Doctor reveals whether it is better to drink tap or bottled water

Hannah Millington
·Health & Wellness Reporter
·6-min read
Bottled v tap water. (Yahoo Life UK)
Do you drink bottled or tap water? (Yahoo Life UK)

Recent events have understandably raised alarm bells over the quality and safety of water in the UK.

From people across Devon being advised to boil their tap water due to cases of illness causing diarrhoea and vomiting, to hundreds of households in Surrey now being told not to drink their tap water due to tests by Thames Water indicating a possible deterioration of quality in some areas.

But generally speaking, one doctor reminds us that tap water is safe to drink in the UK. Here he runs through what you need to know, including whether bottled or tap water is better, and any differences to our health this might have.

"In my experience, the choice between bottled and tap water often boils down to personal preference rather than a clear health benefit," says Dr. Lawrence Cunningham, contributing medical expert at UK Care Guide and retired GP.

"Tap water in the UK is subject to rigorous testing and regulations to ensure its safety and cleanliness. However, some individuals prefer bottled water due to taste or convenience. From what I've observed, bottled water can sometimes offer a different mineral composition, which might be preferable depending on personal health needs or taste preferences.

"On the other hand, tap water is not only more environmentally sustainable but also more economical."

Dark cooking pot with water steam on stove with kitchen background. Cooking preparation at home. Front view.
Precautions are generally unnecessary unless advised by authorities. (Getty Images)

"Having dealt with various health advisories over the years, boiling tap water in the UK is generally unnecessary unless specifically instructed by health authorities," says Dr. Cunningham, also a health expert at the mental health and financial wellbeing company FinancialEducation.

"Such advisories are usually issued temporarily when there's a suspected contamination or following infrastructure or pipe repairs that might compromise water safety. In most cases, tap water is perfectly safe to drink straight from the tap.

"However, in the rare events of contamination, like the one recently potentially concerning Thames Water, boiling water can be an effective method to ensure safety."

Or indeed, avoiding drinking it altogether if that's what the guidance says. "It's always best to follow local advisories and guidelines issued during such incidents."

Healthy lifestyle. Young pretty smiling lady drinking water before breakfast. Morning routine. Beautiful sun light in kitchen. Awakening. Unrecognisable person.
Tap water goes through rigorous testing and regulations in the UK. (Getty Images)

"Generally speaking, both bottled and tap water are safe to drink in the UK,"

"In my experience, incidents involving contaminated tap water are very rare and are usually addressed quickly. The rigorous standards applied to both bottled and tap water make them safe for consumption under normal circumstances.

"Acknowledging the recent incidents, such as the one with Thames Water, these are exceptions rather than the rule and often prompt an immediate response to ensure public safety."

"As a doctor, my recommendation leans towards tap water, primarily for its environmental benefits and cost-effectiveness," says Dr. Cunningham.

"Tap water in most parts of the UK is perfectly safe, clean, and contains essential minerals that are beneficial for health.

"However, bottled water might be a suitable alternative for individuals in areas with water quality issues or for those who have specific health concerns that the mineral content of water might influence."

Empty Water Bottles
Many plastic bottles are recyclable, though how many actually get recycled is another question. (Getty Images)

"The impact of plastic bottles on health and the environment is a significant concern," warns Dr. Cunningham. Some studies suggest particular chemicals found in plastic bottles can harm our health, though more research is needed.

"I always encourage using reusable water bottles and filtering tap water if taste or slight quality concerns are the reasons for avoiding tap. This approach reduces plastic waste and ensures that water consumption remains as safe and healthy as possible," he adds.

"From what I've seen in my practice, a balanced diet is far more crucial for maintaining health than the choice between bottled and tap water," the doctor points out.

"Water is essential, but the overall quality of what we consume daily plays a more significant role in our health. Ensuring a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, proteins, and grains should be a priority."

As mentioned, always follow guidelines when isolated incidents occur regarding the quality or safety of tap water.

Having spoken with South West Water, in terms of the situation in Brixham in Devon, it continuously monitors for cryptosporidium [a waterborne disease caused by a type of parasite] from its treatment works. Incidents like this are thankfully very rare in respect of drinking water in the region and the UK as a whole.

A Water UK spokesperson told us: "Every single day, as independently verified, water companies in the UK provide the highest standard of drinking water in the world to more than 28 million homes and businesses. Nearly four million tests are carried out every year, with well over 99.9% of samples meeting strict Government testing meaning any issue is exceptionally rare."

