one vote. Sorry!
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: tailrustedtealeaf on September 09, 2018, 07:44:56 AM
I use the tap water for tea and cooking because it gets heated up, but we use our fridge filter for drinking. There was worry a little bit ago about the air base nearby causing lead to seep into the water, but I think it's been resolved? I can't stand bottled 9 times out of 10, it tastes plasticy and chemically.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Beldarna on September 09, 2018, 07:52:16 AM
I drink it directly from the tap and it's delicious. Up in the mountains a couple of hours drive from here you can drink directly from the rivers and lakes, it's so fresh and clean :).
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: bright rabbit 1 on September 09, 2018, 07:57:08 AM
I buy bottled sparkling water, my mum has still bottled water.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Moonbreeze on September 09, 2018, 08:03:16 AM
Yes :)

Water from the tap is something I drink everyday. The dunes in this region act as a natural filter and our water is drawn from it.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Griffin on September 09, 2018, 08:06:26 AM
I drink it right from the tap. :) Where I live the water quality is better than it used to be, since they changed the source. It's nowhere near as good as the water on the other side of the country where I'm from, but still perfectly safe to drink and tastes ok. ^.^ 
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Noasar on September 09, 2018, 08:31:32 AM
All tap water here in the U.K. is drinkable. It tastes different depending on where you are but it’s all safe.

I drank the water in California but not in Florida. I found it crazy how most people in the USA drank bottled water. All that plastic!
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Einhornbaby on September 09, 2018, 08:42:08 AM
I rarely drink from the tap... The area where I live has pretty calcareous water, so it does not taste too good. Its safe but I just dont like the taste much. I use a Brita before I use it for tea, for cooking and such.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Taffeta on September 09, 2018, 09:06:19 AM
London water is safe. I just really don't like the taste of it, so I tend to buy water. I do drink it boiled sometimes, and I do use it for other things from the kettle. But I am trying to figure out a way to use less plastic and still not drink London water.

I don't really like the water back home either, but London is worse.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: ColdRuru on September 09, 2018, 09:38:55 AM
I don't buy bottles (or almost only glass one but for soda or juices). One because it's not ecological if you go for plastic (because ok you can recycle, but still it needed as much as water in the bottle to DO the bottle first) and Two because it would be paying a water lobby. And I don't want any lobby to take water, as it's for everyone.
So, right from the tap.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Tulips on September 09, 2018, 10:00:25 AM
Never lived somewhere with unsafe water, grew up drinking tap water that was probably a little contaminated by our terrible pipes though. Moved to a home with rainwater, a different taste I started to prefer, made me realise the other water tasted 'dusty'. Where I live now I find the tap water just fine, I prefer not to drink bottled water (tastes strange to me) and can't be bothered with filters either. My partner is still adjusting to drinking tap after growing up with rain lol.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: SaraMari on September 09, 2018, 10:41:27 AM
At my house we have a water cooler we drink from, which we have found uses much less plastic than bottles. The water here tastes a bit off, smells metallic/chemically a bit.

On the other side of town where my mom lives I drink from the tap. It tastes fine to me and I don't notice a smell. However when my dad visits he says it tastes weird, he lives in the city.

