Bottled water, an unexpected villain?

[Loosehead]

apparently it's a �2bn industry, where the carbon footprint is 600 times the size of tap water. So why do we indulge?

[sp1214]

Could it be that there is no fluoride in bottled water?

[Loosehead]

perhaps, is that important then?

[naomi24]

I don't indulge. I never buy it - and even in restaurants I ask for a jug of tap along with the wine. Bottled water is a huge con. Nothing but a multi-million pound money-making exercise.

[persianlady]

I too think it is a huge con. I prefer tap water. The only time I drink bottled water is when I am abroad and the local water is rancid. what is so wrong with fluoride in tapwater anyway? Please explain.

[Ethel]

I drink tap water - if you put it in the fridge for a while it looks and tastes fine.

One of the most popular brands of bottled water is naive spelt backwards - I'm not convinced it is coincidence.

All mains tap water in the UK is fit for drinking - we are incredibly lucky to have this essential resource.

[Panic Button]

Tap water tastes so bad. Round here it alternates between tasting of swimming pools or faintly of TCP.

I would like to drink it, but I can't.

It's OK filtered for tea/coffee though, although the TCP taint gets through sometimes.

I'll have to carry on with the 17p for 2 litres Tesco Value - at least it doesn't come from Fiji.

[Ice.Maiden]

Lol panic!!!! I drink both, but won't have tap water once it all becomes fluorinated, because flouride's a poison. Even in small doses, over a period of time it can build up in the body - and who knows what the end result'll be? Check it out on various internet sites if you haven't done so already. I would also never, ever drink tap water from the London area, after watching a documentary about how many times it goes through everyone's systems before it's finally flushed on. It was hideous!

[rojash]

I have just started to use one of those filter jug thingies (forget what they are called). The filtered tap water tastes better than bottled water and it makes a better cup of tea too!

[Ethel]

I used a filter jug for years, but chilling in the fridge is just as good for drinking as bottled water.

Fluoride has been in the tap water where I live for many years - and there are lots of very old people fit and healthy.

There is no such thing as new water. The water on the planet is exactly the same water as has been here forever - it has passed through dinosaurs.

We are not the only country to add fluoride to water - it is common practice in USA, Canada, Australia, many European countries. Flouride is naturally occurring in untreated water.

Salt is far more poisonous than fluoride. I still have it on my chips.

[Haggisdj]

When I was growing up in the sixties in Paisley, nr Glasgow, I was under the immpression that fluoride was in all the water and it was good for us because it stopped tooth decay??

[Ethel]

Haggis - it does benefit teeth, but only 10% of the UKs tap water is fluoride added.

[Ethel]

From America - who encourage fluoride to be added to bottled water:
http://www.rense.com/general74/fda.htm

[cruella]

I have never drank bottled water.
I always drink tap water and prefer it to tea or coffee during the day.

[leg_end758]

Its a necessity due to high mineral content in the water here.

[Quoi]

I never drink bottled water - I drink it from the tap - heated with a teabag and a little milk ;-)

[LoftyLottie]

I never drink bottled water. Our tap water fortunately tastes fine. Mind you I live in a hard water area and can't stand water from soft water areas. I certainly don't use a water filter as tap water (especially hard water) contains some essential minerals which are good for our health ( heart especially.)