Sustainability Hub

In my group for this one week project my group members were:

Abdul
Chris
Delaney
Hammad

We decided to look in to tap water vs bottled water and collect as much research as possible to prove that tap water is basically the same as bottled water and that bottled water is bad for our environment and is a waste of money.

Below are parts of articles/quotes that will back up our point.

Quote below from: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jun/01/should-i-stop-drinking-bottled-water

"It’s the world’s bestselling soft drink – more people buy bottled water than fruit juice or fizzy drinks. In 2013, the UK glugged 2.4bn litres of it, and by 2014 this had risen to 2.6bn litres. Yet, remarkably, you can get this particular beverage from the tap, for free. Bottled water can cost between 500 to 1000 times more than tap water. So, is it healthier? And does it taste better? It certainly has a hefty carbon footprint – with some reports estimating around 82.8g of CO2 for a half-litre bottle – not insignificant when everyone’s drinking it. Recycling rates are improving but, in America, for example, it’s estimated that only a quarter of bottles get recycled. So is it really so much better that it’s worth both paying for and harming the planet? Or should you stop buying it?

The solution

It’s simple: yes, you should stop buying it. There is no evidence it is better for you and, indeed, it may be less safe than tap water. Two thirds of water from the tap comes from surface water (reservoirs, lakes, rivers) and the rest from ground water (underground geological formations that store rainwater). It is subject to stringent treatment standards – according to Professor Paul Younger, a hydro geochemist, these make it safer than bottled water. The Drinking Water Inspectorate regulates mains water (99.97% of samples pass the strict standards) while local authorities watch over bottled water plants. Tap water has a residual amount of chlorine in, which you usually can’t taste, but which makes it more resistant to bacteria. If you think you can taste chloride, then sticking the water under a cover in the fridge for half an hour gets rid of it. Concerns that tap water contains oestrogens from contraceptive pills being peed out or that it has passed through the kidneys of 10 people are not valid, says Younger. Water companies have to treat wastewater before it can reach natural waters and there is no evidence (from extensive studies) that oestrogens are present in tap water.

A study of over 1,000 people in Belfast found that they couldn’t tell the difference between tap and bottled water when asked which was the more pleasant, pure, natural and refreshing. Bottled water can come from springs or from the mains. It can also be treated, for example, to have iron removed. Its success is due to excellent marketing and our laziness in not buying reusable bottles and filling them with tap water. Furthermore, Younger says if you decide to ditch bottled water, you don’t need to compensate by filtering what comes out of the tap. “It’s hocus pocus,” he says."

Not only does this quote tell us that people cant tell the difference in the taste, it also tells us that bottled water cost between 500 to 1000 times more than tap water.

Quote below is from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/9775158/Bottled-water-not-as-safe-as-tap-variety.html

"Researchers found bottled variety is subject to far less stringent safety tests than tap water and is much more likely to be contaminated or become a source of infection.

While tap water must be checked daily under a rigorous inspection regime, by contrast, bottled makers are only required to undertake monthly testing at source, it was claimed.

Tap water also contains trace amounts of chlorine that prevent the spread of anything harmful such as bacterial infections, it was reported.

But once filled and sealed, a bottle of water might remain in storage for months before it is sold and contains no disinfecting additives such as chlorine.

After a bottle of water is opened it has no way of remaining sterile and so must be drunk within days. It can cost up to 1000 more."

Quote below from: http://www.rd.com/health/diet-weight-loss/rethink-what-you-drink/

"Lisa Ledwidge, 38, of Minneapolis, stopped drinking bottled water a couple of years ago, partly because she found out that many brands come from a municipal supply. “You’re spending more per gallon than you would on gasoline for this thing that you can get out of the tap virtually for free,” she says. “I wondered, Why am I spending this money while complaining about how much gas costs? But you don’t ever hear anyone complain about the price of bottled water.” Ledwidge says she now drinks only filtered tap water."

The video below was very helpful in backing up our point and its full of points and below it, there are some screenshots from the video.

Screenshots below are from: http://www.upworthy.com/see-what-researchers-found-when-they-tested-a-bottle-of-fiji-water-against-a-glass-of-tap-water

When looking at loads of articles online and collecting research we thought backed up our point we came up with an idea. Our idea was to create an art installation which showed people that tap water and bottled water are the same by having taps come from the same water but each tap has a brand name on in and one docent have a brand name meaning its tap but its coming from the same water.

The diagram below will explain our idea better

This would for example be on a busy high street where it would create awareness.