I just googled my towns water source and got tons of articles about 3M causing major pollution to the water supply here. They are starting to try and clean it up. Hmm I'm not surprised. Me and my fiance have been losing hair since moving here  :huh: I wonder if it will cause the ponies I've washed with this water to degrade faster
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Harmonie on September 09, 2018, 11:22:59 AM
I drink bought water. Right now, even going to a restaurant in town, the water tastes bad. There's been some kind of algae. The city assures it is safe, but it tastes very weird.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Luxrayx on September 09, 2018, 11:24:00 AM
It never occurred to me that there are places in the western world where the tap water isn't safe to drink. One time I went to England, and even though the water was safe to drink, it tasted like chlorine. That's the only time I've bought bottled water, I can't imagine having to buy bottled water on a regular basis though :huh:
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: invaderhorizongreen on September 09, 2018, 11:47:47 AM
I grew up with well water, I kinda miss that, however we need a solution tank for it. Now we just have a tap, but filter it first.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: lovesbabysquirmy on September 09, 2018, 12:03:26 PM
Yes, but I wish they would put fluoride back into the treatment... dental issues have shot up in our city since they took it out, but the city council still would rather believe the questionable studies about the dangers of fluoride.  Somehow I think those potential risks are worth all the little children with rotting out teeth who will have terrible adult teeth and jaw problems for the rest of their lives...
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: SilverStarApple on September 09, 2018, 12:36:13 PM
I always filter and boil my water first.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Pheasant on September 09, 2018, 01:21:19 PM
We're on a well nowadays, but when we lived in the city we filtered our tap water.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Taxel on September 09, 2018, 01:34:48 PM
Our tap water is safe to drink but because our water is so hard it can be kind of unpleasant. All the minerals bother my stomach if I drink too much of it but we cook with it just fine. We have water jugs that we refill at a local health food store for drinking water.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Miniature Sheep on September 09, 2018, 01:55:26 PM
I filter the water I use for tea and cooking, and I don't drink water on its own, bottled or from the tap - for whatever reason, it just makes me feel a bit ill, so I stick to tea instead. :/
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Taffeta on September 09, 2018, 02:57:52 PM
It never occurred to me that there are places in the western world where the tap water isn't safe to drink. One time I went to England, and even though the water was safe to drink, it tasted like chlorine. That's the only time I've bought bottled water, I can't imagine having to buy bottled water on a regular basis though :huh:

Yeah, it tastes bad. Some people have filters...here in London the water is very alkali and hard. I don't think it's chlorine but there are some mineral elements which are way too high in some areas. You should see the state of a London kettle after a few months :/ I am not drinking that.

I would like to use less plastic bottles albeit I have other ways of recycling them into pots for the garden and mini greenhouses to cover struggling plants. They last a long time that way and saves buying plant pots. BUT I can't do that in London and it's stil too many bottles really.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Ponyfan on September 09, 2018, 06:38:35 PM
The tap water where I live has a funny taste to it. It’s safe to drink but really hard. It tastes fine when it’s boiled for tea or used in cooking. I use reverse osmosis water for drinking and I reuse my plastic water bottles several times before they go in the recycling bin.

Ponyfan
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: brightberry on September 09, 2018, 07:43:42 PM
We have a filter.  The water doesn't taste bad to me, but it is hard water and leaves residue if left unfiltered.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: SnorkMaiden on September 09, 2018, 10:17:03 PM
Growing up in Germany, I almost never drank tap water, but here in the UK, nearly everyone does it. I only buy bottled water when I want sparkling.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Sky_Rocket_Sammie on September 09, 2018, 10:30:16 PM
There are a few places around here where the water is nasty taste wise. I made the mistake of forgetting how bad and knocked back a glass without a lemon wedge. Uggh! eating my own socks would have been better. :shocked:

Nothing wrong with it but wow the taste leaves much to be desired. Typically I only buy bottled water if I'm running an errand and forgot to bring my own.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Baby Sugarberry on September 10, 2018, 12:27:34 AM
It never occurred to me that there are places in the western world where the tap water isn't safe to drink.
Same, that boggles the mind. o_O;  We have an in-line filter for the kitchen but all the water around here tastes perfectly fine filtered or not.  I don't like the flavour of bottled water nor the waste it generates. We never buy it.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: LadyMoondancer on September 10, 2018, 12:29:49 PM
I drink water straight from the tap.  Seattle water is piped in from two pristine watersheds.  Tastes great!

I find bottled water disgusting and "flat" tasting.  Tap water would have to be pretty bad before I'd use bottled water.  (Also it's wasteful.)
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Skeen on September 10, 2018, 01:01:20 PM
No, right now it either smells like algae or whatever they're using to kill the algae.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: dashesndots on September 10, 2018, 02:21:48 PM
We drink ours, but it's double-filtered - once through the actual line and once in a pitcher, haha.  It's supposedly fine to drink, but the town water treatment facility has had minor contaminant violations since we moved here in 2011.  It was only this last quarter, after they FINALLY upgraded the facility, that it passed all the requirements. :/

My parents have a well at their house, and they filter it and it's safe to drink, but it tastes gross even after filtering so they don't.  Literally across the road, my great grandparents have a natural spring and their water is pristine.  We used to cart water over from their house to ours when I was growing up, but now I think my parents just drink mostly bottled. 
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: kamakazee82 on September 10, 2018, 05:07:31 PM
Flint Michigan .... nope!
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Bekuno on September 10, 2018, 05:10:02 PM
While my water is safe to drink, I prefer not to, as I dislike the taste. I need to invest in a filter as I drink a LOT of water and spend a lot on bottles which doesn't help the environment..

