Does it have to be that US manufactured hose specifically?
Are you after it for it's dimensions? Or the colours? Or the flexibility?

There are plenty of industrial suppliers of polyurethane hose but they probably don't sell small quantities online.

Polyurethane is typically used for air hoses. The hose at the link you mention looks very like air hose but with different fixtures on the end.

You can buy it as plain hose without the fixtures. eg. Try searching amazon.co.uk for "flexeel".
Obviously if you use narrow hose for water you will reduce the maximum flow rate significantly.

Have I missed something, but why would you be drinking from a garden hose ?

Regards

barney

Are there really levels of heavy metals in a few feet of garden hose?
Would it be any more than is in the ground?
Would pollutants in the air not be a bigger problem?

Just copied this from Wikipedia
'Polyurethane polymers are formed by reacting an isocyanate with a polyol. Both the isocyanates and polyols used to make polyurethanes contain on average two or more functional groups per molecule.'

One man's meat is another man's poison

OK - so it's the potable water being contaminated (allegedly) by contact with the hose or a plastic water butt.

Well, I'd have to say I'd never heard of it before - but you live and learn I guess

I just chuck rainwater on mine from a water butt with loads of nettles in it - when it need it between rainstorms that is - cheap off cut of B&Q hosepipe and a tap connector

Regards

barney

Posted By: TriassicAre you sure tap water is better for plants than rainwater

Rainwater is definitely better. We want the option to use both, in case we run out of rainwater.

There's also the philosophical point in all this of why poison water in the first place (no matter how small amount) just because it may not be directly consumed by a human?

We'll also filter out the likes of chlorine before using tap water on the garden.

Posted By: SteamyTeaGQT often recommends tap water for seedlings.

That's because rainwater is often not stored well so can contain pathogens detrimental to seedlings.

Maybe that's a factor too. RHS says "Stored rain water is not recommended for use with seeds and seedlings in case it carries disease."
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=691

This is what Water Right has to say above the above Healthy Stuff study:

And to clarify regarding our marketing materials, we absolutely claim that the polyurethane resin we use from Bayer Material Science is also 100% free from lead, BPA and Phthalates. To learn which Texin TPU resins are listed to NSF/ANSI Standard 61 Drinking Water System Components - Health Effects.

The brass fittings however on our web page "What Sets us Apart" states that we protect the consumer from any lead contact with our fittings by nickel and chrome plating them. This is what ensures our drinking water safe product and again keeps anyone from coming in contact with any lead. "Ours are commercial grade fittings that are the finest in the world and are crush-proof, don't leach lead, don't tarnish, have extra-long, specially machined threads to prevent leaks, and are double plated with both nickel and chrome to make them drinking water safe and give them a super hard, non-corrosive, durable finish."

For confirmation of this and further clarification, please contact Jeff Gearhart at www.ecocenter.org  and he is happy to discuss their findings regarding our hoses as compared to others on the market for the Healthy Stuff Organization. Jeff Gearhart also recommends our polyurethane product and natural rubber hoses over others in the industry.  

You will also be happy to know (based on our company's priorities to make only completely safe products), that we have been working diligently on a completely lead free fitting for the last 12 months (now that that alloy has recently become available by Chase Brass).  The only unfortunate part of making this change is that the cost for lead-free brass is double the cost of regular 360 brass, which will likely add between $4-5 retail on all of our hoses.

Again, although we currently meet drinking water safe standards, it has been our top priority to produce the safest garden hose made in the world. Again, we have 4 children of our own and would not do anything to expose them to any unsafe product.

Completely lead-free fittings are on their way by year end and thank you for your email in order to get clarification.

Lastly, would you be willing for us to post your question on our website using only your first name only in order to clarify this information since it is so important to explain to our customers?

We appreciate you and please do not hesitate to contact us directly if you have any additional questions.

Incoming water supply is indeed lead but we're replacing with a 32 mm supply and new connection (what sort of pipe should we use?).

As for the mains in the street I'm not sure. The area was built in the 30s but the waters mains have probably been replaced since then.