Wondering why you should drink tap water? Then I present to you now the decisive advantages of the good old "Kraneberger"! We learn from an early age that Drink 2-3 liters of water daily need to stay healthy. No question: mineral water tastes great! But the inconspicuous sparkling bottles also have their downsides, which everyone should know and take into account.
In this article, I'll show you why you should instead rely on water from the tap for your regular fluid intake. Let's go!
In advance you can find here already a Overview about the advantages described:
- Conserve natural resources
- Prevent entire regions from drying out
- Save cash
- Avoid plastic waste
- Minimize energy consumption for water
- No more carrying water boxes
- Conveniently fill the water bottle on the road
- Tap water is strictly controlled
- Water from the tap is always available
- Tap water can be upgraded
1. conserve natural resources
Water is a vital resource for the life of humans, animals and plants on this earth. Especially since only about 2.5 percent of the water on earth is edible and most of it is still frozen in ice and permafrost, it is so incredibly important to be respectful of natural sources of drinking water.₁
"When the well is dry we know the value of water."
Benjamin Franklin (more at Water Quotes)
Tap water generally comes from safe, government sources and systems and is not controlled by profit-driven private companies. Therefore, it is generally advantageous to prefer drinking water from the tap.
2. prevent desiccation of entire regions
Due to their privatization of water sources, some mineral water corporations, such as. Nestlé, under criticism. For example, the company has caused the drying of an entire neighborhood in the French village of Vittel.₂
So buying mineral water often brings environmental and social consequences which can only be recognized at second glance and can be avoided by consuming tap water.
3. save cash
It is often said that sustainability is expensive! But here is one of many examples of the fact that you can save money through a sustainable lifestyle can:
On average, we pay about 50 cents per liter for mineral water. However, a liter of tap water only costs us 0.2 cents on average. Bottled water in plastic bottles is therefore 250 times more expensive than the water from the tap and therefore also a billion-dollar business. You can read more about this in the detailed Comparison of tap water and mineral water.
4. avoid plastic waste
In Germany alone, where tap water is safe to drink, about 1.9 million single-use plastic bottles are - especially for mineral water.₃ So it's no surprise that a large proportion of the innumerable plastic bottles are used as Plastic waste in the environment ends? Since they are not biodegradable, they then take around 450 years to decompose into smaller microplastics in nature or in the sea.₄
By drinking tap water, we can solve this waste problem, for example in combination with the use of a reusable Stainless steel drinking bottle, reduce.
Tip: More about the plastic-free lifestyle and Microplastics in the sea you can read in the linked articles.
5. minimize energy consumption for water
Mineral water must be pumped, bottled and transported. Tap water is merely treated and therefore does not consume nearly as much energy. According to the consumer advice center, the climate impact of mineral water in Germany is almost 600 times higher than that of tap water.₅ So if you have climate friendly living, the environmental problem of the Water shortage and protect our planet for future generations, you should drink tap water first and foremost.
Tip: At Stop water shortage you will learn what else you can do to ensure that everyone always has enough water.
6. No more carrying water boxes
I still remember very well that I used to always use the heavy six packs of packaged mineral water from the supermarket hundreds of meters away to the third floor of my student flat. And nowadays, many people only drive to the grocery store by car because they can't carry six-packs and water boxes on their own.
From this point of view, there is probably no more convenient food than drinking water from the tap. For many, this is a very decisive advantage of tap water. In addition, there is also the fact that one no longer even return the deposit bottles must.
7. Conveniently fill the water bottle on the road
I fill up my bottle when I leave the house - and if I'm on the road for a longer period of time, I always come up with a solution, too. With the help of the Refill App, in the restaurant or meanwhile also the many, public water sourcesYou can easily refill your own water bottle when you're on the move. Also because this is possible, I have not needed a single plastic bottle of mineral water for years.
8. tap water is strictly controlled
Contamination of the water from the tap cannot be completely ruled out. However, tap water in Germany is subject to extremely strict controls and is only produced in compliance with the standards specified in the Drinking Water Ordinance and requirements are delivered to the customer. The drinking water from the tap is therefore basically clean. However, a water analysis is definitely recommended to ensure that the water at your location is absolutely safe.
