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Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

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Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#91
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, in many places, it's pretty bad.

I love that the American solution is not to try to bring the municipal water up to standard but to spend 10x-100x on bottled water.

When you're thirsty the bottle of water is a pretty good solution. Bringing the municipal water up to standard feels like it would be a multi-year project from investigation, lobbying, running for office to make the changes if no other candidate will, giving up all the time that takes as well.

I'll buy a bottle of water and vote.

Where I live it happens to taste fine but my relatives live off well water and I always pack a case of water when visiting.

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#92
post #89
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I recently moved to San Diego from New York, the tap water here is unbearable to drink, it tasted horrible, like you are drinking mold, filters don't help that much, still tastes horrible. I won't drink that, never mind giving it to my kids

If "funny tasting water" upsets you, then sugary drinks-- which kill thousands of people through obesity-- should scare the daylights out of you.

I am free to chose not to drink sugary drinks, but I can't change my current tap water, except for paying for bottled water

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#94
post #89
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I recently moved to San Diego from New York, the tap water here is unbearable to drink, it tasted horrible, like you are drinking mold, filters don't help that much, still tastes horrible. I won't drink that, never mind giving it to my kids

If "funny tasting water" upsets you, then sugary drinks-- which kill thousands of people through obesity-- should scare the daylights out of you.

Why the scare quotes? Tap water in many places does taste funny. I don't drink it for the same reasons; instead, I get Ozarka (Nestle) water delivery. Also, you present a false dichotomy; I don't have to choose between sugary drinks and funny-tasting water. I can, and do, avoid both.

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#95
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the UK tap water is free anywhere they serve alcohol, so yup.

You can get free tap water at mostly any restaurant in Sweden. Most will give it without you being a customer, and its really good. Its one of the things I miss living in Spain, where the water is horrible (at least here in Barcelona, im sure there is good water in the mountains).

Most restaurants in the US have free water, too. The few exceptions I've seen are touristy places, super fancy places, and places that have really, really bad tap water.

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#96
post #85
post #9

Good news. Now they should switch to tap water and it'll also be a win for the environment. (To anticipate answers: Yes, I know, in the US water often contains large amounts of chlorine and doesn't taste that good. And in poorer countries tap water is often undrinkable. But there's no good reason to buy bottled water if your water supply is reasonable, which is true for large parts of europe at least.)

the beverage industry has done a great job marketing the idea that the US water supply isnt clean, at a 1000% markup of course.

I'm always bemused that bottled water costs more than gasoline.

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#97
post #87
post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be exact - It smells like water from a swamp. Hard to satisfy your thirst by drinking that nasty smell

If your water is literally smelly than it is either something wrong with your pipes or psychosomatic. I can't imagine that the entire city of San Diego is distributing water that has an odor. I have never had this problem in San Diego. I would suggest calling the city if this is truly a problem.

Smell is not an indication of danger.

Municipal water in Florida often has the smell of sulfur, due to the presence of sulfur -- and if I'm remembering correctly, a relative who works at the state equivalent of the EPA told me that it's common in coastal areas due to byproducts of bacteria in the water table. But it's completely harmless.

I can only speak for Florida, though.

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#98
post #9

Good news. Now they should switch to tap water and it'll also be a win for the environment. (To anticipate answers: Yes, I know, in the US water often contains large amounts of chlorine and doesn't taste that good. And in poorer countries tap water is often undrinkable. But there's no good reason to buy bottled water if your water supply is reasonable, which is true for large parts of europe at least.)

Further on the point of bottled water, around 45% of brands actually just bottle municipal tap water [0].

[0] http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/03/bottled-water...

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#100
post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

the beverage industry has done a great job marketing the idea that the US water supply isnt clean, at a 1000% markup of course.

I'm always bemused that bottled water costs more than gasoline.

bottled water and printer ink, the most expensive liquids on the planet.
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