Why am I getting an electric shock from my tap?

Current is reaching the tap or the water. An appliance, damaged cable, bonding fault, shared pipe or a fault on the supply earth are possible. The feeling does not identify which.

Is a brief tingle from a tap less urgent?

No. A mains contact can be brief. Stop touching the plumbing and have it assessed. Do not touch the tap again to compare.

Is a shock from a tap the same as a shock from a radiator?

They can be the same kind of problem, because both are metal joined to the pipes. The source can be anywhere on that pipework or on the supply. See the radiator page and keep off both.

Can an immersion heater cause this?

It can. Turning that circuit off is a useful thing to tell the electrician. It does not prove the immersion was the cause, and it does not make the taps safe to use.

Could this be coming from another flat?

Yes. Shared metal pipes can carry voltage from a neighbouring installation. The IET describes that current still being measurable after your own installation is switched off.

Why didn't a breaker trip?

An RCD is meant to limit some shocks. It is not a guarantee you will feel nothing, and it does not see every fault. The IET states that an RCD would not operate for a broken combined earth and neutral. A breaker that stayed on is a fact to report, not a reason to keep using the tap.

Can I use the cold tap once the power is off?

No. Leave every tap alone, hot and cold, until the pipes have been tested. Switching off the consumer unit does not clear a supply fault on the plumbing.

Electric Shock From Tap Or Water

Stop using every tap and metal pipe. In England, Scotland and Wales call 105, and call an emergency electrician. Call 999 if someone is unconscious or not breathing normally.

Emergency

Blake FolgadoCo-founder, Tradehand

Published 1 February 2026Updated 28 September 2026

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What's happening?

A tap shock means you felt current at the fitting. It does not by itself prove an immersion heater, a shower or a bonding conductor has failed. Those are possible sources, along with a washing machine or dishwasher, a cable touching a pipe, or voltage arriving on shared pipes from another home. The supply can also put a dangerous voltage on metalwork joined to the main earth, including water taps, if its combined earth and neutral conductor breaks. A small voltage on that supply earth can be felt too, especially with wet hands. Only tests separate those.

What usually causes it?

An immersion heater, electric shower, washing machine or dishwasher leaking current onto pipework
A cable damaged where it touches a pipe
Bonding that is loose, broken or missing
Voltage on shared pipes from another home
A broken combined earth and neutral on the electricity supply, or a small voltage on that supply earth

Is it dangerous?

Yes. Wet skin and bare feet make a shock worse, which is why a bathroom is a high-risk place to feel it. Call 999 if someone is unconscious or not breathing normally, and do not touch them while they are still holding the tap. If they seem well, still get a medical assessment: Electrical Safety First says injury, including a disturbed heart rhythm, may not show at once.

Can I fix it myself?

Do not touch the tap again. Do not use any tap, including the cold tap and an outside tap, or the bath, shower or metal pipes. In England, Scotland and Wales call 105 and say a tap gave a shock. That free call goes to the electricity network, not the company on your bill. Ask an electrician to test the installation. A quote does not replace either call. Switch the main switch off only if you can reach and operate it without touching suspect metal or standing in water. If you are not sure, keep away. Switching it off does not make the plumbing safe: the IET records that current on the supply earth can remain after the installation is isolated, including from another property on shared pipes. Get drinking water from somewhere that does not use these taps. Tell them which tap, whether water was running, whether the shock was brief, whether a breaker moved, whether a neighbour has the same problem, and whether anyone is hurt.

When should you call an electrician?

Call 105 and an electrician before anyone uses the taps or shower again. Call 999 first if someone is unconscious, not breathing normally, or badly burned.

What will the electrician actually do?

Find out whether the network operator has checked the supply
Test the pipes for voltage, including with the installation isolated
Test bonding and the appliances that connect to the water
Prove dead before working, test the protective device, repair only what the tests identify, and retest