It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas (رضي الله عنه) that

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to go out to pass water, then he would wipe his hands with dust. I would say: O Messenger of Allah, water is close to you. He would say: “How do I know? I may never reach it.” On another occasion Yahya said: I was with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he went out and passed water, then he did tayammum, and it was said to him: Water is close to us.