No it is not possible to catch COVID-19 from drinking tap water, when using public water dispensers then care should be taken not to come into contact with the spout etc. We never use public fountains or the water dispensers that are common in reception areas around Australia and feel that it would make sense to avoid them even more during the current outbreak.
We are writing this article as there are now many water filtration companies promoting systems that remove viruses, which we find at best misleading and at worst creating fear where it is not needed. In fact Google have stopped companies from advertising anything to do with COVID-19 – “We are currently blocking ads related to coronavirus under our sensitive events policy, with exception of government PSAs on important health information,” a Google spokesperson told Protocol in a statement. “This policy applies to all advertisers equally, including all political advertisers.”
We believe that Google should also remove content that misleads the public as it relates to health issues surrounding COVID-19.
There is a great article at this link, you should always tray and refer to government information if possible
https://www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/find-the-facts/faqs-and-myth-busters
Here is their view on tap water and COVID-19
There is no evidence that people can catch COVID-19 from Queensland drinking water. Current information about transmission of COVID-19 is that it occurs from person to person contact, via droplets and contact with contaminated surfaces. Read more about prevention of COVID-19.
Drinking water (tap water) supplied by registered drinking water service providers in Queensland is safe to drink. More information on drinking water and public health in Queensland.
The water in Australia is treated with chlorine.
Chlorine effectively kills a large variety of microbial waterborne pathogens, including those that can cause typhoid fever, dysentery, cholera and Legionnaires’ disease. Chlorine is widely credited with virtually eliminating outbreaks of waterborne disease in the United States and other developed countries. And Life magazine recently cited the filtration of drinking water and use of chlorine as “probably the most significant public health advance of the millennium.”
In recent years, the parasitic protozoans Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia have emerged as formidable waterborne pathogens. These protozoa are remarkably resistant to chlorine disinfection and consequently, present a great challenge to the water industry and health officials, who are responsible for providing safe drinking water to the public. Currently, filtration is the most effective process for removing these protozoa from drinking water. To fully protect the public, however, effective disinfection methods must be developed.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-chlorine-added-t/
E.coli has been found in Australian tap water on a few occasions also:
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/bacteria-warning-ecoli-found-in-water-supply/news-story/0d5d0c7997ec905d186270d03ae876a9?sv=222ecd7709e784c5d2449f358e78bf4
https://www.qt.com.au/news/residents-told-to-boil-water-after-ecoli-detected/3553165/
The same as above The official story from the CDC is
The virus that causes COVID-19 has not been detected in drinking water. Conventional water treatment methods that use filtration and disinfection, such as those in most municipal drinking water systems, should remove or inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19.
Very few water filters can remove viruses the best system for doing this at home is without doubt reverse osmosis which we have sold for over 10 years to help protect the health and well being of our customers. Instead of unnecessarily worrying Australians during this time, companies should be providing factual advise on why a water filter is important to health – not fear-mongering to make a quick buck.