As water becomes increasingly scarce, the bottled water industry is also coming under fire for its use of plastic and natural resources. 

Every year, millions of tons of plastic end up in our oceans, where it harms marine life and contributes to climate change.

Despite these concerns, bottled water is still the most popular choice worldwide.

ADVANTAGES

It is easy to access bottled water in a natural disaster like an earthquake or a flood. It is advantageous because people will have clean water to drink and survive.

Moreover, bottled water is easy to transport and can be stored for an extended period.

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According to statistics, bottled water sales increased by 20 per cent in the aftermath of a natural disaster. It is because people and governments are more aware of the importance of clean water and are the first line of support.

In addition, bottled water companies, people, and governments often donate water in the aftermath of natural disasters. It helps to provide clean water for those who need it most and can be a lifesaver in emergencies.

Bottled water can be a lifesaver in areas where clean drinking water is scarce. In poverty-stricken areas, access to clean water can be the difference between life and death.

In ordinary day-to-day life, bottled water is one of the most convenient ways to stay hydrated on the go. And for those who have the means, bottled water provides a convenient and safe way to stay healthy and hydrated.

BEHAVIOURAL ECONOMICS

Some people believe that bottled water is a necessary evil, while others view it as an unnecessary luxury.

No denying that bottled water is expensive. However, many people are willing to pay the premium for the convenience and peace of mind knowing the water is safe.

While many people take bottled water for granted, it is a relatively new phenomenon. Before the 1950s, Americans, like the rest of the world’s population, too typically drank water from public wells or from taps in their homes. 

However, as the country became more industrialised and urbanised, concerns about water contamination grew.

At the same time, advances in bottling technology made it possible to mass-produce safe, purified water on a large scale.

Still, the problem is not solved. As the world becomes increasingly industrialised, access to clean water is becoming more and more of a concern. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 1 billion people lack access to clean drinking water.

POVERTY AND CLEAN WATER

Poverty is a pressing global issue and one that has a significant impact on water access. According to the World Bank, an estimated 783 million people do not have access to clean drinking water. The lack of access can lead to several serious health problems, including dehydration, gastrointestinal illnesses, cholera and even death.

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People often must choose between using their limited resources to purchase food or clean water in poverty-stricken areas. Consequently, many people are forced to drink contaminated water, which can lead to deadly diseases.

While some efforts have been made to provide clean drinking water to poverty-stricken areas, much more needs to be done, and bottled water may only be a temporary solution.

MONETISING WATER

Today, bottled water is big business. Whether or not one believes bottled water is an unnecessary luxury, there is no denying that it is a huge business.

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In 2015, the global bottled water market was worth $156 billion and was expected to grow to $280 billion by 2025. Developing countries contribute most of it, where sales are expected to quadruple over the next decade. In the United States alone, sales topped $21 billion in 2018.

With such high stakes, it is no wonder that the bottled water industry is increasingly coming under scrutiny.

INDUSTRY PROFIT

Bottled water is one of the most profitable industries in the world. In 2016, The Wall Street Journal estimated that the industry was worth $220 billion. And it’s only getting bigger: according to Euromonitor, the global bottled water market is expected to grow by nearly 20%.

Critics argue that the industry profit comes at the expense of consumers, who are paying up to 2000 times more for bottled water than they would for tap water.

HARMFUL TO ENVIRONMENT

Drinking bottled water is one of the most popular habits in the world but has a significant environmental impact. 

The manufacturing of plastic bottles uses large amounts of energy and natural resources, and when those bottles are thrown away, they end up in landfills. 

There they release harmful chemicals into the environment. In addition, the average bottle of water requires 3 litres of water to produce.

Plastic bottles are the most common form of marine pollution. Unfortunately, it is a myth that water bottles are recycled, as it is estimated that only about 1% of plastic bottles are recycled.

In addition, the transportation of bottled water creates a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

Critics also argue that it is unnecessarily expensive. They also point out bottled water does nothing to address the underlying causes of water shortages.

CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST

Bottled water is a big business, and companies are profit-driven. As a result, the industry has a conflict of interest between private companies and public water supplies. 

These companies often source their water from municipal sources, meaning they are profiting off of a public resource. They’re taking advantage of a public resource and selling it back to consumers at a markup.

Bottled water, it can be argued that it is not healthier than tap water because the bottles themselves are a significant source of pollution. 

Moreover, they contend that the bottled water industry uses marketing tactics to convince consumers that they need to buy a product called ‘water’ that is otherwise readily available for free.

In addition, many bottled water companies have been accused of misleading consumers about the source and quality of their water.

SAFETY

There is a growing concern over the safety of bottled water. While bottled water companies insist that their product is safe, many argue that the pollution in its production and storage poses a serious health risk.

In addition, bottled water is often stored in plastic containers, which can leach chemicals into the water. 

Studies have shown that even short-term exposure to heat can increase the amount of chemical leaching from plastic bottles. Because plastic is an excellent conductor of heat, hot temperatures can cause chemicals from the bottle to leach into the water. 

