We’ve been unknowingly drinking toilet water for six months because of a pipe mix-up in our home – I started losing my hair and broke out in acne

A couple were horrified to discover that a tangle of pipes in their home had caused them to allegedly drink eau de toilette for six months.

Mr Tan and his girlfriend were left baffled when they developed health problems immediately after moving into their rental property in Beijing, China, in May 2023.

Tan allegedly began losing his hair and developing acne, while his unnamed girlfriend reportedly developed a cough and began to experience chest discomfort.

About six months after moving in, Mr Tan said he realized he had not paid any of his water bills, but for some reason the supply had not been turned off.

But their rental firm, which has not been named, said the well they used to supply the couple’s water passed a quality test earlier this year.

A man inspects the toilet in a couple’s rented bathroom in Beijing, China, and is horrified to discover an additional pipe supposedly connecting the toilet to the water pipes.

According to him, while checking the water meters, he was puzzled that the water meter reading did not increase as water passed through.

However, according to Mr Tan, the wastewater meter readings clearly increased when the taps were open.

The couple called plumbers, who were stunned to find an extra pipe in their Beijing, China apartment, supposedly connecting the toilet and water pipes.

Their stomachs turned when they connected the dots and realized they had allegedly been cooking, showering and even drinking eau de toilette for six months.

Plumbers fixed the pipes and Mr Tan immediately began claiming damages from the rental firm, to whom they were paying 10,000 Chinese yuan a month, about £1,100.

The unnamed company said tenants had the option of using either potable water or water from a nearby well by adjusting the valves.

But the couple claim they were never told about this before moving in. The firm says the well water passed a quality test in March.

A detailed examination of the water valve believed to be to blame for a couple’s health problems after it diverted toilet water into their regular taps.

However, it is only intended for functions such as flushing the toilet and watering plants. Mr Tan says negotiations over compensation with the firm are ongoing.

It comes two years after a Japanese hospital was found to have accidentally used toilet water for drinking for nearly 30 years after pipes were improperly connected.

A shocking mistake was discovered at Osaka University Hospital in Suita, Japan in October 2021 when it was discovered that water pipes were connected to the toilet.

On October 20, the hospital reported that some water pipes in the medical ward were not connected correctly, local media reported. Yomiuri Shimbun reported this.