Drinking tap water is becoming more and more popular every year. Some drink it for the sake of saving money, others for the sake of the environment. Still others choose to drink tap water simply because it tastes good. Despite this, there are still many myths circulating about the quality of tap water. People repeat rumours that it is poor in minerals, contaminated, unfit for consumption and sometimes even poisonous. What is it like in reality? Is drinking tap water healthy?
Is drinking tap water healthy?
Myths about tap water are usually repeated by people who remember the communist era in our country. At that time, it was not uncommon to see murky, smelly water with a strong smell of chlorine coming out of the tap. Such water was undrinkable and everyone was aware of this.
Today, however, much has changed in this respect. Water treatment systems have undergone extensive modernisation, so that the quality of the tap water has improved significantly. What's more, the regulations imposed by the European Union are very strict and force us to make sure that the water meets the relevant requirements. Thanks to this water in Polish taps is not only drinkable, but also rich in minerals and simply tasty. The problem of external contamination is marginal, affecting only 0.3%.
There is no doubt that with the current restrictive regulations on tap water quality, it is completely safe and healthy to consume. It contains many valuable micronutrients that are responsible for the proper functioning of our body.
Contrary to oft-repeated myths drinking tap water does not promote the formation of kidney stones - There are no studies to support this theory in any way.
The argument about the high harmfulness of chlorine in tap water is also untrue. Although it is indeed used to disinfect water, the amount is negligible, strictly regulatedso that it is still safe for health.
How is tap water different from bottled water?
Some people believe that even if tap water is drinkable it is of little value. However, such thinking is wrong - the composition of tap water is not very different from bottled water. What is more, ordinary tap water often performs better in terms of mineral concentration. It contains calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, sulphur, copper and potassium, among others.
The composition of tap water varies, depending on the city. In Poland the best water quality is in Krakow, the Tricity, Poznan, Warsaw, Lodz and Katowice. It is not uncommon for it to be of much better quality than most spring water available on the market. In practice, this means that the main argument of those opposed to drinking tap water about its poor quality is simply false.
Why drink tap water?
Those who have been using tap water for years need no convincing as to why it is worth drinking tap water. But what can convince those who prefer bottled water? We have already written about the fact that tap water is a healthy alternative to bottled water and sweetened drinks above. What other arguments are worth considering?
First of all drinking tap water is much more environmentally friendly. In this way, we reduce the amount of plastic we use, which litters our planet, and we also reduce the carbon footprint associated with transporting bottled water. So in this day and age, with more and more people concerned about the environment, drinking tap water is becoming the norm.
Just as importantly, by forgoing the purchase of bottled water in favour of tap water you can save a lot of money in the household budget. Often the crowning argument against tap water is the love of carbonated water. These days, however there is nothing to prevent sparkling water from being prepared at home using tap water. By buying a modern water dispenser, we can get exactly the water we want in no time: chilled, heated and carbonated. Such a device is aesthetically pleasing, does not take up much space and enables hygienic tap water intake. So there is nothing stopping you from taking care of the environment, saving money and starting to drink tap water!
