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Liquid assets: how the business of bottled water went mad

theguardian.com

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Re: Liquid assets: how the business of bottled water went mad

#11

Post by witty_username »

Theodores wrote: post #3

I think part of this is to do with the 'hydrate' word. Years ago, before water was advertised on television there was this word 'thirsty'. Sometimes, on a hot day or after some strenuous activity you might be 'thirsty' and need to have a drink of tea or maybe just plain water for instant refreshment. The water came from the tap, where else? But then times changed. Nowadays people don't listen to their bodies and drin…

> Nowadays people don't listen to their bodies and drink accordingly.

Source?

Re: Liquid assets: how the business of bottled water went mad

#12

Post by noir_lord »

FT_intern wrote: post #6
hueving wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many people don't drink from the tap because they are convinced it's bad water (which is true in corner cases at least in the US). Everyone I know who drinks bottled does it because of this and it has nothing to do with this 'hydration' ritual you are theorizing.

After watching documentaries about America's crumbling infrastructure I've been paranoid about tap water. My thinking is that the less piping that the water travels through, the less risk of contamination. I've assumed that bottled water gets bottled right by the its source, minimizing the risk.

Sometimes that source is a tap though, infamously Desani in the UK.

Re: Liquid assets: how the business of bottled water went mad

#13

Post by exhilaration »

FT_intern wrote: post #6
hueving wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many people don't drink from the tap because they are convinced it's bad water (which is true in corner cases at least in the US). Everyone I know who drinks bottled does it because of this and it has nothing to do with this 'hydration' ritual you are theorizing.

After watching documentaries about America's crumbling infrastructure I've been paranoid about tap water. My thinking is that the less piping that the water travels through, the less risk of contamination. I've assumed that bottled water gets bottled right by the its source, minimizing the risk.

Depends on the water. The Coke/Pepsi waters (Dasani/Aquafina), among many others, are just purified tap water. So it goes through all the same piping that brings water to most American homes.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/aquafina-source-tap-water/sto...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasani

Re: Liquid assets: how the business of bottled water went mad

#14

Post by collyw »

tomjen3 wrote: post #9

Tap water is awesome when you are home and it doesn't taste like crap. Bottled water is awesome when I am at the gym, or out and about. I really don't get why the left hate water bottles so fucking much, it has become quite tiresome.

Because they are an environmental disaster with no need for them. Get a refillable water bottle and take that to the gym.

Re: Liquid assets: how the business of bottled water went mad

#15

Post by GordonS »

tomjen3 wrote: post #9

Tap water is awesome when you are home and it doesn't taste like crap. Bottled water is awesome when I am at the gym, or out and about. I really don't get why the left hate water bottles so fucking much, it has become quite tiresome.

Why not fill a bottle with tap water from your home and take that with you when out and about?

Re: Liquid assets: how the business of bottled water went mad

#16

Post by dom0 »

jacquesm wrote: post #5
hueving wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many people don't drink from the tap because they are convinced it's bad water (which is true in corner cases at least in the US). Everyone I know who drinks bottled does it because of this and it has nothing to do with this 'hydration' ritual you are theorizing.

The water peddlers have successfully convinced people in places where the water is perfectly safe to drink (and tasty too) that it isn't. There are plenty of places in the world where the water isn't safe to drink but a very large portion of those is so poor the people there could not afford bottled water anyway. But for places with old water lines and all kinds of junk in the water it can make good sense to use bott…

I'm from Germany and it's almost uncanny with _some_ people. Like in, you get a glass of water (from the tap, where else?) and (some) people act like "What the hell is he doing?! Is he insane? You can't drink that!"

n.b. Germany has some of the strictest regulations and accordingly the tap water is of excellent quality - everywhere.

Re: Liquid assets: how the business of bottled water went mad

#17

Post by jackfoxy »

jacquesm wrote: post #5
hueving wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many people don't drink from the tap because they are convinced it's bad water (which is true in corner cases at least in the US). Everyone I know who drinks bottled does it because of this and it has nothing to do with this 'hydration' ritual you are theorizing.

The water peddlers have successfully convinced people in places where the water is perfectly safe to drink (and tasty too) that it isn't. There are plenty of places in the world where the water isn't safe to drink but a very large portion of those is so poor the people there could not afford bottled water anyway. But for places with old water lines and all kinds of junk in the water it can make good sense to use bott…

or just filter the tap water yourself

Re: Liquid assets: how the business of bottled water went mad

#18

Post by david-given »

hueving wrote: post #4
Theodores wrote: post #3

I think part of this is to do with the 'hydrate' word. Years ago, before water was advertised on television there was this word 'thirsty'. Sometimes, on a hot day or after some strenuous activity you might be 'thirsty' and need to have a drink of tea or maybe just plain water for instant refreshment. The water came from the tap, where else? But then times changed. Nowadays people don't listen to their bodies and drin…

Many people don't drink from the tap because they are convinced it's bad water (which is true in corner cases at least in the US). Everyone I know who drinks bottled does it because of this and it has nothing to do with this 'hydration' ritual you are theorizing.

I live in Zürich.

The water company here says that it's unfair to compare the tap water with bottled mineral water; the tap water is substantially better.

(I had a tour of the plant. They are a serious group of overachievers. The source of the water is mostly the local lake, and is purified by, two grades of sand filter, activated charcoal, ozone purification, and a bacterial bed. They actively manage the biofilms in the water pipes; the water itself is so clean that chlorination is unnecessary. They also actively manage the local aquifers so that the underground water flow near any industrial site flows away from their collection wells. There are two separate distribution networks, one for emergencies, plus a warehouse full of bagged water ready for distribution. And, best of all, it tastes great.)

Re: Liquid assets: how the business of bottled water went mad

#19

Post by gumby »

hueving wrote: post #4
Theodores wrote: post #3

I think part of this is to do with the 'hydrate' word. Years ago, before water was advertised on television there was this word 'thirsty'. Sometimes, on a hot day or after some strenuous activity you might be 'thirsty' and need to have a drink of tea or maybe just plain water for instant refreshment. The water came from the tap, where else? But then times changed. Nowadays people don't listen to their bodies and drin…

Many people don't drink from the tap because they are convinced it's bad water (which is true in corner cases at least in the US). Everyone I know who drinks bottled does it because of this and it has nothing to do with this 'hydration' ritual you are theorizing.

Agree with the rest of your statement but not this:

> this 'hydration' ritual you are theorizing.

You are lucky not to have encountered the whole "hydration" fetish. It's especially bad with kids (apparently they are so busy having fun they don't notice when they are thirsty -- and this has apparently only recently developed??) and spread via parents into the workplace. part of the pathology of helicopter parenting.

Re: Liquid assets: how the business of bottled water went mad

#20

Post by gumby »

FT_intern wrote: post #6
hueving wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many people don't drink from the tap because they are convinced it's bad water (which is true in corner cases at least in the US). Everyone I know who drinks bottled does it because of this and it has nothing to do with this 'hydration' ritual you are theorizing.

After watching documentaries about America's crumbling infrastructure I've been paranoid about tap water. My thinking is that the less piping that the water travels through, the less risk of contamination. I've assumed that bottled water gets bottled right by the its source, minimizing the risk.

Beware, Poland Spring (owned by Pepsi) in New England famously bored a well in a property they bought -- that had previously been a paint factory. Because of the success of food regulation in the USA it took a TV station to find this out.
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