Driking water directly from the faucet in south africa: potable as it must be
Just like Lara Smallman and Sylwia Presley, I took some time to reflect on the water market - the bottled water division to be precise. It is not my intention to go over all that was discussed on the articles before, but I do want to tell you my story and give more information I have found around this subject.
You all know Brazil is blessed in relation to water resources and natural resources as well. But its wealth has never meant the equally distribution throughout the country. In fact, we have both droughts and floods issues and it is also known that the water pollution has reached high levels.
I have only drunk water directly from the faucet a couple of times - in places where I did not have a choice. In fact, it was necessary to go to another continent to drink water from the faucet. It was in South Africa, which different than many might think, is a country that has been improving its technologies and sanitarian system along with the water quality - of course, those improvements are still restricted to the big urban centres. But the thing is: in my city, Salvador, the biggest after São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, people are not used to drink from the faucet, preferring to buy bottled water, which seems to be more potable.
As we are aware, the bottled water is, in essence, unsustainable. Its impact on the planet is much more negative than the treated water of our (not mine) faucets. According to the study Energy Implications of Bottled Water only in the USA, in 2007, were consumed 33 billion of liters (110 per capita) of bottled water. When we count the impact of production, distribution, storage we are talking about something between 35 and 54 million of barrels of oil. The report concludes that the energetic footprint of the bottled water is two thousand more than the treated water from the faucet.
The industry of bottled water grows at high rates. Only in 2007 were consumed 206 billion of bottled water, in an invoice for over US$ 100 billion, says the report.
So what to do? Which to choose?
Source:http://www.manataka.org/page1141.html
Where there is water treatment, this (water from the faucet) is certainly the best choice, for many reasons: its quality is strictly accompanied by the environmental institutions; it is much cheaper and it generates less impact on the planet (they also say it can prevent cavities and fight tooth decay). On the other hand, Annie Leonard, of the Story of the Bottled Water, says that where there is no good-quality water the “solution” is to pressure the public institutions for more investments in treatment and cleaning the water as well to guarantee the equal distribution of this valuable resource to all population without distinction.
Anyhow, let us know from where you drink your water.
It’s a common problem we face in countries in the development process, anyway is really crucial as you say to guarantee the quality and equal access to this resource in order to prevent a lot of diseases.
Anyway we also need to face, that drinking from a faucet is still a dangerous practice in countries like latin America, and is needed a good quality system to prevent any hazard or contamination over this water which people could consume. So everything comes down to a point, are the authorities doing their job? Can we trust the water coming from those pipes? Is up to every one of us to answer and decide which alternative is more sustainable.
Great post!
I believe it’s just a cultural point people in Brazil don’t drink water from the faucet. And it has a reason: no one ever believed it could be potable enough. It’s still pretty comfortable and cheap to buy a bottled water.
Dear Diego,
The bottled water business works on cunning fear-mongering by huge business houses. I still can understand people buying bittoled water in countries where Governments failed or negelected to create confidence in people that tap water is a better choice and it is quite drinkable, but how about developed countries in Europe and North America?
Bottled water looks nice, but does anybody test it against tap water before buying it? It has been seen the biggest markets of bottoled water is in cities and not in places where clean drinkable water is unavailable.
The discarded plastic bottoles and caps have formed a garbage patch in the Pacific as large as a country. So it is certainly not cheap if we consider the environmental costs.
Thanks for your post. I will recommend everyone to read the book “Bottled and Sold” by Peter Gleick.
Interesting topic Diego. I can understand your point. The water of Delhi is also not drinkable.
But I must say consuming bottled water in a developed country is the stupidest thing one can do. When you have good quality tap water available at unbelievably cheaper rates, how can one drink bottled water? That’s insane.
Guys get a stainless steel bottle for the portability issue please. Drink from public taps if you can. In the case of an emergency its still okay. But most people are regulars. We all know the impact plastic has on the earth. There are other issues involved too as we all know. Consumption in developing countries is still justified. But the developed countries make majority of sales.
Bottled water, as an industry, should be allowed to flourish only in urban developing cities and no where else. And that too if the drinking water is seriously bad. In rural areas, people can not pay, so it is out of question. Regulatory measures are clearly out of place for obvious reasons.
Pabitra and Gorky, I totally agree with you. As Bruno said above, in places like Salvador and other cities in brazil - as well as many cities in developing countries, it is much easier buying a cheap bottle of water and drink. You must consider the weather, we drink too much water everyday. But as you said, in developed countries, where you can easy find drinkable water you shouldn’t buy those bottles. It just doesn’t make sense, right? You would be only feeding the big water business…
Gorky, this could be a good idea, not allowing the water business to work in places where there’s not reason to… like developed countries… however, I am not sure what consequenes it would have. This is a nice topic to discuss…
@Carlos, I agree with you, it depends on place to place… but in some point we need more than just choose which alternative is more sustainable, we need to fight for a serious sustainable alternative (economic, social and environmental speaking.
