Promote investment in tap water as alternative to bottled water to safeguard health, environment: Scientists

A group of medical scientists has called for investing in making safe piped water available to all to protect the well-being of people and the planet from the health and environmental problems caused by the proliferation of bottled water.

The contaminants found in bottled water can contribute to hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity in later life, besides taking a toll on the environment, the scientists warned in a paper published in the British Medical Journal.

Moreover, plastic bottles significantly affect the environment as they are the second most ocean pollutant, making up nearly 12 per cent of all plastic waste with only plastic bags exceeding them, according to the scientists.

"Despite these significant health and environmental costs, the consumption of water in plastic bottles has markedly risen on a global scale," they wrote.

In India, bottled water consumption was projected to reach 24.91 billion litres this year, according to Statista.

"Low-income and middle-income countries must invest in infrastructure and safe tap water availability," they suggested, as an alternative to bottled water.

"Governments must urgently confront these (health and environment) issues and shift towards sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic bottles in the interest of both human and global health," wrote the scientists from the Institute for Population Health, Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar, and New York Medical College.

Reports suggest that the contaminants found in bottled water range between 10 and 78 per cent, they said.

These contaminants include microplastics, phthalates, alkylphenols, polychlorinated biphenyls, polyfluoroalkyl substances, and bisphenol A (BPA), according to them.

Such contaminants are frequently classified as endocrine disruptors that interfere with the normal functioning of reproductive hormones, thyroid hormones, and glucocorticoid receptors, especially during critical embryonic stages," they wrote.

"BPA is a notorious player in this mix. Its exposure has been tied to a range of later-life health issues like hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity," according to the paper.

The storage conditions of bottled water "significantly increase the risk of plastic contaminants leaching" into the water, especially if exposed to high temperatures and sunlight when harmful chemicals like BPA and phthalates seep into the water," the scientists wrote.

They also questioned the preference for bottled water based on taste and purity.

"Research has suggested that many individuals cannot differentiate between tap water and BW (bottled water) in blind tests, challenging the notion that BW is inherently tastier," the scientists said.

Moreover, some brands of bottled water resort to chilling or carbonation, and "the perceived superior taste of some" may be due to added chemicals rather than the natural water itself, they wrote.

One of the environmental factors they considered is the disproportionate impact on developing countries because of industrialised countries sending their plastic waste to these nations.

This raises "concerns about social and environmental justice, exacerbating the environmental burden on these (developing) nations and creating an uneven distribution of environmental responsibility," they wrote.

They also accused the bottled water industry of being "a notable contributor to the plastic waste crisis, by promoting BW as a healthier option and exploiting common water resources for financial gain".

The scientists, Amit Abraham, Sohaila Cheema, Karima Chaabna, Albert Lowenfels, and Ravinder Mamtani, suggested undertaking educational campaigns to create awareness of the problems with bottled water and promote alternatives.

One of the alternatives, they suggested, is "a personal strategy gaining traction (that) involves using water filters at home, enhancing the potability of tap water, thereby making it a more attractive option for daily use".