SHOCKING NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF SCIENCE: Too-hot tap water can cause scalding injuries in seconds. “A water heater set to 120 degrees Fahrenheit can release water from the tap hot enough to cause a second-degree burn in about 9 minutes. Turned up to 130 degrees, that injury happens in just 25 seconds. At 140 degrees, it only takes three seconds, according to a new study that tallied the personal and financial costs of scalding injuries in the United States.”