[Sophia M.]

General Discussion Thread 08.12.2025​

Hey, GrayViners!

My uncle swears that when he was a kid, drinking from the backyard hose was just part of life—“Turn on the water, wait for the brown stuff to clear, then drink!” Sounds wild now, but back then? Totally normal.

So… when you were young, did you drink water straight from the hose? Was it just a quick cool-down after playing outside, or part of every summer afternoon?

Image source: Reddit

Share your stories—I’m ready for the best ones! Bonus points for the details (the games you were playing, the friends who were there, or the taste you still remember).

May your memories be as refreshing as that first cold gulp,
Sophia

 

[mmarple]

I drank out of the hose in the 60's. You would let it run first to get out the heated water in the hose. It was so refreshing after playing outside in the sun in the summer time.

 

[Jefemona50*]

We drank out of the hose all the time when we were playing outside and it was hot.

 

[RoyzToyz]

Ubetcha! Drinking water from our garden hose was very common since I lived ouside of the city limits in the 50s and 60s. Most of my neigherhood friends also enoyed the very cold water that came from the wells that supplied our homes with water. Having a water spigot attached to the outside of your home came in quite handy not only for watering the lawn, the garden and the flower beds but also for water balloon fights !

 

[GaryBlake]

Absolutely!! Let it run to get the hot water out and the cold water up from the well. Tasted like rubber. Quit drinking out of my neighborhood buddies hose when his grandfather used the hose to clear out their septic tank!

 

[bobbibonn]

Oh yea, best water ever, direct from the hose. I lived in a rural area, and our water was well water, and tasted so good, even out of the garden hose.

 

[Wheream1?]

Absolutely! The corner drug store sold penny candy. My friends and I would buy fireball candies. We'd take them home and as we ate them, there would be a race, pushing and laughing to the water hose to soothe the fire from the fireballs.

 

[dkleslie52]

I grew up on a farm. In the summertime that was my go to drink, we had well water and it was so good!! It didn't smell or taste like chlorine!!!

 

[families2008]

We didn't have a pool in our yard or air conditioning so...
We sprayed each other with a hose and yes drank out of it.

 

[Cindy k]

I grew up with a big backyard. My backyard was perfect for playing baseball, as we backed up to woods. My father had planted three trees in our yard. They lined up roughly like first second and third bases. We spent many summer days playing baseball in that yard, at least until we could play in the local school yard. I so loved those summer days.

 

[Hazeleyes]

Always drank out of the garden hose. While watering the plants and garden, while playing outside, or while sunning myself .

 

[Peterbee]

Yes I did every summer playing outside,getting sweaty, and turning onthe hose to take a drink or spray one of my friends down.

 

[Gayle B.]

Oh yeah we did! During the summer we were locked out of the house until the street lights came on. We fended for ourselves. The closest we were allowed to the house was the backyard hose. We let the water run for a beat until the warm water cleared out to get to the sweet cold water. Ah, refreshing! Lol

 

[ConnSC1945]

Didn't have a hose. We had a hand pump on the well. Also a community cup that hung by it. Water was also very cold.

 

[lindaswilliams55]

Thats just funny this would be the topic today. I do have a cute story. My dearest friend, when I was 12, and I decided to walk to the local pool. Mind you, it was a few miles of walking. Going was fine, all down hill, coming back, ugh! Lol It was summer and it was hot. Climbing that immense incline was definitely a thirst maker. We finally got into a neighborhood and someone had their hose laying on the grass. We just were so hot and so thirsty we didn't think twice about turning it on and indulging ourselves. As we were getting our fill we here a voice, " can I help you? We were 12 remember, and we looked at each other like "oh no! we're in trouble now. But, It all worked out in the end. She took pity on us and had us come inside to cool down, gave us lemonade and cookies and sent us on our way with happy smiles and grateful hearts. That renewed my faith in some humans that day, as I was truly doubting them.
I'm 70 now and I pray hope to always remember that day and the kind woman.

 

[angib55]

We lived in the country and had an outside water spicket. Our water came from a well and the water was always cold no mater how hot it was. Great way to cool off

 

[Sophia M.]

I drank out of the hose in the 60's. You would let it run first to get out the heated water in the hose. It was so refreshing after playing outside in the sun in the summer time.

Letting the hose run first was the secret trick, @mmarple. That first cold sip after hours in the sun really was magic.

 

[Sophia M.]

We drank out of the hose all the time when we were playing outside and it was hot.

The hose was basically the neighborhood water fountain, @Jefemona50, quick drink, quick smile, and right back to the game.

 

[Sophia M.]

Ubetcha! Drinking water from our garden hose was very common since I lived ouside of the city limits in the 50s and 60s. Most of my neigherhood friends also enoyed the very cold water that came from the wells that supplied our homes with water. Having a water spigot attached to the outside of your home came in quite handy not only for watering the lawn, the garden and the flower beds but also for water balloon fights !

Cold well water and water balloon battles? You really had the deluxe summer setup, @RoyzToyz.

 

[Sophia M.]

Absolutely!! Let it run to get the hot water out and the cold water up from the well. Tasted like rubber. Quit drinking out of my neighborhood buddies hose when his grandfather used the hose to clear out their septic tank!

That rubbery taste was the flavor of childhood, @GaryBlake… but after the septic tank story, I’d be out too.