Is bottled water healthier than tap water?

These days, most people don’t think twice about spending ￡1 on a bottle of water – it’s clean, healthy and convenient. The general belief in the UK is that bottled water is better than and healthier than tap water. Maybe this belief has contributed to the luxury bottled water market where some brands charge hundreds - and occasionally thousands (yes, really!) - of pounds for a litre bottle of water. But unfortunately, there really isn’t much evidence to back up the claims that bottled is better than tap. Bottled water originates from a public source, and to ensure it is potable, it is then treated and/or filtered before being bottled. The result is often no better than filtered tap water.

Water quality

Tap water is strictly regulated and the UK has some of the cleanest tap water in the world. We have state-of-the-art filtration systems that make even water from the Thames drinkable! Over half a million tests are conducted throughout the year to ensure the microbiological, chemical, radiological and aesthetic qualities of UK drinking water, and 99.96% of samples meet those strict standards.But there’s no harm in bottled water as long as the plastic is then recycled, right? Well, no, on two counts. Environmental and chemical.

Sustainability issues

Firstly, when it comes to the environment, the issue is not just the plastic waste but the entire value chain of water bottles. From production to distribution, the process of generating plastic bottles for water is unsustainable. On average, three litres of water are needed to produce one litre of bottled water when including the production of the plastic, transportation, filtering and filling up the bottles. This production chain of plastic water bottles has a negative impact on the environment, and adds to the global problem of microplastics in the water which we are already ingesting with our food and drink.

Dangers from chemicals used in plastic water bottles

There have long been concerns about whether or not the chemicals in plastic water bottles could potentially leach into the water itself, and the issue of whether or not PET bottles leach chemicals into bottled water is hotly debated online. If you think that buying water that’s been bottled in recycled plastic is a way around the sustainability issue, then you may be putting your health at risk. Researchers at Brunel University tested the water for leached chemicals and found that bottles made out of recycled plastic contained greater concentrations of chemicals, some of which were found in levels that exceeded regulations.

So, using a refillable bottle that isn’t made of plastic and filling it up with tap water is the safest, most economical and environmentally friendly way to stay hydrated.