However, as Stiftung Warentest found out, it is mainly pre-packaged (mostly still) Mineral water often germs and bacteria.₆ In addition, it is becoming increasingly common for questionable residues of Microplastics are detected in the sparkling water in the plastic bottles.₇ Off So from a health point of view, you should also prefer the water from the tap.
9. WATER FROM THE TAP IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE
Maybe you know the problem when the Water in the storage cabinet is once again nearing its end - and on Sunday of all days, when most supermarkets are closed. Not having to carry the water boxes at all is an advantage. But I also drink tap water because it is simply available 24/7 and in this day and age in Germany I still have can not run the risk of running out.
10. tap water can be upgraded
Many people are bored of drinking tap water! I can understand that - who doesn't get bored of having to eat or drink the same thing every day? But fortunately, the "Kraneberger" can be pimped and made tastier with the help of the simplest means. For example, it can be mineralized by adding a SodastreamThe cartridge can be easily returned to the supermarket or exchanged via the deposit system.
But also with the help of lemons, limes or mint leaves can be used to upgrade the classic tap water. But there are no limits to creativity.
Which is healthier: mineral water or tap water?
Stiftung Warentest has confirmed that mineral water is no healthier than tap water. In fact, water from the tap often contains more minerals and fewer germs, microplastics and other harmful residues.
Can you get sick from tap water?
Definitely. The danger to one's health is great if, for example, bacteria, nitrates and germs are present in the drinking water. Diarrhea or inflammatory reactions can be a possible consequence. Tap water is not edible everywhere in the world. That's why you should have the water quality checked in any case.
How can I get my tap water tested?
On request at the responsible health office or via internet sites such as waterfasttest.com a test of the tap water can be carried out. There are even self-tests from private providers or pharmacies, but these often only take into account a small number of criteria.
How do I cover my mineral requirements without mineral water?
A study by the University of Paderborn has confirmed that we humans are not dependent on minerals from mineral water. Our own mineral requirements can be covered by a varied, healthy diet.
Is tap water safe to drink?
Provided that there are no lead pipes in the house and the water from the tap has been classified as safe by a test on site, you can basically drink it without any problems.
Why drink tap water? Save the environment, your wallet and your health!
We protect the climate, the environment and the scarce natural resource water. In addition, we save ourselves many times over the cost of drinking water every day. And as if that weren't enough, we also minimize the risk of back problems and the intake of pollutants. So there are pretty good ecological, financial and last but not least health reasonsto drink more tap water in the future.
I hope I was able to make you aware of the benefits in this article. Do you have questions, suggestions or your own experiences with the consumption of tap water that you would like to share? Then just write me a comment.
Stay sustainable,
PS: Do you also want to be more aware of the use of water in your home? Then I will now introduce you to valuable tips for save water in the household. Have fun!
References:
₁ Kirsten Achenbach: Divided Freshwater World (as of 01.02.2006), available at https://t1p.de/k66t. [01.09.2021].
₂ Verein MultiWatch: Nestlé in Vittel - Kampf ums Wasser, https://multiwatch.ch/fall/nestle-in-vittel-kampf-ums-wasser. [26.08.2021].
₃ Josephine Keller: Avoiding Waste, How to Know, available at https://muellnichtrum.rlp.de/zahlen-und-fakten. [01.09.2021].
₄ Federal Environment Agency (2016): UBA Infographic. https://twitter.com/umweltbundesamt/status/710842494473392128. [01.09.2021].
₅ Consumer advice center: Is tap water safe to drink? (as of 03/22/2021), available at https://www.verbraucherzentrale.de/wissen/umwelt-haushalt/wasser/kann-man-leitungswasser-trinken-34836. [01.09.2021].
₆ Stiftung Warentest: Some organic waters and premium brands disappoint (as of July 27, 2021), available at https://www.test.de/Natuerliches-Mineralwasser-im-Test-4258945-0. [01.09.2021].
₇ Darena Schymanski, Christophe Goldbeck, Hans-Ulrich Humpf; et al. (2018): Analysis of microplastics in water by micro-Raman spectroscopy: Release of plastic particles from different packaging into mineral water, available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0043135417309272. [01.09.2021].
