Clean Drinking Water - Bottled / Filtered / Tap

I have been dithering with what is the healthiest / cleanest drinking water and wondered if the forum had any experts or experience with (ahem) drinking water. I am primarily concerned with the everyday drinking water of (in) London but I also have the same question with regards to drinking water in the countryside using a well drawing from the aquifer.

My understanding of London tap water in particular is that it is well filtered but still has hormones from farming and fluoride as advertised. For these two reasons, I have chosen to drink (plastic) bottled spring water to circumnavigate the fluoride in particular. However, I have recently become aware of high levels of micro-plastics is bottled drinking spring water, so I'm second guessing this now too.

I must mention that I am conscious of the plastic waste this is causing and this particular purchase goes against the grain of how we (as a family) buy produce and other general things.

I haven't tried the fridge filtered such as Brita as I'm lead to believe that these do not take out the nasties I am concerned about.

I know of filters which go under the sink such as a Reverse Osmosis Filter and I understand there are countertop versions too.

Are their any drinking water experts (not just general forumongers that consume water) on the forum that can add clear direction as to which is best.

ChatGPT

London Tap Water: Minerals and Substances

Minerals in Tap Water:

1. Calcium: London’s water is "hard," meaning it has high levels of calcium. This comes from the chalk and limestone areas the water passes through.
   
2. Magnesium: Along with calcium, magnesium is also present in higher concentrations in hard water.
   
3. Sodium: Sodium levels in tap water are generally low but can vary depending on the water source and treatment processes.
   
4. Potassium: Present in small quantities.
   
5. Fluoride: Fluoride is added to some areas to help reduce dental cavities. However, it is not universally added across all of London.
   
6. Chlorine: Added to disinfect the water and kill harmful bacteria and viruses. This can sometimes affect taste but ensures safety.
   
7. Sulphates: Naturally occurring, usually within safe limits set by regulatory standards.
   
   

Potential Pollutants and Substances:

1. Lead: Can leach from old pipes, especially in older buildings. Thames Water monitors and mitigates lead levels to ensure they remain below safety thresholds.
   
2. Nitrates: Agricultural runoff can contribute to nitrate levels in water. They are monitored and controlled to meet safety standards.
   
3. Pesticides and Herbicides: Residues from agricultural activities may be present in trace amounts. These are carefully monitored to ensure they do not exceed safe levels.
   
4. Microplastics: Recent studies have shown that microplastics can be present in both tap and bottled water, though the health implications are still being studied.
   
5. Pharmaceuticals: Trace amounts of pharmaceuticals can enter water supplies through human activity, but these are typically found in very low concentrations and are continually monitored.
   
6. Chlorine Byproducts: Disinfection byproducts such as trihalomethanes (THMs) can form when chlorine reacts with organic matter. These are kept within safe limits.
   
7. Heavy Metals: Metals like copper and iron can leach from plumbing but are typically within safe limits due to regular monitoring and treatment.
   
   

Bottled Water: Minerals and Substances

Minerals in Bottled Water:

1. Calcium and Magnesium: Varies by brand and source, often highlighted on the label if it is a selling point.
   
2. Sodium: Levels can vary significantly. Some bottled waters have higher sodium content, which is something to watch for if on a low-sodium diet.
   
3. Potassium: Present in some bottled waters, often in small amounts.
   
4. Fluoride: Generally lower than tap water unless specifically added.
   
5. Sulphates: Present in varying amounts depending on the source.
   
6. Other Minerals: May include bicarbonates, nitrates, and silica, often listed on the label for mineral waters.
   
   

Potential Pollutants and Substances:

1. Microplastics: Studies have shown that bottled water can contain microplastics, likely from the bottling process and packaging.
   
2. Chemical Contaminants: Potential contamination from plastic bottles, such as Bisphenol A (BPA) or phthalates, especially if bottles are stored improperly or exposed to heat.
   
3. Bacteria: Although rare, contamination can occur if the bottling process is not properly managed or if bottles are stored for extended periods.
   
   

Comparative Analysis

Safety Standards:

• Both tap water and bottled water must meet stringent safety standards, but the frequency and scope of testing differ, with tap water being tested more regularly.
  
