Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I read that it's not good to cook with boiled tap water. So I decided not to use tap water to make instant mashed potatoes. However, I've come across a dilemma regarding cooking spaghetti. I don't know if I could use bottled water to make a pot of spaghetti because too much water is required.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,551 posts, read 81,085,957 times
Reputation: 57728
I have only lived in one place (out of 5) in my lifetime (67) where the water was not good for drinking and cooking. Even then it was considered safe, just tasted nasty with too much chlorine in it. Even if your water is from a well, and it has been tested as OK, you can use it for cooking. I just would suggest bottled for drinking.
I read that it's not good to cook with boiled tap water. So I decided not to use tap water to make instant mashed potatoes. However, I've come across a dilemma regarding cooking spaghetti. I don't know if I could use bottled water to make a pot of spaghetti because too much water is required.
Which exactly did you read about boiled tap water? Folks (including restaurants) have been using tap water since we've had indoor plumbing.
Which exactly did you read about boiled tap water? Folks (including restaurants) have been using tap water since we've had indoor plumbing.
I have never used anything but tap or well water. Sometimes, if I have cooked veg in water, I will use that for instant mash, ( to get extra vitamins). Unless you live somewhere with a water advisory, tap water is fine.
I read that it's not good to cook with boiled tap water. So I decided not to use tap water to make instant mashed potatoes. However, I've come across a dilemma regarding cooking spaghetti. I don't know if I could use bottled water to make a pot of spaghetti because too much water is required.
Wait...what do you mean?
Do you mean using water than has been boiled at some previous time in order to cook something?
or
not boiling the water as you cook whatever it is?
What reason did they give for not using boiled tap water? Safety? Boiled water is generally considered "safe" in terms of microorganisms. Heavy metals, industrial pollutants not so much. Depends on what it is. Taste? Boiled water can taste flat. BUT, if you add anything to that water the taste will change anyway. As others have said, some tap water tastes worse due to mineral or organic content. Sulfur, calcium, iron, rust, tannin, copper, etc. That can affect the taste of what you cook, even the temperature at which the water will boil. Boiling it could modify the taste of those natural ingredients or it could cause impurities to settle to the bottom of the pot. You could just pour almost all of the water off the top of the pot to avoid the residue.
I would NEVER waste that much bottled water using it to boil pasta! I usually install RO filters as my homes are usually on wells with really really hard iron-rich water. I don't even use filtered water to boil it! Straight from the tap, into the pot, and on to the stove.
Last edited by Parnassia; 06-15-2020 at 03:25 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Wait...what do you mean? 
