How safe is tap water really?

[BooseysMom]

I have been reading about tap water and how safe it is to drink. It's mind -boggling when you think that we are drinking the same water we use for the toilet, washing, etc.and it's just recycled and treated. But what about the evidence stated in this website..

www.aquacure.co.uk/knowledge-base/truth-about-uks-water-supply

The website states there is evidence that tap water contains synthetic hormones which are contained in the contraceptive pill. We used to collect water from a spring but stopped when there was a notice saying it had been tested and found to contain harmful bacteria. Since we gave up spring water, we have not been able to conceive although we had no trouble with DS. Was it a coincidence that we weren't drinking tap water back then?

Even more scary maybe because of the unknowns, is the fact they have found micro-plastics in 72% of water samples in the UK/EU. Microbeads and man-made fibres are now present everywhere on earth and they are in our water supply.

The article ends by saying...
'In summary, the tap water in the UK is classed as one of the safest and purest water supplies in the world. It is required by law to be fit for human consumption and UK water companies must test mains water for a reassuringly long list of micro-organisms and chemicals.'

Based on the micro plastics, I'm tempted to go back to spring water. But what do you drink, tap of bottled? Can we really trust our water supplies?

Yes

It's your article isn't it?

It's your article isn't it?

What?! I just googled and found it

Sorry, meant to sayTap OR bottled, not 'of'

I have no problem with any of the things you listed.
Obviously I would prefer not to drink micro plastics but….

Aren't bottled waters supposed to be full of microplastics? And you have no idea how long that water has been sitting in that plastic bottle.

What will you brush your teeth with, boil food in, make drinks with?

Given that 1 in 3 people worldwide do not have access to clean safe drinking water. I think that in the UK you are probably safe.

Couldn't you just buy a water filter?

Tap water is regulated & perfectly safe to drink

18 JUNE 2019– Billions of people around the world are continuing to suffer from poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene, according to a new report by UNICEF and the World Health Organization. Some 2.2 billion people around the world do not have safely managed drinking water services, 4.2 billion people do not have safely managed sanitation services, and 3 billion lack basic* handwashing facilities.

The Joint Monitoring Programme report, Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: 2000-2017: Special focus on inequalities finds that, while significant progress has been made toward achieving universal access to basic water, sanitation and hygiene, there are huge gaps in the quality of services provided.

Switch to Sprite?

If we hadn't drunk water out of plastic bottles there wouldn't be so much contamination with plastic microbeads in the first place.

I'm sure the business who relies on people being scared to drink tap water is totally impartial 😂

Umm. Kindly. you have too much time on your hands.

Googling looking for issues that are only slightly potentially very indirectly affecting your fertility is the road to madness.

We are so, so lucky with our water.
I despair at the waste of people buying bottled water, big crates of the stiff, packing it into their cars, lugging it home and started a campaign to engage people in convos about it. Amazingly I didn’t get punched and stopped after everyone said it was for their bowels!

It wouldn't cross my mind to drink anything other than tap water, it's my main, and favourite drink.
I do live in an area with lovely soft water though.

Tap water is regulated and monitored rigorously.

All water is recycled from water already used - that's how the water cycle works. However how recently it's been in another person's body depends on location.

In London, probably measured best in days...in less populated areas with an abundance of reservoirs it could be reliably measured in months, if not years.

"Naturally sourced" water like spring water obviously hasn't been near a human body in a very long time...however you're ingesting unknown elements from nature that have only been through natural filtration aka dirt, stones and vegetation. Admittedly this will have less hormones and micro plastics at present - but crucially is not as strictly monitored as tap water so unsafe levels of bacteria could be present for quite some time before being identified.

I'm comfortable that in my corner of Wales and where my parents reside has safe tap water that I'm happy to drink.

Where exactly do you think bottled water comes from?
Tap water is perfectly safe to drink. Find something real to worry about.

If say the safest thing would be to stick with wine instead. The only issue I have is cleaning my teeth mss add Jed my Chardonnay taste weird

Yeah, clearly, the Chardonnay is having an effect. It should have read cleaning my teeth makes my Chardonnay taste weird.

Up until 20years ago most people drank the water from the taps.
I don't remember ever having spring water as a child. It's just a fancy thing that has been promoted as being healthy. Shame that it is a huge contributor to the plastic waste society produces.
I think I'd be more worried about the particles from the vehicle you drive.

But you know, I'll power through

So you think you're struggling to conceive because the water you're drinking contains contraceptives?

Are you ok?

OP I’m surprised no one is talking your concern seriously, I wonder about this and have for some time. I used to filter our tap water through a multi -layered thing that may or may not have helped and it does bother me that for example we may be exposed to people’s medication indirectly.
For the last six years we’ve in fact had a house with its own water supply and I wonder if it’s no coincidence that our DD was the last to get her period as apparently girls are reaching puberty a year younger than in 70s. I have no idea as not researched it though.