  

Mineral Content:

• Tap water in London typically has higher calcium and magnesium levels due to its hardness, which can be beneficial for health. Bottled water’s mineral content varies by source and brand.
  
  

Pollutants:

• Both sources may contain microplastics, but bottled water has additional risks from packaging materials.
  
• Tap water may have low levels of pharmaceuticals and chlorine byproducts, continuously monitored and kept within safe limits.
  
  

Conclusion

While both London tap water and bottled water are generally safe to drink, they contain different profiles of minerals and potential contaminants. Tap water is rigorously tested and regulated, providing a cost-effective and environmentally friendly option, whereas bottled water offers convenience and potentially different taste and mineral profiles, albeit with higher environmental costs and variability in quality.

I fitted one of these a few months ago. The website is a mess and looks like a conspiracy theory blog, but I asked a few people On Here and a friend who works in coffee and it seemed to check out.
It’s a little slow to dispense, totally fine for a glass of water or two cups of tea, but for pasta I leave it running and walk off for 15 seconds.
It’s brilliant, brews great filter coffee, and has really really reduced limescale in our kettle, to the point where I kind of forget we had a problem before (Greater London).
Much nicer than using a shitty massive Brita jug that you have to deep clean every few weeks.
You’d need to find one that filters out your specifics, or ask them, mine doesn’t say hormones but similar ones do so might be an error? Also check the facts about plastic waste and microplastics as I can’t remember.
RO would obviously be a much better bet but we don’t have the space or money.

aren't there lots of stories about many bottled waters just being tap water, i don't know how much is true and whether there are further treatments done to the tap water before it gets bottled ?
chose your bottled water carefully otherwise you are just forking out needless money to some multinational for the stuff that comes out of your tap.

many bottled waters just being tap water

Many bottled waters are just filtered tap water, but they do state this. The super cheap still water from Tesco and Sainsbury’s (25p for 2l stuff in the really thin PET bottles) is just that. Can’t find it on their websites but it is in store.

25p for 2l

ancient history.

Personally I only drink Peckham spring.

This thread needs
https://fine-liquids.com/en-gb

I mean, who doesn’t consider what water to pair with their meals?

£108, and definitely not piss….

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I have done research online about micro-plastics and there is (as ever these days) conflicting information.

I’ll check out that filter though.

many bottled waters are just tap water…

I would always buy spring water.

Wow! Thats just another level, bonkers.

I had a thought earlier, after my OP and thought, what about a water sommelier, but then I realised that’s a mad thought and carried on my day.

Stranger than fiction….

Although I do recall the French guy (edit: Francois Thomazeau) of the Cycling Podcast being able to name 4 different waters correctly in a blind taste test.

Spring water like Tesco’s Ashbeck Spring is just tap water that has been through reverse osmosis with minerals added back.
It’s well known in coffee circles as a good standard tds/ph to brew with and cheap.

Long gone Parisian hyper fashion store, Collette, used to have a water bar in the basement. Cray cray prices.

We've got a filter under the sink, water can taste a bit off where we are, it's great straight out of the tap now.

No water on earth will ever taste as good as north London water.

I did some tech support at a conference in Evian-les-Bains a decade ago and was surprised to find there’s a fountain set in a wall, with constantly-running spring water for public consumption.

Travelling back to Galicia when I was very young (in the early to mid 70s), my mum's family home had no running water, we would all troop to the local spring with buckets, bowls, or what have you and fill up. Dad's family's house had a tap, absolute luxury.

Evian, in Switzerland?

I holidayed in Samoèns (of recent Dauphinè fame) as a child and from the old farm house I would bring a jug to the stream across the road and fill it with water. It was delicious. Ice cold water ‘on tap’ in the summer months.

Evian, in Switzerland?

France. But the bit that is surrounded by Switzerland : )

There is no fluoride in any of London's water.
PFAS is still an ongoing area within the industry and the nature of structure changing, there are a few numbers that need to be tested.

oh right! News to me, again conflicting info from online;

Flouride 'will' be added.

That article is quite old

Have you had the water on Fraser Island? It's good!

Evian is naive spelled backwards.

reality bites needs a rewatch probably