Tap water is used by many but not all, for cooking (coffee, soup, rice, etc. - boiling renders it safe to drink), washing dishes (the plates are safe once they dry), laundry, bathing, brushing teeth, and house cleaning. It is used for just about everything except for drinking and making ice. Smart people periodically add a small amount of bleach to their cisterns (the holding tank used by houses to store public water and feed the pressure tanks) and gravity tanks (the large globes you see on top of houses and buildings to provide water pressure). Some people run their tap water through filters or purifiers.
Jim Hinsch JimHinsch@CSI.COM