It's just safer, I think, to drink bottled. I grew up going to too many houses where I was told "if you want water don't get it from the sink or youll get cancer!"
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: banditpony on September 10, 2018, 05:44:58 PM
we just moved...
the well water tastes off. :/ It'll be a VERY long time before I have time and/or money to figure it out...

:( bottled water for me.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Loa on September 11, 2018, 01:53:03 AM
Most tap water here in NZ is drinkable, some of the older piping has issues but otherwise fine :)
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: tikibirds on September 11, 2018, 08:11:13 AM
I have to boil it first. Tap water is not safe to drink in China. I usually buy bottled drinks  since there are so many yummy flavors here. I do drink a lot of water too since Yinchuan is very dry (surrounded by deserts).
But the water at home in NY was also nasty. It smelled and tasted horrible.

Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: SourdoughStomper on September 11, 2018, 09:37:00 AM
Since they put fluoride in the water, and fluoride is no bueno for people with thyroid problems, I buy distilled water from the grocery store. Not interested in drinking chlorine, either. I know it's a very tiny portion and is considered "safe", but I'd rather just not.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Nienna on September 11, 2018, 01:16:58 PM
Oh yes, Dutch water is delicious. It's basically the same as bottled (in my area, our tap water comes from the exact same source as a famous brand of bottled water). It's always a shock when I come to places where you can't drink the water and/or it's gross. So weird to me!
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Leave a Whisper on September 11, 2018, 02:08:17 PM
Yeah we can drink it. I've been buying water for years though and recycling gives a little extra money.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Prince_Sunbeam on September 11, 2018, 06:12:05 PM
I instinctively selected- "Yes, straight from the tap" and after realized that while yes, our tap is good- we are "addicted" to drinking bottled seltzer! (glass bottles) We literally buy it by the case each week with groceries.
But ultimately our tap is 100% fine, and I do also drink that on a daily basis. We have a private well vs town supply. It feels amazing to have private control of our water, even if something were to go wrong and it were to test contaminated, at least correcting it is something we could tackle with priority. vs when municipalities seem to drag things out.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Strawberry Swirl on September 12, 2018, 01:10:13 AM
I personally consider sink water to be gross, but that's just a me thing. Up here (South MN) it's probably safe to drink.

We have one of those office water dispensers at my place so that's what I use, both for cooking and drinking.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Barnacle_lady on September 12, 2018, 10:45:22 AM
Like my fellow dutchies say: Yes our tapwater is very drinkable, so no need to buy.
I am curious though what water pets are given if the water is too gross or whatever chemicals is in it.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: flutterscotch on September 12, 2018, 10:46:55 AM
Absolutely not.  The lead levels in Pittsburgh are insane. Even after we had our water line replaced, I still don't drink it.
https://triblive.com/local/allegheny/13210928-74/pwsa-continues-to-exceed-federal-lead-threshold

My cats have their own 2 gallon filtered container. One of them still tries to drink from standard tap sources though.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: mlp4me on September 17, 2018, 05:41:13 AM
I drink from the tap at home, but it doesn't taste very good...
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: emily_katie on September 17, 2018, 05:55:27 AM
I never knew tap water was not safe in some places in the USA! I originally come from Lancashire and the tap water at home is lovely, crisp and fresh. But now i live in a city the water just tastes gross, its safe to drink but i hate it  :P
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Noasar on September 17, 2018, 11:39:46 AM
I honestly can’t believe so many people don’t have tap water that’s drinkable! Seriously, I think we take it for granted here in the UK! You’d think in a country like the USA they would have modern enough piping and water treatment systems to make sure everyone had drinkable water. What if you can’t afford to buy bottled water every week?
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: banditpony on September 17, 2018, 03:39:55 PM
I honestly can’t believe so many people don’t have tap water that’s drinkable! Seriously, I think we take it for granted here in the UK! You’d think in a country like the USA they would have modern enough piping and water treatment systems to make sure everyone had drinkable water. What if you can’t afford to buy bottled water every week?

