Scalding-hot tap water leaves Bahrain residents ‘burning’

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Reported by Zahra Ayaz

As temperatures soar in the Middle East, residents in Bahrain are facing a new type of heat too: scalding hot water from taps! Talking to The Daily Tribune, residents said they have to take special care not to get burn injuries from the hot water during the day, especially with kids, and often have to wait until the evening to get the kitchen chores done.

Jaseela Mujeeb, a resident of Bahrain and a mother of three, said, "If I don’t shower in the morning, I have to wait until the evening. Even when I have to clean the dishes, I have to wait until after 7 pm because the water is too hot, and I don’t have an automatic system to cool it down."

She added, "Sometimes even in the morning, the water is scalding hot, causing my hair to fall out. It leaves me feeling excessively hot and sweaty after a shower." Another housewife in Bahrain, Mahwash Jabeen, explained how she manages the risk of hot water for her five-year-old child.

"I cannot risk opening the shower as the hot water rushes out, so I keep a basket filled with water to cool down for bathing purposes." "I make it a habit to wash the previous day’s dishes when I wake up at around 8am, so I can avoid having to do them in the afternoon. However, after 8pm, the water turns cold," she stated.

Doctor Aysha Almedfa, a dermatologist at the Bahrain Specialist Hospital, said, "Superficial first-degree burns can result from scalding, affecting the outer layer of the skin and causing redness and pain."

Advising parents to take precautions, the doctor said it should be ensured that the children stay out of the kitchen and away from hot water. "Always test how hot the water is before bathing children," she said. However, she pointed out that there has been an increase in people reporting burn injuries from tap water.

Minor, superficial burns can be treated at home by immediately stopping the flow of hot water and applying cool running water to the affected area, the doctor said. But doctor Aysha cautioned against the use of ice or ice-cold water on the burn site as it would further damage the skin and cause reduced blood flow to the area due to vasoconstriction of blood vessels. Instead, she recommends the use of burn creams such as MEBO. Toothpastes and oils should not be applied at all, she added.