When it comes to getting your daily fill of water, the safest option is from a store-bought bottle, right? Well, new research suggests that isn’t true. In fact, tap water could actually be the much safer option of the two in most areas of the world.
This is according to a commentary published in the journal BMJ Global Health. According to researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar, bottled water in the US is often not subject to the same rigorous quality and safety checks as tap water, meaning it can carry more harmful chemicals leaching in from the plastic bottles.
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It is estimated that between 10 and 78 per cent of bottled water samples contain contaminants, including microplastics and various other substances including phthalates (chemicals used to make plastics more durable).
Microplastic contamination is associated with oxidative stress, immune system dysregulation, and changes in fat levels.
“While there are short-term safety thresholds, the long-term effects of these contaminants remain largely unknown,” said the authors.
“The reliance on bottled water incurs significant health, financial and environmental costs, calling for an urgent re-evaluation of its widespread use.”
The researchers also highlight how tap water is a greener option. With a million bought every minute around the globe, plastic water bottles currently make up the second most common ocean pollutant (only behind plastic bags), accounting for 12 per cent of all plastic waste.
Very few plastic bottles end up being recycled with most going into landfills or incinerators. Creating plastic bottles can also require a lot of materials, including water itself – it takes between 17 and 35 litres of water to make a plastic bottle.
Some studies have also estimated that up to two-thirds of bottled water in the US is repackaged tap water.
The researchers point out their advice is targeted at people in countries with clean, drinkable tap water. The World Health Organisation notes that about 73 per cent of the world's population have access to drinking water that is both nearby and free from contamination.
Tap water in the US is tightly regulated, with 92 per cent of the population receiving water from systems that meet health standards at all times, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the 2024 Environmental Performance Index (EPI), tap water in the UK is treated to some of the strictest levels, with only Italy and Singapore having safer drinking water. The US comes ninth in the world, with Canada 12th and France 13th.
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