Thank you for your comment.
Of course Diego, bottled water should not be allowed in developed countries with safe drinking water. Water is not a luxury, it can never be. Its consequences will be more water for all, improvements in public water system and a more eco-friendly world, to name a few.
But do you think governments will ever do this? A very meager chance. In fact it is the common people who can completely shut this whole industry in one single day. But we need some sensitivity on people’s part. Awareness can counter the stupid marketing gimmicks that companies play.
I can only say that if the water is not drinkable you don´t have a choice, isn´t it? Yes, production of bottled water is expnsive, it´s a loss of huge amounts of natural resources and energy and dangerous if the plastic is overheated, but if the water is not drinkable, then what?
We are lucky, because we have the priviledge to choose. I wouldn´t choose bottled water, but the water is not drinkable in the area I live in. And I wouldn´t risk it.
@Gorky, I agree with you: it’s not gonna happen. But I am not that sure about the good consequences, I mean, they stop selling bottled water and we now can drink only from the faucet. But, as all that matter is money, they will start to charge much more for the usual water we drink, clean and bath, you see my point? The water business will not have the bottled water, but they will still have their business.
@Avgi, totally right. I do buy bottled water because I do not trust in the so-called treated water we have here. It is not that drinkable… I do not want to risk.
Well, My personal thought process is always that the bottled water is a fashion than a neccessity. In the place I live in India, there is ample amount of fresh wwater supply for all 12 months. Still people do have tentancy to use the bottled waters. Survery have proved that the fresh water is far more better and pure ( less contaminated ) than the bottled version.
During my visits to Boston, MA USA. I have always been told that the tap water is best for drinking and we also had conducted the test from the special agencies to prove that tap water was the best.
I will say, you can use bottled water where there is no other option, but if nature has give you the blessing of fresh water don’t insult her by drinking the packed one.
Here in Mexico is not very potable to drink water from faucet, so we mostly drink from bottle.
I think corruption also plays a big role in this play. I think it is part of that big business that is for companies to bottle water. It’s obviously not good for them a system of good potable water from faucets, it’s just part of the big business. So, corrupt governments (as mexican), love money :) .. and those companies (as coke corp) might have enough money to “tie” government hands and keep selling water. Most of times, governments can really help population, but it’s “so mysterious” why they don’t have any money to do so.
In Guatemala most of the people never drink water from the faucet. It’s not very safe so the alternatives are
1- Buy to providers like Agua Salvavidas (one of Guatemala’s most recognized brands in the local market) that would sell it directly at homes in transparent recipients of about 15 gallons of water http://www.flickr.com/photos/antiguadailyphoto/261831721/sizes/o/ for Q15.00 (US$1.86) and it would last from a cuouple of days to a couple of weeks depending on the family’s size or office members. As stated before, they sell it directly at every home / office and it makes it very convenient, plus it’s a local brand.
2. There are some families that install a water filter in the kitchen’s faucet. It takes a lot of time to collect clean water but it can save money in the long term. Anyway, there are usually doubts in many consumers of the real quality of this water after it goes through the filter.
3. In lower-income homes people usually boil the water or use some kind of chlorine to eliminate the bacteria. It is still widely use in my country.
In the US most of Universities and schools have “water fountains” where you can drink water or refill your bottle or wherever you carry your water. In here there’s very few places where you can do that.
http://www.bottledwaterweb.com/index.jsp
you should check out that site. It’s all about bottled water in the world.
Rahul and Alonso, you are both right, thank you very much for your comments.
Roberto, I believe it is almost the same over here. Thanks for the website.
@Diego,
This is a very perceptive post. I drink only bottled water. But yes, clean water should be made available for everyone.
I read your article and I think that bottled water is a big business and people don’t know anything about it, the water from faucet is the same to the bottle, just with a little difference, if you want to have “pure water” you just need to use filters. They are not so expensive, and you have pure water at your house.
I believe the big companies use them too, it’s not magic, just a couple of filters. People are paying twice for bottled water
@Alejandro,
You are right, we have discussed here about the use of filters. I am not sure about efficiency, but it’s clearly an option where the water from faucet, like here, is not so reliable.
Thanks for your comment.
I prefer making my own distilled water (you can actually see all the junk that is left over after you are done)or use a reverse osmosis filter system.
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