Is It Safe To Drink Tap Water?
Article by Ellie Morris
Often people forget how important hydration is when it comes to our nutrition. Water is essential for most, if not all, bodily processes to work, including enabling our kidneys to filter out waste products, helping us to cool down through the process of sweating, and ensuring our blood is able to carry oxygen and nutrients around the body (1). It also plays a role in regulating mood, productivity, and concentration (1). The best way to hydrate yourself is simply by drinking water.
In the UK, authorities have made sure that tap water is cheap (in most cases it’s free), easy to access and amongst the safest in the world. So why do so many of us avoid it and choose bottled or filtered water instead?
What are the differences?
Tap water:
About 1/3 of tap water in England comes from underground sources, known as aquifers. The remainder comes from surface water sources such as reservoirs, lakes, and rivers. Before you can drink it, tap waters goes through a high standard to quality control to ensure that it is not contaminated with pollutants, bacteria, or chemicals so that it is safe for human consumption (2).
Filtered water:
Simply put, filtered water is just tap water that has undergone various processes to lower the amount of impurities, such as chemical treatment or heavy metals, that may affect the water’s taste and palatability. It can be easily done at home as the market for water filters is becoming more and more popular. The way in which these filters work is through an ion-exchange column known as sodium-swapping which softens the water – the process of removing dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium and swapping them for other minerals such as sodium or potassium, to improve the taste and increase its drinkability. However, filtering is not necessary to ensure the safety of the water that you drink, especially in the UK, and having these extra minerals may actually be beneficial to health.
Bottled water:
This is either tap water and/or filtered water that is put into plastic bottles.
Benefits of tap water
Below are some reasons as to why tap water remains a great way to stay hydrated, and why bottled or filtered water isn’t always necessary.
It’s a safe product
It’s been a long-standing myth over the years that tap water is unsafe to drink. However, due to strict and tightly controlled regulations, the UK has some of the safest drinking water in the world. Every year the water companies across the UK, and in most developed countries, carry out rigorous and regular tests to ensure the tap water meets the correct quality standards so that we can safely drink water straight from the tap.
When going abroad, it’s best to check the country you are visiting’s guidelines on whether tap water is safe to drink there before you travel or soon after arrival, to avoid any potential illnesses.
It’s cheaper
Tap water is free compared to bottled water which can be costly, depending on the brand and the size of the bottle. Items that help filter water are also relatively expensive. It costs about a third of a penny to drink two litres from the compared to around 90p for bottled branded tap water (3). Why not start filling up some reusable bottles with tap water and chilling them in the fridge before you want to drink them.
It’s kinder to the environment
As well as being cheaper, tap water is much better for the environment. In the UK, 7.7 billion single-use plastic bottles are bought each year (4), which we know is having a negative impact on our environment and our carbon footprints. Using your own BPA-free reusable bottle to carry tap water not only reduces the number of plastic bottles that are sent to landfill each year, but also means that less plastic is being produced to keep up with the demand for increasing bottled water.
Next time you are thirsty go ahead and enjoy a glass of tap water - you'll not only feel refreshed, you’ll also feel good for doing your bit for the environment, reducing costs and supporting your health.
This blog was written by Ellie Morris, the Clinic Manager for Rhitrition and soon-to-been associated registered nutritionist. She is about to finish her MSc in Applied Human Nutrition at Oxford Brookes, and has previously completed an internship with Clarissa Lenherr Nutrition, and was an applied sports nutrition intern at the University of Birmingham. Ellie has also had some experience as part of the MyNutriWeb team to learn the behind the scenes of one of the UK’s leading nutrition CPD resources. She shares yummy meal and snack ideas over on her Instagram @nutritiouslyellie.
References:
(1) https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/the-importance-of-hydration.html
(2) https://www.water.org.uk/advice-for-customers/water-and-health/
(3) https://www.watersafe.org.uk/blog/posts/tap_is_still_top/