GREENSBORO, N.C. — Maybe over the weekend, you had dinner at your favorite restaurant. The meal was awesome, but when you used the bathroom on your way out, you noticed there was no hot water.
A WFMY News 2 employee experienced this, and it made her lose her appetite.
VERIFY QUESTION
Dona Pickett inquired: "Hey, Meghann. I was at a restaurant not too long ago, and I was washing my hands, and it was just cold water. I just wanted to know if restaurants are required to have warm or hot water. I know they require employees to wash up, so I wanted to know if they're supposed to provide hot water."
VERIFY SOURCES
Shelby McLean - Guilford County Health Department environmental health supervisor
VERIFY PROCESS
In the food code manual, section 5-202, "Hand Washing and Sink Installation" states, "A hand washing sink shall be equipped to provide water at a temperature of at least 38 degrees Celsius or 100 degrees Fahrenheit through a mixing valve or combination faucet."
Section 2-301 specifies food employees must thoroughly wash their hands in a sink that is not used for food preparation or waste. It does not specify water temperature required for hand washing (as long as the sink is capable of 100 degrees Fahrenheit). Section 4-703 requires utensils in a dishwasher be cleaned at 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
McLean said just because the bathroom sink does not have hot water does not mean the kitchen does not have hot water. Sometimes, tempering valves fail.
That said, if a customer is concerned, he or she can file a complaint with the local health department. McLean said at that point, a health inspector will go out to the facility to evaluate the fixtures that use hot water.
VERIFY CONCLUSION
It is true -- restaurants need hot water in the kitchen, but not necessarily the bathroom, in order to operate. There are options if the hot water in the kitchen fails. Staff can use disposable items or other ways of heating.
The restaurant must close only if there is no water.
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