# Hose water to wash dishes?



## worktogthr (Mar 9, 2016)

My friend and I were discussing making an outdoor sink for my BBQ area.  Initially we were going with just a small stainless steel bar sink for hand washing only.  Using a garden hose since this water will not be used to drink or cook.  We were tossing around the idea of using a plastic slop sink which would be cheaper but also much larger.  So my question is... I know you can't drink hose water safely because of lead and what not...and I know hot water is ideal for washing dishes... But can you safely wash large pans and utensils with hose water as the source of this sink?   I see on the internet plastic filet  tables with hose fed sinks.  Maybe just for hand washing but you would think that same water might be used to clean that table top which then comes into contact with the fish or other game.  

Is this a crazy question?  Haha thanks for any insight.


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## daveomak (Mar 9, 2016)

Save yourself some work and expense...   Use disposable gloves....   Those clear plastic, one size fits all are cheap....  personally I like the nitrile..  and your guests will think you are professional....   1000 gloves $12....  and they will come in handy around the homestead...  in the garage too...   in the garden....   changing diapers....


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## chef jimmyj (Mar 9, 2016)

Wow, growing up in the 60's and 70's the Hose WAS our drinking water. Playing all day in dirt and in the woods, you would have your A$$ handed to you for tracking that dirt through Mom's clean house just to get a drink of water. IMO, I'm not an expert but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once, these reports are not unlike the recent anything Cured will Kill you reports. Sure, use a Hose as the sole supply of water to your house for drinking, cooking, cleaning and bathing and it could be dangerous. Wash a Pan in your outdoor sink once in awhile for convenience sake or Wet a rag and wipe the table. I highly doubt there will be any issue whatsoever. Heck, what volume of residual water is on the pan after rinsing? One 1/4 maybe 1/2 ounce? Less on the table? There has to be a bigger health risk from Breathing the Wood Smoke for 10 hours, using Salt and Sugar in your Rub, Eating 8 to 12 ounces of Fatty Pulled Pork and having a couple of Beers or Sugary Sodas, all the while having the Suns UV Rays ravage your skin cells. Lead Free Hoses are available at any Hardware Store...JJ


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## worktogthr (Mar 9, 2016)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> Wow, growing up in the 60's and 70's the Hose WAS our drinking water. Playing all day in dirt and in the woods, you would have your A$$ handed to you for tracking that dirt through Mom's clean house just to get a drink of water. IMO, I'm not an expert but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once, these reports are not unlike the recent anything Cured will Kill you reports. Sure, use a Hose as the sole supply of water to your house for drinking, cooking, cleaning and bathing and it could be dangerous. Wash a Pan in your outdoor sink once in awhile for convenience sake or Wet a rag and wipe the table. I highly doubt there will be any issue whatsoever. Heck, what volume of residual water is on the pan after rinsing? One 1/4 maybe 1/2 ounce? Less on the table? There has to be a bigger health risk from Breathing the Wood Smoke for 10 hours, using Salt and Sugar in your Rub, Eating 8 to 12 ounces of Fatty Pulled Pork and having a couple of Beers or Sugary Sodas, all the while having the Suns UV Rays ravage your skin cells. Lead Free Hoses are available at any Hardware Store...JJ


haha I agree with you.  I grew up drinking hose water as a kid all summer long.  And for that matter water from water fountains that tastes like dirty pennies...Not usually an alarmist about stuff like this but since this sink will be used when entertaining others I wanted to make sure there wouldn't be any serious hazards of doing this.   This is not going to be for drinking at all so I guess you are right and I should maybe go for the cheaper and larger option.  Thanks as always!


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## worktogthr (Mar 9, 2016)

DaveOmak said:


> Save yourself some work and expense...   Use disposable gloves....   Those clear plastic, one size fits all are cheap....  personally I like the nitrile..  and your guests will think you are professional....   1000 gloves $12....  and they will come in handy around the homestead...  in the garage too...   in the garden....   changing diapers....


The work will be minimal, as will the expense especially because slop sinks can be found cheap, I have tons of wood I can use to make some kind of inclosure (so the wife doesn't ask why the laudry sink is on the deck, and it will be a fun project.  I also like the convenience of rinsing, washing pans and untenils outside.  I do have plenty of those gloves around for cooking but I get frustrated with them haha


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## SmokinAl (Mar 9, 2016)

I have a laundry sink in my backyard that I wash pans, smoker grates, tools, & we pot plants in there. Been doing it for years. No problems yet. 

