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?

The solution

It’s simple: yes, you should stop buying it. There is no evidence it is better for you and, indeed, it may be less safe than tap water. Two thirds of water from the tap comes from surface water (reservoirs, lakes, rivers) and the rest from ground water (underground geological formations that store rainwater). It is subject to stringent treatment standards – according to Professor Paul Younger, a hydro geochemist, these make it safer than bottled water. The Drinking Water Inspectorate regulates mains water (99.97% of samples pass the strict standards) while local authorities watch over bottled water plants. Tap water has a residual amount of chlorine in, which you usually can’t taste, but which makes it more resistant to bacteria. If you think you can taste chloride, then sticking the water under a cover in the fridge for half an hour gets rid of it. Concerns that tap water contains oestrogens from contraceptive pills being peed out or that it has passed through the kidneys of 10 people are not valid, says Younger. Water companies have to treat wastewater before it can reach natural waters and there is no evidence (from extensive studies) that oestrogens are present in tap water.

A study of over 1,000 people in Belfast found that they couldn’t tell the difference between tap and bottled water when asked which was the more pleasant, pure, natural and refreshing. Bottled water can come from springs or from the mains. It can also be treated, for example, to have iron removed. Its success is due to excellent marketing and our laziness in not buying reusable bottles and filling them with tap water. Furthermore, Younger says if you decide to ditch bottled water, you don’t need to compensate by filtering what comes out of the tap. “It’s hocus pocus,” he says.