A Thames Water spokesperson also told Yahoo UK: "We have carried out extensive testing in the Beckenham area since last week, where customers have reported issues, including at their properties, the reservoirs and water treatment works that serve the area. This includes tests from 16 homes all of which have come back clear, and almost 2,000 tests across London this month, again, all of which have come back clear.

"Following a historical fuel leak from the village petrol station, we have been regularly collecting and assessing drinking water samples in Bramley.

"On Thursday 30th May, we issued 'do not drink' advice as a precautionary measure, following test results received that day which indicate a possible deterioration in quality in some areas as a result of the fuel leak. We want to reassure our customers that the village water supply has been safe to drink up to this point, as confirmed through our rigorous water testing, which has also been subject to regular review working alongside the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) throughout this period.

"Customers can find information about their water supply by inputting their postcode on our website. Should anyone be concerned about their tap water, we’d encourage them to contact us."

Watch: Thames Water issue urgent 'do not drink' warning to hundreds of Surrey homes

Latest stories

  • Squatters’ rights used to triumph in village neighbour row

    Two couples have triumphed in a four-year row with a neighbour by using squatters’ rights.

  • New snow map shows exactly when and where it will fall in UK - including Manchester

    Temperatures are set to plummet across the country

  • Met Office reveals chances of 'disruptive snowfall' hitting UK this month

    Forecasts from TheWeatherOutlook and some weather charts from WXCharts suggest the UK could see significant snowfall in November

  • Bees help tackle elephant-human conflict in Kenya

    "We used to hate elephants a lot," Kenyan farmer Charity Mwangome says, pausing from her work under the shade of a baobab tree.The bees humming in the background are part of the reason why her hatred has dimmed.The diminutive 58-year-old said rapacious elephants would often destroy months of work in her farmland that sits between two parts of Kenya's world-renowned Tsavo National Park.Beloved by tourists -- who contribute around 10 percent of Kenya's GDP -- the animals are loathed by most local farmers, who form the backbone of the nation's economy.Elephant conservation has been a roaring success: numbers in Tsavo rose from around 6,000 in the mid-1990s to almost 15,000 elephants in 2021, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).But the human population also expanded, encroaching on grazing and migration routes for the herds.Resulting clashes are becoming the number one cause of elephant deaths, says KWS.Refused compensation when she lost her crops, Mwangome admits she was mad with the conservationists. But a long-running project by charity Save the Elephants offered her an unlikely solution -- deterring some of nature's biggest animals with some of its smallest: African honeybees.Cheery yellow beehive fences now protect several local plots, including Mwangome's. A nine-year study published last month found that elephants avoided farms with the ferocious bees 86 percent of the time."The beehive fences came to our rescue," said Mwangome.- Hacking nature -The deep humming of 70,000 bees is enough to make many flee, including a six-tonne elephant, but Loise Kawira calmly removes a tray in her apiary to demonstrate the intricate combs of wax and honey.Kawira, who joined Save the Elephants in 2021 as their consultant beekeeper, trains and monitors farmers in the delicate art.The project supports 49 farmers, whose plots are surrounded by 15 connected hives. Each is strung on greased wire a few metres off the ground, which protects them from badgers and insects, but also means they shake when disturbed by a hungry elephant. "Once the elephants hear the sound of the bees and the smell, they run away," Kawira told AFP."It hacks the interaction between elephants and bees," added Ewan Brennan, local project coordinator. It has been effective, but recent droughts, exacerbated by climate change, have raised challenges."(In) the total heat, the dryness, bees have absconded," said Kawira.It is also expensive -- about 150,000 Kenyan shillings ($1,100) to install hives -- well beyond the means of subsistence farmers, though the project organisers say it is still cheaper than electric fences.- 'I was going to die' -Just moments after AFP arrived at Mwanajuma Kibula's farm, which abuts one of the Tsavo parks, her beehive fence had seen off an elephant.The five-tonne animal, its skin caked in red mud, rumbled into the area and then did an abrupt about-face. "I know my crops are protected," Kibula said with palpable relief.Kibula, 48, also harvests honey twice a year from her hives, making 450 shillings per jar -- enough to pay school fees for her children.She is fortunate to have protection from the biggest land mammals on Earth."An elephant ripped off my roof, I had to hide under the bed because I knew I was going to die," said a less-fortunate neighbour, Hendrita Mwalada, 67.For those who can't afford bees, Save the Elephants offers other solutions, such as metal-sheet fences that clatter when shaken by approaching elephants, and diesel- or chilli-soaked rags that deter them. It is not always enough. "I have tried planting but every time the crops are ready, the elephants come and destroy the crops," Mwalada told AFP."That has been the story of my life, a life full of too much struggling."ra-rbu/er/kjm

