Bottled Water

[Stuart]

Riding the wave of the bottled water marketing myth
BY DONALD MCCALLUM
30 March 2012

It takes up to three litres of tap water to produce one litre of bottled water. At the retail cost of R6 for one 500ml bottle of water - compared to less than half a cent for tap water - bottled water is more expensive than petrol, even after the latest increase. Donald McCallum (BSc 1981, BSc Hons 1984, MSc 2006) in the Wits School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences challenges the ‘environ-mentality’ of consuming bottled water.

It is truly staggering what good marketing can achieve. To create a growing consumer base for something as readily available as clean drinking water and to sell it at more than 1000 times the cost of tap water has to be admired.

At around R6 for a 500ml bottle of water, compared to less than half a cent for tap water, bottled water is more costly than petrol, even after the latest increase. The promotion of bottled water has been so successful that organisations, even local government, will commit their limited resources to supplying bottled water at events. I am personally not comfortable with my taxes being spent on something that can be almost free, and which is a constitutional right for all.

In September 2010, the Mail & Guardian reported that bottled water is the second fastest growing beverage in the country. The value of the world market for bottled water in 2011 was estimated to be around R629 billion.

In South Africa, this translates into a staggering 1.2 trillion plastic bottles a year – most of which litter the streets, leaving an unwelcome legacy for our children. The material and energy required to produce the packaging and distribution of bottled water is in excess of 200 million barrels of oil.

Claims that bottled water is a green product do not stand up to scrutiny. One needs to contrast the idyllic settings of bottled water advertising with the heaps of empty bottles at disposal sites and those that litter the countryside.

The production of bottled water uses more water than the rate at which it is purchased – up to three litres of tap water or more is needed to produce one litre of bottled water.

How is this possible?

People seem to be more concerned about making healthy choices today, and water is definitely a healthy option. The problem is that there is a perception that the health benefits of water apply more to bottled water than to tap water. This is not the case. There are rigorous standards that tap water must meet in Johannesburg, and the quality is constantly monitored. Presently, the quality of tap water in Johannesburg is of the best in the world.

Recently beverage company Coca Cola was under pressure in the USA to acknowledge that some brands of the water that it sells are bottled from municipal supplies. The words ‘bottled at source’ have a very different meaning when the ultimate source is an ordinary tap. The requirements for water quality in the USA are far more stringent for public supplies than for bottled water, so consumers’ faith in the ‘purity’ of bottled water may be misplaced.

There are also subtle social pressures. It is so much ‘cooler’ to be seen to be drinking bottled water rather than free tap water. For some, it may feel awkward to order tap water at a restaurant. The price paid for bottled water is only one part of a much greater environmental cost.

Growing opposition

While the demand for bottled water increases with many new brands and massive advertising campaigns, there is also growing opposition. At least 70 cities in the USA, Canada, UK and Australia have banned the use of bottled water. The World Wide Fund for Nature and Greenpeace both advocate the use of tap water wherever good quality supplies exist. A recent victory for the environment has been the banning of bottled water in the Grand Canyon National Park in the USA.

Save money, save the environment

Order tap water at restaurants. Get yourself a suitable bottle for re-using and fill up at taps or drinking fountains (the plastic bottles in which water is packaged are not suitable for re-use; when exposed to heat - for example when left in a car - the bottles can release toxic chemicals). A good alternative is stainless steel bottles, which are durable and long lasting.

Use your influence to prevent the unnecessary use of bottled water. Encourage your organisation to do the right thing and lead by example. Donate the money you save by drinking tap water to your favourite charity!

Source

[Bladerunner]

The words ‘bottled at source’ have a very different meaning when the ultimate source is an ordinary tap.

Which is why you look for the following:

Bottled at source: [note: colon, not full stop, requiring further explanation]
Magical unicorn tear fountain, somewhere deep within the Ice-Cream Mountain valley, production overseen by the Flying Spaghetti Monster himself. (Bless his noodly appendage)

[KALSTER]

(the plastic bottles in which water is packaged are not suitable for re-use; when exposed to heat - for example when left in a car - the bottles can release toxic chemicals)

Eish. Didn't know that.

I drink lots and lots of tap water. I'll buy the occasional carbonated lichi or naartjie instead of coke, but that's it.

[RuadRauFlessa]

Get with the program and install water filters in your home. I shudder every time I have to open the tap and can actually see particles of garbage floating around in the water.

[Hman]

Bottled at source: [note: colon, not full stop, requiring further explanation]
Magical unicorn tear fountain, somewhere deep within the Ice-Cream Sandwich valley, production overseen by the Flying Spaghetti Monster himself. (Bless his noodly appendage)

Much better.

[Hman]

Get with the program and install water filters in your home. I shudder every time I have to open the tap and can actually see particles of garbage floating around in the water.

Eeewww! Where do you live. Here the water has no "particles" one can see.

[Bladerunner]

(the plastic bottles in which water is packaged are not suitable for re-use; when exposed to heat - for example when left in a car - the bottles can release toxic chemicals)

You should check the recycling number on your bottle. I think the plastic used for bottling your water should be able to withstand the heat of your car? If you put it in a microwave or something with rapid temperature change, that might be a different story.

[KALSTER]

Get with the program and install water filters in your home. I shudder every time I have to open the tap and can actually see particles of garbage floating around in the water.

I am still alive.

[RuadRauFlessa]

At home in Centurion and then in Woodmead in JHB I have the same issue.

And Kalster.. yes you are still alive but it is still gross.

