Pop quiz… What product do millions of people around the world buy every minute of every day? If your answer is bottled water, pat yourself on the back and then worry. This seemingly harmless, everyday act is causing a wave of concern among health experts worldwide.

Why? Because the consequences of consuming bottled water are far-reaching and affect not only our health but also Mother Earth herself.

Bottled water on personal request

Safe tap water is not a luxury for most of us. Yet we give it up for bottled water. Even more shocking is the plight of two billion people worldwide who lack access to safe drinking water and rely on bottled water for their hydration. This is due to convenience and the false belief, largely fueled by aggressive industry propaganda, that bottled water is better than tap water.

So how true is this belief?

Safety of bottled water

Doctors from Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar say that bottled water is in no way safer than tap water. The logic is simple but not taken into account. Bottled water does not undergo the same rigorous quality control as tap water. It also has the side effect of leaching chemicals from the plastic bottles it is stored in, especially when stored for long periods of time or exposed to sunlight and high temperatures.

What’s Really in Your Bottled Water?

Bottled water may seem cleaner than its counterparts, but it harbors a mystery: Between 10% and 78% of samples have been found to contain contaminants. The bad ones? Microplastics, called endocrine disruptors, and other harmful substances like phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA).

Microplastics can disrupt body functions and cause oxidative stress, immune dysregulation, and changes in blood fat levels. Exposure to BPA has been linked to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity, which tend to occur later in life.

The study author cautions that our estimates of the long-term effects of these pollutants are still in the works. Add to the mix the possibility of microplastics entering the food chain, and we have troubled times ahead.

The best option: tap water

Choosing tap water doesn’t just benefit your health. It’s an act of environmental responsibility. Plastic bottles are the second most common pollutant in the oceans, accounting for 12% of all plastic waste. Only a staggering 9% of this is recycled worldwide.

The rest ends up in landfills, incinerators and waste management systems in low- and middle-income countries, raising issues of social justice and sustainability.

How is single-use plastic harming the world?

Single-use plastics are products made of plastic that are intended to be used once and then thrown away. These include plastic bags, straws, bottles, cutlery, and packaging materials. We often use plastic bottles for convenience in our daily lives, such as drinking water, without thinking about the long-term effects.

When we throw away single-use plastics, we often end up polluting our environment. They pollute our streets, landfills and oceans, harming marine life. Animals can mistake plastic for food or become entangled in it, which can result in injury or death.

When this plastic breaks down, it turns into microplastics that contaminate soil and water, eventually entering the food chain and affecting our health. By relying on single-use plastic, we are contributing to environmental degradation and putting the well-being of our planet at risk.

Avoid bottled water

Despite steps being taken to promote the use of tap water in public places and restaurants and to combat the scourge of single-use plastics, our experts are calling for more action, with an emphasis on government interventions and education campaigns aimed at changing perceptions of public behaviour.

The take-home message? Tap water is not only safe, it is also an environmentally responsible practice. Taken together, the accumulating evidence underscores the critical role of government intervention and education campaigns in changing public perceptions and behaviors.

“These campaigns should highlight the environmental stewardship and health benefits of tap water choices, effectively promoting cultural change towards more sustainable consumption practices,” the authors write.

Technological innovations

The dominance of bottled water could be disrupted by technology. Innovations such as water filtration systems and portable water purifiers are allowing people to drink clean water without the use of plastic bottles.

Research into environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic has a promising future, and investment and development of smart water systems can restore public confidence in the safety and quality of tap water.

Time to assess the situation and do something

The increasing health, financial and environmental harms of bottled water are alarming. The need to re-evaluate this issue is urgent, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where investment in safe drinking water infrastructure may be important.

“Dependence [бутильованої води] “It carries significant health, financial and environmental costs and requires urgent reconsideration of its widespread use.”

Governments urgently need to address these issues, including in low- and middle-income countries where urgent investment in safe drinking water infrastructure is needed.

“By prioritizing tap water consumption, we can collectively solve the multifaceted problems associated with water consumption. [водою в пляшках]and recognize tap water as a cornerstone of environmental responsibility and public health,” the authors concluded.

By choosing tap water over bottled water, we are taking a step toward environmental responsibility and protecting public health. Our collective efforts can directly address the challenges posed by bottled water by affirming that tap water is a symbol of progressive, sustainable living. The study was published in the journal BMJ Global Health.