It is particularly concerning considering that many people store bottled water in hot cars or direct sunlight.

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Those who drink the water ingest these chemicals, leading to health problems. For example, BPA, a chemical used in many plastics, has been linked to numerous ailments, including hormonal imbalances and reproductive issues.

Similarly, increasing evidence suggests that bottled water may not be as safe as we thought. Again, a significant concern is pollution; a study by the World Health Organization found that 90% of bottled water samples contained microplastics. 

These tiny particles can enter our bodies through the water and food chain and causes various health problems, including gastrointestinal upset, hormonal disruption, and cancer.

Given these concerns, some argue drinking tap water is safer than bottled water.

Tap water in the United States is considered among the safest in the world. It is stringently regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which sets strict water quality and treatment standards. 

In contrast, bottled water is only regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has much weaker standards. As a result, bottled water can sometimes be of poorer quality than tap water.

In addition, bottled water companies are not required to disclose information about their sources or filtration methods, making it difficult for consumers to know what they are drinking.

GROUNDWATER DEPLETION

Groundwater depletion is one of the leading environmental concerns associated with bottled water production. As the world’s population continues to grow, so makes the water demand. By 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas.

One way to quench this growing demand is to turn to bottled water. Every year, billions of water bottles are produced and sold worldwide. While bottled water may be a convenient option, we need to consider the environmental costs of production. 

Bottled water production requires a large amount of groundwater, depleting our natural resources at an alarming rate.

Bottling companies must drill deep wells to extract water from underground aquifers. This process can deplete groundwater levels and cause drought conditions in areas where the wells are located. 

Additionally, bottling companies often use large amounts of energy to transport and store their products, further contributing to climate change.

According to the National Ground Water Association, groundwater supplies 40% of the water used in the United States annually. However, in some areas, groundwater levels are declining due to over-pumping. 

In addition, bottling companies often extract groundwater faster than it can be replenished, further depleting this vital resource. In other areas, drought and climate change are causing groundwater levels to drop. As a result, many communities are facing a water crisis.

RECYCLING

Plastic recycling is the process of recovering scrap or waste plastic. It is then reprocessed into valuable products. Sometimes the transformed product is vastly different in form from its original state. For instance, this could mean melting down water bottles and then casting them as plastic chairs and tables.

Collecting the bottles for recycling is again a complicated social project.

The first plastic recycling mill was built in 1872 by Alfred Benjamin Cole. The earliest plastics were based on natural materials such as cellulose (from cotton linter) and rubber (from gutta-percha). 

Still, these were quickly replaced by synthetic materials such as Bakelite (1907), polystyrene (1930), PVC (1933), polyethene terephthalate (1953) etc., since they were cheaper to produce and had superior physical properties.

Currently, only a few companies in the world can recycle PET into plastic that can be used for food packaging due to the stringent food safety requirements.

While plastic recycling is often lauded as a vital waste management tool, it is not without its critics. Some argue that the infrastructure and resources required for large-scale plastic recycling are not available in many parts of the world, making it challenging to implement on a global scale.

Others point to the fact that many types of plastic are not recyclable or can only be recycled for a limited number of times before they become too degraded to be valid.

And finally, some argue that the production of recycled plastic requires more energy and generates more greenhouse gas emissions than simply producing new plastic from scratch.

The use of disposable or single-use plastic water bottles is commonplace worldwide. It’s estimated that over 1 million plastic water bottles are sold every minute. 

However, most of these bottles are not recycled and end up in landfills. Lying there, it can take hundreds of years to decompose.

SHOULD THE BOTTLED WATER BE BANNED?

Given these concerns, some people argue that we should ban bottled water altogether. However, this would be a short-sighted solution to a complex problem.

For many, bottled water is the only safe option for drinking water, especially in areas affected by drought or other water crises like contaminated groundwater. 

In these cases, access to clean, safe drinking water is a matter of life and death. Banning bottled water is not the answer until we have a more sustainable way to provide safe drinking water for everyone.

As the debate continues, it’s clear that the bottled water industry is here to stay.

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SOLUTION

Fortunately, there are some easy ways to reduce the impact on the environment from bottled water.

One way to help preserve groundwater is to use bottled water only when necessary.

The other is to drink tap water instead – it’s free and just as safe as bottled water.

Another is to invest in a reusable water bottle that people can fill up from the tap.

If someone is concerned about tap water quality, consider installing a home filtration system as in India.

Though bottled water companies have been criticised for their environmental impact, some are working to make a difference. 

For example, Nestle Waters North America has partnered with charities such as WaterAid and WE Charity to provide clean water to poverty-stricken communities worldwide. Nestle, for example, has committed to making all of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.

CONCLUSION

Finally, it’s worth considering the price tag of bottled water.

Some companies are beginning to take action on these issues. But critics say that these commitments are not enough and that the bottled water industry needs to do more to reduce its environmental impact.

By making smart choices about how we use water, we can help protect this vital resource for future generations.