Is It Safe to Drink Out of a Garden Hose?

Stacey Koziel is a news writer at LifeSavvy. She's worked as a freelance writer for over ten years, focusing on family and lifestyle content. She also has a background in marketing and social media, and is always eager to talk (and write!) about the latest TikTok trends. Read more...

Do you remember those dog days of summer as a kid, when you would go outside in the morning and wouldn’t come in until dinner time? Okay, maybe that’s just true for us Millennials, but there’s something nostalgic about it, and nothing was better on those hot days than taking a cool drink from the garden hose.

You probably didn’t question whether it was safe to drink out of a garden hose as a kid, but as an adult, it might gross you out.

So, is it gross? Can you get sick? Unfortunately, yes. Garden hoses aren’t typically safe to drink from.

Unfortunately, the water coming from your hose isn’t meant for consumption. It can actually contain chemicals like lead, phthalate, bromine, and antimony, which can end up making you very sick and could even be life-threatening. They’re meant to stabilize the plastics within the hose and serve as flame-retardants, but they aren’t safe to drink.

Some hoses are safe to drink from!

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In addition to those harmful chemicals, think about the bacteria, mold, bugs, and other creatures that could be lingering inside your hose.

If you really want to drink from the hose or you’re outside with no other water source, you can make things a bit safer by letting the water run for a few minutes before taking a sip. Doing so will help to reduce the number of toxins, since they’ll flush out within the first few minutes.

You can also switch to a rubber hose if you plan on drinking from it. Look for hoses that are marked “eco-friendly” or even one that says it’s safe for drinking water. While the plastics and chemicals in traditional garden hoses have their purpose, they can put a damper on your desire to take a drink!