Should I stop drinking bottled water?

[Northerner]

Do you get a healthier, safer and more refreshing drink when you buy it off the shelf? The answer is ‘no’, and doing so hurts the environment and your wallet.

It’s the world’s bestselling soft drink – more people buy bottled water than fruit juice or fizzy drinks. In 2013, the UK glugged 2.4bn litres of it, and by 2014 this had risen to 2.6bn litres. Yet, remarkably, you can get this particular beverage from the tap, for free. Bottled water can cost between 500 to 1000 times more than tap water. So, is it healthier? And does it taste better? It certainly has a hefty carbon footprint – with some reports estimating around 82.8g of CO2 for a half-litre bottle – not insignificant when everyone’s drinking it. Recycling rates are improving but, in America, for example, it’s estimated that only a quarter of bottles get recycled. So is it really so much better that it’s worth both paying for and harming the planet? Or should you stop buying it?

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jun/01/should-i-stop-drinking-bottled-water

Only ever buy it when I absolutely have to 🙂

 

[robert@fm]

I agree, especially since a lot of bottled water (such as Dasani, which was briefly sold in the UK) is Peckham Spring anyway. Invest in a filter jug, and you can have great-tasting water for just £5 per 40 litres. 🙂

In Hammersmith Bus Station in London, there was last summer (and presumably still is) a vending machine where one could fill a half-litre bottle with chilled filtered water, free. 🙂 Anyone who didn't happen to be carrying a suitable bottle could buy a reusable one for £2,

 

[Copepod]

Some university campuses have stopped sale of bottled water, but have free chilled water dispensers. Personally, I prefer to carry a drinking bottle and fill if needed. When working at triathlons, I often collect discarded drinks bottles provided by sports drinks sponsors, take them home, wash them and give them away to friends, both adults and children. The environmental impact of producing and transporting water in disposable bottles is huge, even if they are recycled. Reuse of more robust bottles is much better.

 

[Northerner]

Some university campuses have stopped sale of bottled water, but have free chilled water dispensers. Personally, I prefer to carry a drinking bottle and fill if needed. When working at triathlons, I often collect discarded drinks bottles provided by sports drinks sponsors, take them home, wash them and give them away to friends, both adults and children. The environmental impact of producing and transporting water in disposable bottles is huge, even if they are recycled. Reuse of more robust bottles is much better.

I remember when the water at races was in plastic cups, now it's all bottled - must cost a fortune! I suppose they are afraid of contamination

 

[KookyCat]

I too only buy it if I have to, although I probably destroyed a good portion of the planet in the year leading up to diagnosis because I bought that much water I was practically swimming in the stuff. I do wish someone would invent smaller refillable water bottles though for those of us who want access to water but don't have the energy to cart huge bottles around, I refill a small evian bottle that I've had for years which is not recommended!

 

[Copepod]

There are lots of small drinking bottles on sale. Look among kids' lunch boxes in supermarkets for 200 - 300ml or in running show for small bottles, often ring shaped, so they're easier to hold on the go; or online shops. The latest batch of bottles I saved from triathlon bins were 600ml.
Also, to state the obvious, no need to fill a larger bottle.

 

[HOBIE]

Only buy when really have to. Once every two years . "Knowt wrong we tap"

 

[bill hopkinson]

I buy sparkling water at 17p for 2 litre from Morrison.

I prefer taking tablets with sparkling water, otherwise it is straight out of the tap.

 

[Sally71]

My hubby prefers the taste of sparkling water so we buy the cheapest own-brand one, like Bill - less than 20p per 2 litre bottle if we're lucky. I just drink tap water.