Al

Here's a photo.













IMG_1359.JPG



__ SmokinAl
__ Mar 9, 2016


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## frosty (Mar 9, 2016)

Here is Smokin Al's fine setup.  Just admiring it!







You could always have a hot water bib added to your outside setup from the hot water source.

I HAVE used the hose for many years without incident.  Well, perhaps just one.  When I started cooking I had brunette hair, and now it is more grey than brunette.  Never made the connection to it being the hose water until now..
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Gonna tell the home boss 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  to call the Center for Disease Control. . . . . . .

Thanks for the "heads up".  Best of luck to you.


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## brandon29 (Mar 9, 2016)

I have thought about doing this as well hose water doesn't bother me I grew up drinking it out of the hose and still do from time to time if you are going to enclose it I know they make small at source hot water heaters for camping could be worth looking at to do dishes


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## worktogthr (Mar 9, 2016)

SmokinAl said:


> I have a laundry sink in my backyard that I wash pans, smoker grates, tools, & we pot plants in there. Been doing it for years. No problems yet.
> 
> Al
> 
> ...


Thats exactly what I was thinking about Al.  Does it just drain into the ground next to the sink?


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## chopsaw (Mar 9, 2016)

Remember the drinking fountains that screwed on the hose bib ? 

Just saw one one e bay brand new ( as in still making them ) with a faucet and a fountain .


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## SmokinAl (Mar 9, 2016)

worktogthr said:


> Thats exactly what I was thinking about Al.  Does it just drain into the ground next to the sink?


Hey Chris,

Yes it does.

I bought it at HD and it came as a package including the faucet and all the plumbing for the faucet & the plumbing for the drain. I just added a piece of PVC & ran the drain water into the bushes. Not sure but I think the whole pkg. was $89 or $99.

Al


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## 1967robg (Mar 9, 2016)

If drinking water from a hose could kill you I'd be dead. I still do. I think you'll be fine


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## worktogthr (Mar 9, 2016)

SmokinAl said:


> Hey Chris,
> 
> Yes it does.
> 
> ...



Al,

Is it glacier bay by any chance?  I see someone right nearby has a brand new one on Craigslist for $50!


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## SmokinAl (Mar 9, 2016)

worktogthr said:


> Al,
> 
> Is it glacier bay by any chance? I see someone right nearby has a brand new one on Craigslist for $50!


I'm not sure if it was Glacier Bay. Go to Homedepot.com & search laundry tub. I'm sure it will come up.

Al


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## SmokinAl (Mar 9, 2016)

I just checked it didn't come up.

Maybe Lowe's.

But $50 sounds like a deal, I'd go for it!

Al


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## worktogthr (Mar 9, 2016)

SmokinAl said:


> I just checked it didn't come up.
> 
> Maybe Lowe's.
> 
> ...



Hhaha a little bad luck.  The guy who posted it on Craigslist supplied the wrong phone number and no other way to contact him.  I got this message when I tried to text him.  "Someone listed my number by mistake. I am not selling anything"


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## gary s (Mar 10, 2016)

Like most everybody I know growing up in the 50's and 60's The water hose was our main drinking water source .

If you are really concerned get a Lead & BPA free safe drinking water hose (Amazon has a 50' for about 20 bucks

But I don't think doing a few dishes will hurt you

Gary


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## foamheart (Mar 10, 2016)

DaveOmak said:


> changing diapers....


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## foamheart (Mar 10, 2016)

Frosty said:


> Gonna tell the home boss
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Be careful, they might also slip and tell her that it ain't really snake bite medicne


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## foamheart (Mar 10, 2016)

If you don't have gravel and just soil, the ground will become mushie and muddy. if you take a short piece of pipe, dig a hole and bury it to ground level, fill with crushed river rock  or gravel. I use white river rock under my gratings ( but the color fades with age), to drain the water properly. I see Al has pavers on gravel. Maybe a 6"x 24" PVC. Ask Home depot whomever you get the sink from for their broken pieces in the bone pile.


