For too many years, we’ve been relying on bottled water to quench our thirst and hydrate throughout the day. In today’s environmentally-conscious world, however, there is growing evidence that suggests plastic bottled water may be doing more harm than good. In fact, 12 million tonnes of plastic find their way into the ocean every single year, causing widespread damage to marine ecosystems.
Join us as we explore why you should say goodbye to single-use bottles of water once and for all, and discover the benefits of choosing sustainable, healthy alternatives instead.
Reason #1: Negative Environmental Impact
Bottled water has become more popular than ever, with consumption set to reach 350 billion litres a year by 2030. Unfortunately, this convenience comes at a high cost to the environment. From the production of disposable plastic bottles to their disposal in landfills and oceans, bottled water is contributing heavily to pollution worldwide.
Even the process of making bottled water is wasting energy and depleting groundwater stores in areas around the globe. The future looks bleak when considering how much worse this could get if nothing changes–if we don’t take action now, it could drastically alter our planet’s ecology for generations to come.
Reason #2: Costs
Many people may think that drinking bottled water is more convenient and a much healthier choice than tap water. However, the cost of drinking bottled water can quickly add up, particularly as its price continues to rise due to record-breaking inflation. With tap water in the UK costing as little as 0.1p per litre, and bottled water costing between 60p and £1 per litre, it’s obvious which will cost you in the long run.
Reason #3: Rarely More Beneficial Than Tap Water
In some countrIes, tap water is not safe to drink and bottled water may be the only option. However, this isn’t the case in many places around the world, including the UK. In fact, tap water in most of Europe exceeds World Health Organisation standards for clean drinking water. It is rare that bottled water is safer or better for you than plain old tap water, which begs the question: why do people continue to drink bottled water? Convenience is the only logical answer.
Reason #4: Sustainability
Bottled water is regularly criticised for its environmental implications, particularly in countries where tap water is safe to drink. Beyond the plastic waste associated with single-use bottles, organisations such as the World Wildlife Fund have highlighted the significant energy used in extracting and processing groundwater-based bottled water.
The Pacific Institute estimates that the total amount of energy required for every bottle is equivalent, on average, to filling a plastic bottle ¼ full with oil. This immense usage of energy is extremely detrimental to our environment and certainly emphasises why it is so important for people to think twice about choosing bottled water over something like tap or filtered options instead.
Filtered Tap Water: A Better Alternative
Filtered tap water is quickly becoming a more popular choice among those looking for an alternative to bottled water. Not only are 4-in-1 taps infinitely more convenient, but they can also be better for the environment as it produces little to no waste and doesn’t require the packaging and shipping of plastic bottles. Offering regular hot and cold water, filtered boiling water and filtered chilled water, those looking to cut out their bottled water habits will find installing a 4-in-1 tap an easy way to switch.
It also tastes just as good – or even better – than bottled water because of how it can be filtered and balanced to create great-tasting tap water. While some may resist the switch from bottled to tapped, increasing awareness of its many benefits has led millions of people today to make the smart decision for their pocketbook and the planet by going with filtered tap water instead.
Why Do People Drink Bottled Water?
Many people choose to purchase bottled water, despite the cost mainly because they prefer the taste. The convenience and portability of bottled water make it a practical option when one is on the go and doesn’t have access to tap or filtered water. The current trend towards healthy living has also caused an increase in demand for higher-quality drinking water.
Bottle water can help consumers feel confident that their drinking water is safe and held up to certain standards, however, in the UK it is unnecessary. Tap and filtered water are just as safe, healthier on the environment, and a much more cost-effective option. It is important to remember that if you care about your health or the environment, then it is best to stick with tap or filtered water whenever possible.
Is Tap Water Safe to Drink?
In the UK, tap water is safe to drink, and many feel that it tastes better than bottled water. The UK has some of the safest drinking water in the world due to stringent regulations enforced by both national and local governments. All UK tap water must meet strict standards for physical, chemical, and microbial contaminants before it can be delivered directly to homes.
Across the world, governments need to focus more on implementing quality assurance measures to reduce the globe’s dependency on plastic bottles. If monitored carefully, tap water can be a viable alternative to bottled water in places where it currently isn’t.
Conclusion
The production and use of bottled water has become more popular due to its convenience and perceived higher quality in comparison to tap water. Unfortunately, the energy used for producing plastic bottles is extremely damaging to our environment – contributing substantially to global warming and pollution. Therefore, it is important for people to rethink their choice of bottled water over a safer, healthier, and more cost-effective alternative – filtered tap water.
Installing a 4-in-1 tap is the perfect way for anyone looking to make the switch from bottled to tapped and will provide great tasting hot, cold, filtered boiling and chilled water without any of the environmental or ongoing monetary costs associated with plastic bottles.Read more about the benefits of boiling water taps, learn how a boiling water tap works or shop our full collection of 4-in-1 taps.