I just don't think it's that easy. There's lots of different areas that experience their own unique situations.

I am on a well system, and I have to throw a lot of money to figure out how to get my water tasting better. (I'm fairly sure it's drinkable, but the smell makes me gag.) Like I'm thinking $2,000-4,000 . . .


It's like $1 a gallon (3.79 L)... and I don't think my family drinks more than 5 gallons a week. So I'm cool with < $5 a week for water for now.


The cost of redoing the infrastructure is enormous. I know it's not water, but a city near me is redoing it's sewer -- 1.4 billion dollars, and everyone's monthly bills sky rocketed 68%.

So if cities just redid their water systems, they'd have to pay A LOT of money.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Noasar on September 17, 2018, 11:24:28 PM
Obviously it will cost a lot of money, I just feel bad for you guys! It’s such a basic thing. I went to some pretty remote areas of CA this year and last year and the water was drinkable and delicious everywhere. It must vary so much from state to state.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: banditpony on September 18, 2018, 02:22:10 AM
Well your comment was how do we afford to buy bottled water... it's really much cheaper than upgrading infrastructure. That sewer project I mention really hurt a lot people financially.

city to city water varies (My old city had great water, the water in the city next to them. yuck)... or just house to house if they are on well. Neighbor across the street and two doors down has lovely water.

But yeah... CA, many areas pump in water from up north.. they have to have decent infrastructure because they need it to support the produce (and of course there are SO many people).

Also, I think most people have an issue with taste rather than it being undrinkable due to algae or lead or etc.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Noasar on September 18, 2018, 08:34:49 AM
That’s true, I do prefer the taste of filtered water from the fridge over tap water but just the thought of always having to buy bottled water...think of all that plastic! But yeah I bought bottled water in Florida recently so we had water to drink in the house and it was very cheap. Buying bottled water regularly just isnt something we do in the UK, unless it’s sparkling or flavoured I guess. It’s interesting to learn how other countries operate :)
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: banditpony on September 18, 2018, 08:47:01 AM
I feel like if you see someone use a 17FL oz bottle (500ml), they are doing it out of convenience. Anyone can put water in a reusable bottle.

But you (general you) can get water in larger quantities. You can also fill up water at stores and not throwaway ANY container. . . As long as someone is close enough to be in a town.

I feel like being wasteful is a different animal :)
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: mlp4me on September 18, 2018, 09:14:31 AM
I honestly can’t believe so many people don’t have tap water that’s drinkable! Seriously, I think we take it for granted here in the UK! You’d think in a country like the USA they would have modern enough piping and water treatment systems to make sure everyone had drinkable water. What if you can’t afford to buy bottled water every week?
I have an aunt in Northern CA that is constantly talking about having to purchase bottled water.

You'd think that those of us that live near the largest fresh water reserves would have the best tasting water, alas, it's a lie. Michigan, such a shame! I live near Lake Winnebago in WI, which we call Lake Winneseptic as it's not clean at all. We deal with a lot of manure spills here in NE WI that leaves ground water contaminated. I don't deal with this in my town, thank goodness, but the water is so hard that I have to replace faucets every 5-8 years due to calcification and can't even use a water softener.

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Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: BlackCurtains on September 18, 2018, 01:05:38 PM
Wow, didn't think this topic would be so popular :lol:

Bottled water in the US is held to some standards but you still have to be careful about where it originally came from. A lot of the big name brands are municipal source water from large cities (like New York) and put through additional filtering in order to call itself "purified water" on the label. It's not a lie, per say, but it's still tap water from somewhere.

Spring water (which is what I prefer) needs to come from an actual natural spring and harvested in a certain way in order to label itself as Spring water. My go-to is ZephyrHills Spring Water. It's a Florida brand and the water sources are close by, so it's always fresh and delicious! You can even get it delivered, which is something I would look into if I lived alone.

