Why do you drink bottled water and not tap?

[Elouera]

Since being inside, I've noticed a man carrying large water containers every 2 days from the shops. He might have done this before lockdown, but I'm interested why people use bottled water and not the tap? Taste? Health concerns? Something else?

@RickJames, nowhere near the moors unfortunately, I am in probably the hardest water area in the country, it makes my skin sore and I don't know what the water company do to it but it feels nastier on the skin for a few weeks and then goes back to being simply horrible.

Have always lived with hard water but this is the worst ever, I don't know what they do to it.

A lot of the Polish families I know buy cases of bottled water. No idea why though, I've never asked.

I always take some when I visit my sisters as her tap water tastes of bleach.

My tap water is heavily chlorinated. Few yrs ago i got the trots after drinking tap water at home before it was confirmed it was cryptosporidium.

So bottled water for me. May be Welsh but my water is rank but the village 7 miles down the road is from another lake and is fresher. Tried Britta and it didn’t do anything.

I really only drink sparkling water and was getting through easily a couple of litres a day. Then I got plastic guilt and bought a soda stream. Our tap water tastes ok so I'm happy with that but do still by the odd glass bottle of san pellegrino or highland spring as it does taste different.

Our tap water is disgusting - even with a water filter!! Others in our house add cordial but I don't like that so yes I have bottled water in the fridge as that's basically all I drink at home and if I didn't buy that I wouldn't drink enough! We have cut down the rest of our plastic use massively and always recycle everything we can and walk mostly etc

I only drink water from the finest glaciers Iceland has to offer.

Tip for those who have chlorine-y water - if you put it in a jug in your fridge overnight a lot of it will dissipate and taste will be gone

I used to only drink Evian - prior to that I couldn't drink water at all. Evian has a softness almost sweetness to it - and then when I got used to Evian I was able to start drinking tap water...this was 20 years ago, I made damn sure my kids would drink tap water - we have 4 bottles of tap water in the fridge - they like it cold - I don't care either way.

I just don’t like the taste of tap water

We got a letter in the post saying there is a high level of Legionella bacteria in our water (block of flats). I boil it and leave it to cool, but not everyone can be bothered.

I’m not sure they have understood what the long term effects are of all the hormones in tap water. They have started to see the effect on wildlife but yet to do long term
Studies on humans - as far as I know.
That’s one reason I wouldn’t drink tap water habitually

I don’t like the taste of tap water, so I drink bottled water.

Buy cheap supermarket sparkling. And occasionally will by regular bottled if I’ve forgotten my water bottle, but bugs me to waste money on it, alongside creating more unnecessary plastic waste.

I think tap water is nicer TBH, we live in a really hard water area and it's lovely, when we stay in soft water places on holiday it doesn't taste right to me and doesn't quench my thirst. I buy sparkling sometimes though, I love Badoit.

@Mutedgrey out of interest, what is so different about the bottled water treatment process compared to drinking water treatment process that makes it so much more “hormone-free”? Especially as most bottled water companies get it from the same source as tap water...

@theseriousmoonlight I couldn't drink any water when I was pregnant. Bottled or tap all tasted disgusting to me. I could bare it with squash though or fizzy.

I like sparkling water for my elderflower cordial, and I like the taste of San Pel.

Our whole area had an issue with something in the water a few years ago making it unsuitable to drink. They added extra chemicals to sort it out and it’s never tasted right to me since. Even through a filter.

@SunnyStroll if you carry a reusable bottle with you, there is an app called ReFill. It’s free on both Apple and android. It’ll show you where your nearest water refill point is. A lot of places are doing it (Costa, pret, greggs, M&S cafes and small independents too) without the need to purchase something from them. I’ve even used it at motorway services.

Tap water here (scotland) is very soft so tastes fine, if i do buy bottled its got to be evian, so smooth!

Thanks, its interesting to see the replies. I too drink bottled water in 3rd world countries, or places with much higher minerals content and were advised it would give us gastric issues! Or if I'm out and forgot to take a little drink bottle with me, but have never bought giant bottles to use everyday in the UK (or the 2 other countries I've lived in).

I never realised there was such differences in taste, colour and hardness of water within the UK.

I always drink bottled water, can't stand tap.

@Dyrne I don't know a huge amount about this. I have a few friends who have sought alternatives as they were concerned. I work in hospitality and therefore have access to a reverse osmosis water system or something like that, which then adds minerals and stuff back in. If I didnt have access to that i'm not sure what i'd do as the hard water here has a horrible taste (that isnt cured by going in the fridge) and i'm not comfortable buying bottled water.

My daughter will drink tap water here, but bottled in her flat a mile away.

Apparently the water there is horrible 🤷‍♀️

What business is it of yours?