Every day we make choices about what we consume, some good and bad choices. Sometimes we consider how our choices affect the environment, but sadly sometimes, we do not. In this study, I have decided to explore if tap water is better and safer for people and the environment than bottled one. I choose this topic because I have seen a video by “Behind the News,” which shows how much plastic is now in the ocean and how it is damaging our planet (Behind the News, 2016). Firstly, I am going to research various opinions on the matter from a number of sources. Further, I will look at the impact of bottled water on people and the environment. After considering all of the above, I will draw my own conclusion.
In terms of environmental impact, bottled water clearly has a number of negative impacts. The study by Villanueva et al. (2021) found that if every resident of the Spanish capital switched to bottled water, it could lead to the extinction of 1.43 species of animals annually and would cost the environment 3,500 times more than if the entire city drank tap water instead (Villanueva et al., 2021). Moreover, concerns related to the health effects of drinking tap water seem to be overestimated. Brodwin and Woodward (2019) refer to several experimental studies conducted in the U.S. that often bottled water is far from being better in quality. In fact, “almost half of the bottled water is derived from the tap, though it may be further processed or tested” (Brodwin & Woodward, 2019). The disgust for tap water was most likely artificially caused by the manufacturers of bottled drinks (Hawkins, 2017). Therefore, drinking tap water is an environmentally friendly choice not associated with health-related consequences.
However, some people rightfully argue that the quality of tap water in some areas and regions can differ significantly and, thus, can potentially be harmful. For example, in Mexico, the allowed limit of arsenic in tap water is 2.5 times higher than the one set by WHO (Yetman, 2021). Furthermore, some rural American regions still get contaminated tap water because it runs through systems that violate health standards (Langin, 2018). This kind of information generates controversies with what has been discussed before and makes one doubt the reliance on tap water.
Nonetheless, considering different points of view and perspectives, one could draw several crucial conclusions. First of all, undeniably, tap water is much better and dramatically reduces a person’s carbon footprint from an environmental point of view. Secondly, it is at least evident that in many developed countries, there is no need for bottled water because, in general, the sanitary services cope with the regulation of the water quality at the tap. Uncertainty arises only when dealing with the problem of the quality of water in underdeveloped or developing countries or specific regions of industrialized states. The solution here is quite simple: the contamination can be determined before using tap water. Thus, one could avoid spending money on unnecessary and harmful plastic.
References
Behind the News. (2016). What are microplastics and how are they harming our oceans? Plastic pollution. [Video]. YouTube. Web.
Brodwin, E., & Woodward, A. (2019). 12 facts that show why bottled water is one of the biggest scams of the century. Business Insider Nederland. Web.
Hawkins, G. (2017). The impacts of bottled water: An analysis of bottled water markets and their interactions with tap water provision. WIREs Water, 4(3). Web.
Langin, K. (2018). Millions of Americans drink potentially unsafe tap water. How does your county stack up? Science. Web.
Villanueva, C. M., Garfí, M., Milà, C., Olmos, S., Ferrer, I., & Tonne, C. (2021). Health and environmental impacts of drinking water choices in Barcelona, Spain: A modeling study. Science of The Total Environment, 795, 1–10. Web.
Yetman, D. (2021). Is drinking tap water safe? Healthline. Web.