  • UK tourists warned as Spain issues 'extreme danger' alert for holiday hotspots

    Rare red weather warnings are in force for two popular holiday destinations in Spain

  • Thousands evacuated in Malaga over ‘extreme rainfall’ alert as fears loom of more flooding

    Schools have been closed and homes have been evacuated as locals prepare for heavy downpours

  • Britain prepares more electricity imports as dunkelflaute hits wind farms

    Britain is to build more subsea connections to the EU’s power grids, helping ward off dunkelflaute power shortages caused by a growing reliance on intermittent renewables.

  • The Most Dangerous Animal in Africa Isn't the Largest

    Africa is home to some of the most dangerous animals on the planet, and many of them pose a real threat to humans. With that said, the most dangerous animal in Africa may surprise you.

  • Met Office verdict on where snow will fall in UK as Arctic blast to hit

    A Met Office map has revealed the exact areas where temperatures are set to plummet

  • Tropical system brewing in the Caribbean now is forecast to hit the US. Here is its new projected path

    Florida forecasters say some models show the system moving into the Sunshine State

  • One of the men accused of felling 'Sycamore Gap' tree is 'too ill to appear in court'

    One of the men charged with felling the famous Sycamore Gap tree and causing more than £620,000 of damage was too ill to appear before a judge.

  • 13 Most Dangerous Fish, Eels and Sharks

    Fish may seem harmless compared to larger predators on land, but some of the deadliest animals are hiding in the oceans and rivers throughout the world. From venomous stings to sharp teeth, the most dangerous fish species can be lethal to humans.

  • Spain braces for new storms as flooding disaster’s political fallout continues

    King Felipe VI reportedly plans to revisit Valencia amid alerts for heavy rain, high waves and strong winds

  • ‘Mystery mollusk’ found in the ocean’s midnight zone is unlike anything researchers have seen before

    An unusual sea slug with a large hood, a tail with fingerlike projections and glowing bioluminescence has been found living off the West Coast of the US.

  • Disney Cruise Ship Assists Rescue of Sinking Catamaran Passengers

    The crew of a Disney cruise ship assisted in the rescue of four sailors on a sinking catamaran off the coast of Bermuda on November 10, according to the US Coast Guard.Reports said a distress call was received from a family aboard the pleasure vessel, which was taking on water in the open ocean more than 250 miles off the coast of Bermuda on Sunday morning.The Disney Treasure, a newly constructed 1000-foot cruise ship, diverted 80 miles from its first transatlantic voyage to assist in the rescue, according to a statement from Disney.Disney said the Treasure was sailing from Eemshaven, Netherlands, to its new home in Port Canaveral, Florida, and happened to be the closest ship to the catamaran when the distress signal was sent out.“We are pleased that the Disney Treasure was able to provide aid to the boat passengers in peril. Our crew members worked together on the rescue, skillfully demonstrating their training and commitment to safety,” said Captain Marco Nogara, Captain of the Disney Treasure.The cruise ship had yet to make its first official voyage with passengers on board.In footage released by the US Coast Guard via DVIDS, a small rescue boat deployed from the Treasure is seen intercepting the catamaran.The Treasure’s crew successfully brought the four sailors to safety onboard the cruise ship, according to an ABC News report. Credit: US Coast Guard via Storyful

  • Met Office weather maps show how cold it will get as Arctic blast hits

    After an unseasonably warm start to autumn, it looks set to get colder with the chance of snow on mountains and northern parts of the UK

  • Four storms churning the West Pacific at the same time mean more bad news for the Philippines

    Four separate storm systems are churning their way through the West Pacific simultaneously, a rare occurrence resulting from warmer oceans that threatens to bring more misery to the storm-weary Philippines.

  • Microplastics could be affecting the weather, new study shows

    Microplastics have already been found in the remotest parts of the world, including Antarctica - and the plastics could be affecting the weather, a new study has shown.

  • ‘We’re living in squalor – but our council is trying to bill us £66k for net zero heating’

    As social housing estates go, Lillington and Longmore Gardens is certainly easy on the eye.

  • Why thousands are gathering around a rancid ‘dead whale’ by the world’s biggest lake

    As humans heat up the world by burning fossil fuels, whales are increasingly vulnerable. Warmer ocean temperatures can affect their food and force them to change their migration routes.