tap water

American  

noun

1. water, obtained directly from a faucet or tap, that has not been purified, distilled, or otherwise treated.

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tap water British  

noun

1. water drawn off through taps from pipes in a house, as distinguished from distilled water, mineral water, etc

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Etymology

Origin of tap water

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tap water

These brands have benefited from higher scrutiny of tap water.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

Those in the affected blocks should bring all tap water to a boil for one minute and let it cool before use.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026

Like most inhabitants of the village of Szada, 25 kilometres northwest of Budapest, their home has been without tap water for almost two days.

From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026

Some areas get less than an hour of tap water a day.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026

“I’m pretty sure that the tap water was bad. Worse than bad. I think your uncle has dysentery. Maybe all of Dove Canyon has.”

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman