It’s news that no coffee-drinker would like to hear.
Especially not after spending a pretty penny for their cup of coffee.
A Hong Kong newspaper says that a Starbucks coffee shop in the city’s Bank of China skyscraper was caught using water drawn from a bathroom tap to brew coffee.
The practice has apparently been on-going since the location opened in 2011, the AFP notes.
The faucet used to obtain the water for the coffee is located just feet away from a urinal in the small restroom that is designated for general building use. A sign hangs above the faucet, reading: “Starbucks Only.”
Starbucks noted that the coffee shop does not have a direct water connection, so it has to obtain water from the closest available source, which happens to be the restroom. The company noted that water from the faucet passed through the skyscraper’s filtration system and was safe for drinking.
However, Starbucks says the coffee shop is now brewing coffee with distilled water.
Predictably, Starbucks customers were not happy about the revelation. Some posted sharp criticisms on the Facebook page of the company’s Hong Kong unit, calling the use of restroom tap water disappointing and worrisome.