Phoenix metro water (Maricopa: apartments, houses, heat pump)

[AZ bound]

Is it possible to get cold water in Phoenix in the summer?
I recently visited, and couldn't get a shower cold enough to want it warmer, however it felt nice.
I was under the impression that water supply pipes were at least 18 inches under the ground, which is a constant 65 degrees year around?
Does the water flowing through the attic space heat up that fast, or is it warmer underground than I thought?

[Vinny536]

I have not had cold water in the summer since moving to Arizona 5 years ago. 2 apartments, 2 houses, none of them had anything but hot water in the summer. I shut the water heater down in the summer.

[observer53]

It may depend on the conditions exactly where you are. My cold water from the tap, even these days, is still relatively cold.

[Zippyman]

When my wife and I moved into our freshly remodeled house in Phoenix, after a few days, I mentioned to my wife that the shower water was hot, but not really "steamy-hot" like I expected - she though the showers were hot enough... I had installed a new "heat pump" water heater before we moved in - I went into the garage & realized that I had never plugged in the water heater.

Sooo... "cold" water isn't really very cold here...

FWIW, if you have a water softener it'll be even worse, because you're "pre-heating" about 20+ gallons of water all the time in that softener tank - in a garage that's probably 100+ degrees...

[pbenjamin]

People tend to exaggerate a bit -- one of chronic exaggerators on this topic posted above -- my experience from three different homes is that the water clearly does not get as cold as one might remember from back east, but it does cool off if you let it run a little. The (relatively) warmer water that you get from the cold tap is not nearly warm enough to shower, shave or wash dishes, at least not for me.

[pandaundercover]

Dang, and I thought it was just my house. I have noticed it seems our faucet has "hot" and "warm." Definitely rarely any cold water in the summer at all.

[Vinny536]

Originally Posted by pbenjamin

People tend to exaggerate a bit -- one of chronic exaggerators on this topic posted above -- my experience from three different homes is that the water clearly does not get as cold as one might remember from back east, but it does cool off if you let it run a little. The (relatively) warmer water that you get from the cold tap is not nearly warm enough to shower, shave or wash dishes, at least not for me.

my "cold" water in my current place measures between 95° and 105°.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by 61scout80

my "cold" water in my current place measures between 95° and 105°.

I'd suggest that is not typical of "cold" water in the metro Phoenix area (I note you are in Maricopa).

[Vinny536]

Originally Posted by observer53

I'd suggest that is not typical of "cold" water in the metro Phoenix area (I note you are in Maricopa).

and we ALL know you have a thing against Maricopa

It was also routinely 90°+ when I lived in Chander.

[jimj]

We've found the only cold water you'll find during the summer is the water that's in the pipes that run through the slab of the house. Once that's pushed through the only cold water is in the fridge...