Hi Lucas, if your dough isn't rising at all, it's likely that there are other factors contributing to the problem that just the water alone. We use tap water when baking yeast dough in the test kitchen, but if you're worried about your water source, you're welcome to try using distilled bottled water. As for the temperature, we tend to use water that's room temperature (about 78*F) unless the recipe specifically calls for using warmer or cooler water. The cooler the water, the slower the dough will rise. Sometimes this is advantageous if you're looking for a long rise (sometimes even overnight) with a small amount of yeast. Some bakers prefer this approach because of the complex flavor it produces. On the other hand, if you're looking to kick your dough into action, using warmer (around 110*F) water will speed things up a bit. Happy baking! Kye@KAF

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