Bottled water: People should be told the facts

It harms environment, is unnecessary in Singapore where tap water is safe: Experts
Victoria Vaughan, Straits Times 14 Jul 09;

THE small Australian town of Bundanoon, south of Sydney, voted to ban bottled water last Wednesday. It is thought to be the first place in the world to do so.

Such a ban may not be feasible in Singapore, say experts, but two individuals are hoping to get people to boycott the bottle.

National water agency PUB guarantees the quality of its product, yet last year, more than 135,000 tonnes of bottled drinking water was imported to quench the thirst of this $126 million market.

Ms Leong Ching, a PhD student at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and Professor Tommy Koh, chairman of the Governing Council of the Asia-Pacific Water Forum, believe Singaporeans would change their habits if they knew of the negative impact of buying water that is bottled elsewhere and shipped at great expense to the country.

They wrote an article in PUB's magazine, Pure, reprinted in The Straits Times, in which they urged the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources 'to write to all ministries, statutory boards, agencies, Temasek-linked companies and educational institutions to consider stopping the practice of serving bottled water'.

Said Ms Leong, a former journalist: 'There is a place for personal informed choice, but currently the public is not well informed about the matter. They think bottled water is better than tap water...Drinking bottled water is 850 times more expensive than tap water.'

It wastes resources and harms the environment, she added. 'I can understand why they drink bottled water in countries where they have no choice. But it is senseless when the water is fit for drinking.'

In Singapore, most bottles are incinerated, adding to the country's carbon emissions.

Around the world, campaigns to ban bottled water are under way as consumers become aware of the environmental and economic costs involved.

Research company Euromonitor International found that health benefits and convenience rank among the top reasons for purchasing bottled water.

Nanyang Polytechnic student Melanie Ghui, 17, said: 'It's more convenient to buy bottled water when I'm out - and it's cheaper, especially at a supermarket.'

In terms of health benefits, experts agree that minerals needed by the body are obtained from food, not water. Nutritionist Velumani Deepapriya said: 'We (would) need to drink huge amounts of water in order to meet our daily mineral needs, which is not feasible.'

Prof Koh hopes that green groups in Singapore can take up the cause of public education. 'It is hard to change people's habits and I am also taking on a very lucrative industry.'

Though the Singapore Environment Council is not campaigning actively on this, its executive director Howard Shaw thinks Singaporeans can be persuaded to make a change.

'I think a ban is workable as tap water in Singapore is drinkable. But there is no incentive for restaurants not to serve bottled water as the mark-up on price is so high.'

PUB publishes online the components of its tap water. Water quality here is well within World Health Organisation guidelines.

Additional reporting by Goh Yi Han

Think globally, drink locally
Straits Times 14 Jul 09;

THE environmentally correct slogan 'think globally, act locally' obviously inspired the Australian hamlet of Bundanoon to start banning bottled water last week. The injunction to act locally is particularly apt when it comes to bottled water, but not every community can get by with only tap water. Bundanoon (population 2,500) is fortunate in having safe and reliable local sources. A billion of the world's six billion people do not have such access. In Asia alone, 700 million risk getting diarrhoea - or worse - with every mouthful. Anyway, they cannot afford bottled water, let alone the luxury of debating whether it should be banned.

Yet, the issue is of interest not just to thirsty tourists afraid to drink from the tap. Locals who can pay for it also depend on bottled water as the only safe supply in many countries. Or else they have to resort to boiling, which requires fuel and so also has an environmental cost. Thinking globally, the question is whether there are alternatives - to polluted and distant sources even more than to bottled water. An all too common obstacle to human progress in the developing world is not the plastic water bottle, but the long trudge women and girls endure to haul water from an often dirty well or muddy river. It is time they could devote to more productive work and other pursuits within or outside the home.

Bottled water nevertheless has emerged as an environmental threat. More expensive than other sources, it incurs additional so-called 'life-cycle' costs - in the plastic and energy to make the bottle, transportation from bottling plant to consumers, and collection and disposal of empties. These often do not figure completely in retail prices. Besides, the plastic container can leach harmful chemicals such as bisphenol-A. Studies have also shown that children who consume bottled water have more dental cavities than those who drink fluoridated tap water. Requiring consumers to pay fully for such impacts might help discourage demand.

Even then, bottled water may still serve to quench thirst as long as safer or cheaper alternatives are not available. Indeed, banning it might increase the demand for soft drinks, in containers that have the same life-cycle costs as water bottles. Such sugar-loaded beverages also contribute to elevating incidence of diabetes and obesity. Like Bundanoon, however, Singapore offers an adequate supply of safe and inexpensive water, much of it from its own reservoirs and recycling plants. Residents and visitors alike can and should think globally and drink locally, giving imported bottled water a miss.

Make it mandatory for eateries to serve plain water
Straits Times Forum 15 Jul 09;

I READ with interest yesterday's report, 'Bottled water: People should be told the facts'.

First and foremost, I must congratulate Professor Tommy Koh, chairman of the Governing Council of the Asia-Pacific Water Forum, and Ms Leong Ching, a PhD student at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, for their noble endeavours.

I believe that along with providing the facts to the public, restaurants and other food establishments here should be made to serve plain water to customers. And water fountains could be installed at foodcourts and hawker centres. Many times I have had to buy bottled water just because the restaurant did not serve any.

National water agency PUB has developed world-class purification systems so that the residents of Singapore would not have to waste money on water that is 850 times more expensive (and harmful to the environment).

How long can we abuse our environment before it is time for payback?

Akhil Doegar

More water coolers in public places please
Straits Times Forum 15 Jul 09;

I REFER to yesterday's report, 'Bottled water: People should be told the facts'. I truly support the notion that drinking tap water is better than bottled water.