[doo_much]

(the plastic bottles in which water is packaged are not suitable for re-use; when exposed to heat - for example when left in a car - the bottles can release toxic chemicals)

Eish. Didn't know that.

I drink lots and lots of tap water. I'll buy the occasional carbonated lichi or naartjie instead of coke, but that's it.

Probably because it's bull-dwang. I'm sure there's a Snopes article on it.
But then, most of this 'article' is based on popular eco-histeric-facts.

For instance, how the frikken heck do you use up 3 liters of water to produce 1liter of bottled water? Especially if you're just filling your bottles from the tap?

[Bladerunner]

(the plastic bottles in which water is packaged are not suitable for re-use; when exposed to heat - for example when left in a car - the bottles can release toxic chemicals)

Eish. Didn't know that.

Probably because it's bull-dwang. I'm sure there's a Snopes article on it.

No I do believe some types of plastic are not suitable when the temperature fluctuates.

But your water- and cold drink bottles should be fine.

[doo_much]

(the plastic bottles in which water is packaged are not suitable for re-use; when exposed to heat - for example when left in a car - the bottles can release toxic chemicals)

Eish. Didn't know that.

Probably because it's bull-dwang. I'm sure there's a Snopes article on it.

No I do believe some types of plastic are not suitable when the temperature fluctuates.

But your water- and cold drink bottles should be fine.

You're thinking of the BPA - which is used for hard bottles - scare of a few years ago. Some German nut-job claimed that antimony was leaching into the water from them. Antimony levels were way below the level deemed 'safe' by the FDA.

But yes, our run-of-the-mill PET bottles should be OK.

*Edit
Snopes

[hamin_aus]

Bottled water is rather pointless in 99% of SA where the tap water is not only drinkable, but also palatable.

Lot's of other places in the world also have clean drinking water, but the taste leaves a lot to be desired.

I'll pay $2 for bottled water when I am out and about in Aus. Cheaper than $4 for a soft drink, and tastes better than getting it out of a tap.

We have a filter at home which vastly improves the taste, but I still prefer bottled.
I buy in bulk and get 24 x 600ml bottles for under $10

[Prime]

Doo, Reverse osmosis is used to produce much of the bottled water - unfortunately the nasties it removes, go out as waste water so for every X litres of clean water, you get Y litres more of dirtier water.

As for the quality of JHB's drinking water, that's laughable. Everytime it rains, the water goes brown, and it never used to do this - the quality has definitely dropped.

Also, I'd like to point out that in several towns in SA, the water is toxic thanks to gross mismanagement. Carolina is the latest to fall victim to this problem. I suspect Randfontein and some of the other coal and gold mining towns will be next.

[Tribble]

Our water never goes brown - stays the same all year round. Tastes fine too.

And do you know how depressing it is knowing that practically everything we do and use that makes life easier - is killing us in some way or the other. Makes one want to stay in bed, but that would probably kill us too eventually.

[RuadRauFlessa]

Tribble how often are you in JHB... no seriously... Besides I think you speak for yourself when you say that everything you do to some extent is killing you because you are a veggy burger by nature

[Tribble]

Do some reading RRF - almost everything we do is bad for us in some way. And I go to Jhb at least once or twice a week. Lol and nope - eating meat will kill you faster than eating veggies will kill me.

[RuadRauFlessa]

No it won't... We are by definition Omnivores... go check it out... but ye... at least I don't live with the illusion that I am saving the animals or bettering my life by punishing myself.

[Tribble]

lol neither do I. I do not want to be responsible for what I see as murder. I really couldn't care less what you or anyone else does. I am not out to save the species - only to appease my own conscience. Can't help it if you don't have one

[doo_much]

Doo, Reverse osmosis is used to produce much of the bottled water - unfortunately the nasties it removes, go out as waste water so for every X litres of clean water, you get Y litres more of dirtier water.

I know household units waste a lot but afaik industrial plants achieve about 75% effectiveness (higher pressure and better control)? And we're talking about effluent here, not tap water.

[KALSTER]

A friend working at an industrial pump supplier company told me a few horror stories about municipal water. One town in the North West was pumping mine water straight into the main supply.

[rustypup]

A friend working at an industrial pump supplier company told me a few horror stories

an extended family member has shared a few about KZN's supply with us as well.

when we were picking actual slugs out of our "fresh" water we decided to hell with the orphaned unicorns downstream and switched to bottled.

i prefer my protein on a plate...

[StarPhoenix]

A friend working at an industrial pump supplier company told me a few horror stories about municipal water. One town in the North West was pumping mine water straight into the main supply.

The uranium in the water should help to deal with the biological nasties.

[RiaX]

Well if your drinkng bottled water at home then I do not know. In terms of water south Africa has excellent water in the major cities, that being said tap water is fine when you at home. Personally if I'm in public if I'm thirsty I would buy a bottle of water I would not drink from a publically accessible tap, water is a good medium of bacteria to thrive in. These days that can be fatal

[Prime]

Doo, Reverse osmosis is used to produce much of the bottled water - unfortunately the nasties it removes, go out as waste water so for every X litres of clean water, you get Y litres more of dirtier water.

I know household units waste a lot but afaik industrial plants achieve about 75% effectiveness (higher pressure and better control)? And we're talking about effluent here, not tap water.

Not sure I get your meaning?

Was at a cousins plot in sterkfontein yesterday... Apparently all the wildlife in the local river there is dying due to the seepage from the disused mines in the area