Tap water refers to drinking water that is provided through a public or private water supply system and comes out of the faucet in homes, offices, or other buildings. It is also known as municipal water or city water. The term "tap" refers to turning on the faucet to access this water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, or other purposes. Tap water is typically treated and filtered to meet safety standards set by regulatory agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States.