Our pets drink what we do and we use pet fountains :)

As of right now bottled water (and everything else) has disappeared from store shelves. Hurricane panic :lookround: so we're drinking whatever we can find.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Pokeyonekenobie on September 18, 2018, 01:31:25 PM
We have a well at home and the water is delicious.  However, when I'm at work in town, I don't like the taste of the tap water (spoiled by my well I guess) so I do have bottled water at work.  I tried using the drinking fountain to refill a bottle once (feeling guilty about using plastic bottles and all that) and after it sat for a few hours I could see a bunch of stuff that settled in the bottom of the bottle and it grossed me out.  :X  So I don't do "town" water anymore.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: TravelingTwinkler on September 25, 2018, 06:36:13 PM
Aie my heart is breaking for Florida! I grew up there and only drank tap water, but when a hurricane hit (e.g., Hurricane Charley) or a really bad algae bloom situation, boiling water/bottled water was essential to not get sick. That's for people but also for pets! Fish tanks, dogs, cats—you name it.

My family still lives there right now and they like the taste of filtered bottled water, which makes me feel guilty when I visit my mom, but to each their own. At least recycling is a big, big thing these days!

Flint, Michigan and other places are another can of worms entirely. Drinkable tap water is a basic need and unfortunately not everyone in the US or world is so lucky.

—mari
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: dragonfly on September 26, 2018, 06:48:20 PM
Oh, my goodness.

Yes, the tap water in my area is theoretically safe to drink ... certainly no toxic algae issues! I began avoiding fluoride about a year ago once my bf told me of its dangers ... now I  only drink fluoride-free water whenever possible ... which means no tap water for me.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: TravelingTwinkler on September 26, 2018, 07:55:11 PM
Oh, my goodness.

Yes, the tap water in my area is theoretically safe to drink ... certainly no toxic algae issues! I began avoiding fluoride about a year ago once my bf told me of its dangers ... now I  only drink fluoride-free water whenever possible ... which means no tap water for me.

Ooh I've been wanting to get a good fluoride-removing filter! Cutting down whenever possible is definitely good. Salt Lake County apparently started adding fluoride to their water in 2003 after a local vote.  -_- Any fluoride-removing filter recommendations?

—mari
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Sukey on September 26, 2018, 10:11:13 PM
We buy bottled water and my husband brings tap water home from work. We live on the country and have a spring. I plan to filter the water and boil it so we don't have to carry it all the time. The only thing that concerns me is that I know they spray chemicals on plants along the road from a plane and I don't want that in my drinking water. We already have too many chemicals around us. Also I know the water at my house tastes very irony.

Post Merge: September 26, 2018, 10:21:33 PM

Yeah we can drink it. I've been buying water for years though and recycling gives a little extra money.

I'm curious about this. Do you get paid to recycle?
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: Sea_Breeze on September 27, 2018, 02:38:51 AM
Our water is fine out of the tap but hubby and I buy spring water instead.. Have 2 x 20 L containers that we fill up at a natural spring in town :)

We also drink unpasterised milk from a local farm, catch fish off the coast and hunt for shellfish in the rockpools nearby..... If your into hunting you can do that too...

We're pretty lucky where we live to be able to do all that
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: BlackCurtains on September 27, 2018, 02:26:54 PM
Oh, my goodness.

Yes, the tap water in my area is theoretically safe to drink ... certainly no toxic algae issues!

More and more people are being hospitalized and there's been so much dead wildlife washing up all over :( It keeps raining too so areas are flooded which just moves the toxins around.
Title: Re: Do you drink the water where you live?
Post by: goddessofpeep on October 03, 2018, 12:58:54 AM
When I lived in Detroit, I used to drink straight tap water, no problem.  Maybe I wouldn't now with all that's been going on in Flint and whatnot, but it never bothered me as a kid. Heck, I used to drink straight from the hose, and loved it! When I first moved to CA, I also had no problem with the water.  Then I moved to this particular area in Southern California, and the water is *horrible*.  It smells.  Terrible.  If a faucet hasn't been used in a few days, it leaves this horrible stench on your hands that doesn't go away for hours.  You should see what it does to the walls in the shower after just *1* use, and the build up on the faucet is just insane.  I don't know what they're putting in the water over here, but it's *nasty*.  So now I buy drinking water.  We just got a fridge that has a filtered water hookup, and I'll sometimes drink from that if I'm out of the bottled stuff.  But no more straight out of the tap. 
*shudder*
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