I don't boil my tap water, but I filter it. In most restaurants in HK, if you ask for cold water or any beverage with ice, the water/ice will have come straight from the tap with no boiling/filtering. I used to work in a local restaurant serving western cusine and we were instructed to fill the jugs straight form the tap and add slices of lemon.


I think foreigners who are used to very clean water etc... maybe advised not to drink straight from the tap, but to locals it doesn't matter. Most people boil for hygienic reasons especially as many non commercial buildings are old.