Are There Any Health Benefits To Drinking Bottled Water?
Over the last ten years, bottled water sales have been steadily growing at an average rate of 7 – 8% each year. The amount of bottled water consumed globally has doubled in the period from 1997 to 2005.
Approximately 200 billion bottles of water are consumed worldwide each year. The US market is the biggest by far, accounting for a quarter of global sales.
It’s only relatively recently that there has been a backlash against the consumption of bottled water. The environmental impact is one of the main areas of concern. The bottles used are generally made from Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), is a material which is suitable for recycling. However, the actual amount of bottles which are recycled is very low, generally estimated to be less than 25%.
The energy required for production, transportation and disposal of the bottles is also a source for concern among environmentalists. When compared with tap water, bottled water generates carbon emissions which are 5,000 times greater per litre.
There is no evidence, despite some very clever marketing by bottled water suppliers, that bottled water is any better for your health than common or garden tap water. Some bottled waters have been found to contain estrogenic chemicals and uranium! The majority of bottled mineral waters also contain salt, which can be bad for your blood pressure.
In terms of taste there is little firm evidence that bottled water is any better than tap water. In a UK blind taste test, London tap water came in third place out of a selection of 24 different varieties of water. In the USA, a Penn and Teller episode screened in 2007 (which may have been more entertaining than scientific – but is still worthy of a mention) demonstrated that diners could not tell the difference between bottled water and water from a garden hose.
In terms of cost to the consumer the exact ratio will vary according to the brand of water under consideration, but generally speaking bottled water costs several hundred times more per litre than tap water.
Whatever way you look at it, whether from a health, taste, cost or environmental stance, there really isn’t much to recommend the use of bottled water. If you really find the taste of the water that comes out of your tap at home to be unsatisfactory, then you could always use some type of home filtration system.
Of course, home filtration systems are great for when you’re at home – but if you like to carry water with you when you’re out and about then you could use and reuse a bottle which you fill at home, or the office, before you leave. Again, Brita Water are a good example having combined with international designer Orla Kiely to produce the Wottle – which claims to be the world’s first designer reusable bottle and is manufactured from 100% recycled material. Or you could do your own recycling and use an old Coke bottle.
Save money by using Brita filter jug – and check out Orla Kiely’s Wottle – it looks great and is better for the environment.
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