Bottled water cheaper than tap water

I like bottled water. I also like tap water. I drink a lot of both. My wife says not enough.

So I read with great interest the latest Watertalk magazine from my local tap water supplier Bristol Water.

Its cover story urges “local citizens to stop buying bottled water and fill up their flasks with tap water instead.”

On the first page, it states “supermarket bottled water is 53 times more expensive than Bristol Water, costing around 8 pence per litre.”

On that basis, one could argue bottled water is actually cheaper than tap water.

An average adult uses 150 litres of water a day and consumes 1.3 litres or under 1%. All the quality standards and costs are based on that 1%.

So, to make a fair comparison, perhaps the tap water price should be multiplied by 100, which would make it 15 pence per litre ?

That’s without accounting for the Refill Bristol bottle which retails for a healthy £10.00 plus £2.60 delivery.

There was some other interesting statements in the magazine.

• Bristol Water alone has 7,000 kilometres of mains pipes.

• “Small traces of lead can sometimes find its way into your water supply.”

• “The majority of our water mains are made of iron and over time rust particles can settle in the pipes.”

• “Occasionally, customers will notice that their water has a blue, green or turquoise appearance.”

• “48% prefer bottled to tap when they are out and about.”

Divisive campaigns raise more complex questions. Surely everyone should work more closely together towards better hydration and less waste?