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## jcbigler (Mar 10, 2016)

In general water hose water is safe to drink and use to cook with. It is the same potable water that comes into the rest of the house, which is treated water from your local water plant. It would be very odd to have a house with two separate water feeds, one potable and one not. Things might be slightly different if you were on well water and have some kind of in house filter for your kitchen and bathroom sinks, but then you would know it if you did.


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## chef jimmyj (Mar 10, 2016)

JCBigler said:


> In general water hose water is safe to drink and use to cook with. It is the same potable water that comes into the rest of the house, which is treated water from your local water plant. It would be very odd to have a house with two separate water feeds, one potable and one not. Things might be slightly different if you were on well water and have some kind of in house filter for your kitchen and bathroom sinks, but then you would know it if you did.


JC...This was thread was started because of reports in Huffington Post and others, reporting virtually all tested Garden Hoses give of unsafe levels of Lead and BPA. Sounds to me like you would have to drink hose water exclusively to see any effect...
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






...JJ


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## rabbithutch (Mar 10, 2016)

WHAT????

Please tell me your source for the information that water from a hose is harmful.   In every place I've lived, the hose bibs at my homes were connected to the same water supply with the same type of conduit (copper or PVC, in some cases) as my kitchen sink and every other place where water was connected.  A rubberized or plastic garden hose might - and I say that from an excess of caution - MIGHT impart a smell or taste to the water it delivers and there is a possibility that dirt or insects can inhabit the hose, but it it is flushed for a couple of gallons or so, I see no reason to believe that the water is contaminated enough making it unsafe.

Of course, if you live in a area where gray water is supplied by the municipality for irrigation and IF your water bib is connected to gray water, BI ALL MEANS DO NOT USE IT FOR DRINKING OR WASHING DISHES.

It was unclear to me from the OP just how you planned to use the outdoor sink.  Are you just going to wash off the heavy gunk before taking dishes inside where they will be washed?  Or, are you planning to wash them in the outdoor sink and reuse them there?  If the latter, use one tiny drop of chlorine bleach in the wash water and rinse them thoroughly.  That should be a lot more hygienic than most people experience when camping  - especially wilderness camping.

As with any food safety issue, however, if in doubt, leave it out!!!!!!


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## foamheart (Mar 10, 2016)

rabbithutch said:


> WHAT????
> 
> Of course, if you live in a area where gray water is supplied by the municipality for irrigation and IF your water bib is connected to gray water, BI ALL MEANS DO NOT USE IT FOR DRINKING OR WASHING DISHES.


Federal guidelines established by the NSF and AWWA now allow anywhere from 5 to 15% nationally. That's re-newed potable water. Which is basically waste water which had been filtered and chemicals added. 

The reason being not cost, renewed water is much more expensive the ground water, its because of the availablity of potable water. Nearly all cities in the US already use 2% min., with large cities using more. Overseas some governments allow as much as 35%.

Its no worse than drinking out the water hose....LOL


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## chef jimmyj (Mar 10, 2016)

rabbithutch said:


> WHAT????
> 
> Please tell me your source for the information that water from a hose is harmful. In every place I've lived, the hose bibs at my homes were connected to the same water supply with the same type of conduit (copper or PVC, in some cases) as my kitchen sink and every other place where water was connected. A rubberized or plastic garden hose might - and I say that from an excess of caution - MIGHT impart a smell or taste to the water it delivers and there is a possibility that dirt or insects can inhabit the hose, but it it is flushed for a couple of gallons or so, I see no reason to believe that the water is contaminated enough making it unsafe.
> 
> ...


I don't buy it. But here read all about It...JJ

https://www.google.com/webhp?source...ie=UTF-8#q=is drinking from a water hose safe


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## jeepdiver (Mar 10, 2016)

You can always use a food safe/rv hose.  That is what I use for my beer so it doesn't have the hose taste.  Though I still drink from the hose when doing yard work


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## GaryHibbert (Mar 11, 2016)

Like everybody else, I grew up drinking from a hose--still do (untreated well water).  When we built this house, we plumbed both hot and cold outdoor taps, and use the hot water all the time to rinse or wash dishes.

Gary


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## okiedave (Jun 12, 2016)

rabbithutch said:


> That should be a lot more hygienic than most people experience when camping - especially wilderness camping.


No kidding.  I was just thinking back fondly upon many camping trips, doing the dishes with the "three-dip method."

Never got sick from it, either.


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