Since young, most Singaporeans have had an abundant supply of water from water coolers. For example, in schools, students brought water bottles and filled up during break time. Even now in university, I do not have to buy any water as there are many water coolers around the school.

However, there are very few water coolers in public areas. The only public place with water coolers is Changi Airport. This could be a reason why most Singaporeans resort to buying bottled water. They may take their own bottled water out, but once the water runs out, there is nowhere else to go for a refill.

Perhaps, there is a common misconception that the tap water from toilets must be boiled or filtered before drinking. Hence, most do not dare to refill their water from public toilet taps. Moreover, most public toilet taps are now automatic and cannot be easily used to refill bottles.

Therefore, I urge the relevant authorities and activists to promote drinking tap water in Singapore by installing water coolers in public areas such as shopping centres. Besides providing a service to the public, water coolers will provide an alternative to bottled water for people who wish to save money, as well as the environment.

If Changi Airport can install water coolers everywhere, why not at other places too?

Colin Tan

Campaigning against the use of bottled water only half the solution
Straits Times Forum 16 Jul 09;

I READ with interest Tuesday's report, 'Bottled water: People should be told the facts'. While I praise the efforts initiated by both Professor Tommy Koh and Ms Leong Ching for campaigning against the use of bottled water, I am wondering if we are barking up the wrong tree.

Yes, it is true that bottled water is harmful to the environment, but will knowing this fact curb the rampant usage of bottled water?

The situation is similar to smoking; most know that it is bad for one's health, but it does not deter people from lighting up. We need to face up to the fact that the use of bottled water is a lifestyle need and not a want.

In hot and humid Singapore, one can get dehydrated easily and bottled water is the only way to get refreshment on the go. Although we can argue that we can always hydrate ourselves with water bottled from home, it is is not a viable solution. Carrying a water bottle all the time is not always feasible and there is also the possibility of running out of water.

Instead of just educating the public on the detrimental impact of using bottled water, a two-pronged approach has to be applied. And that is to provide an alternative to bottled water for refreshment on the go.

For a start, we could launch a pilot project to install water coolers or dispensers in establishments like shopping complexes, and the cost could be borne by beverage companies.

Anthony Tan

Ban plastic bottles, but allow water sold in cans or cartons
Straits Times Forum 17 Jul 09;

I WOULD like add to the ongoing debate on drinking water.

The main problem with convenient and user-friendly bottled water is the plastic bottle. So here is a suggestion: Use ordinary recyclable aluminium-alloy cans or even paper cartons and ban the use of plastic bottles, even for aerated drinks. National water agency PUB should consider selling canned or cartoned Newater.

There is no point banning or imposing a tax on bottled water as people will only switch to bottled soft drinks. We should continue to allow the import of ready-to-drink water, but mandate that the water be contained in cans or cartons. As long as it is clean and affordable and people are willing to pay for their mineral or distilled water in a more environment-friendly container, we should let it be.

The fact that bottled water is 850 times more expensive than tap water makes no sense to the average man who buys chilled bottled water at $1 when he is outdoors and thirsty in a climate that is hot and humid.

Mike Chan

Make tap water freely available and ban bottled water at public events
Straits Times Forum 17 Jul 09;

I HAVE been reading with great interest the ongoing debate on drinking water.

Personally, I am in favour of tap water but it is not easily available at all places. At Sentosa, for example, there are no options for people to refill water bottles even if they take along their own containers. Hence, there is no option other than buying bottled water.

And what about at public events organised by government agencies? If tap water is not easily available, then people will naturally turn to bottled water.

To encourage more people to turn to tap water, the National Environment Agency, in liaison with other government agencies and private organisations, should consider:

- A ban on bottled water at all government-organised events and those by private sectors.

- Installing water tanks at major events and public places like Sentosa.

It is not enough to just talk about the problem. We need to put in place the infrastructure to support the use of tap water.

Mainak S. Panchal

Re-evaluate marketing of bottled water
Straits Times Forum 20 Jul 09;

I REFER to last Tuesday's report, 'Bottled water: People should be told the facts'.

I support the view that consumers should be encouraged to drink from taps instead of bottled water. Over and above the environmental advantages mentioned in the article, we should not overlook the research efforts and investment put into purifying our tap water over the decades.

If Singaporeans are still uncertain about the cleanliness of our tap water, despite the sound water management and effective water treatment PUB offers, no further amount of R&D would change this fixed mindset. Nevertheless, we should remember drink vendors prepare drinks with tap water (fruit juice, for instance) and people drink them with no reservations.

Also, some restaurants and cafes do not offer 'plain water', but sell bottled water at a mark-up. Apart from higher cost, this seems disadvantageous to consumers in two ways.

First, it encourages consumers to consume other drinks instead of distilled water, which is often less healthy.

Second, it discourages consumers from drinking tap water, which is more cost-effective. Business efficiency and profit-making measures should not be used as excuses to compromise our health and the environment.

Lastly, I would like to comment on the pricing of bottled water. It seems ridiculous that the same 500ml bottled water can cost 45 cents in some hypermarkets, but more than $2 in certain convenience stores. Some form of price control should be implemented.

There have been water campaigns encouraging Singaporeans to drink eight glasses of water per day, about 1.9 litres. In a busy city like Singapore, many people buy bottled water to quench their thirst. The difference in price consumers pay for four bottles of water (about eight glasses) is almost fourfold.

Our habits are often influenced by the society we live in. If we want to encourage drinking from taps, we should start by re-evaluating the marketing of bottled water, which indirectly affects consumers' perception of tap water.

Valerie Neo (Miss)