Q: Is it safe to drink or cook with hot water directly from the tap? Can hot water leach minerals such as lead in from the pipes?

A: It may sound like a faster way to prepare pasta or a cup of tea, but using hot tap water to cook or drink isn't advised, said William Sonzogni, a UW- Madison environmental chemist.

"Often the water going into the hot water heater is softened, and is not recommended for drinking," said Sonzogni, who directs the Environmental Health Laboratory of the state Laboratory of Hygiene. "In addition to tasting flat, the hot, softened water may also dissolve more chemicals from the tank."

The most common residential hot water heaters have steel tanks. To keep them from deteriorating too quickly, a metal rod hangs inside the tank to attract corrosion. The rod is usually made of magnesium or aluminum, and as the rod breaks down, these metals show up in hot tap water.

Sonzogni said occasionally drinking this water doesn't pose a great health risk, but you're better off heating up cold tap water using the stove or microwave.

"If you have a choice, it's better to drink water that comes directly from the ground and doesn't go through your hot water heater," he said.

- Produced in cooperation with University Communications

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