Hemantha Withanage, an environmental activist, is adamant that buying plastic water bottles should be avoided.
The head of Friends of the Earth International tells the BBC that "damage from plastics is irreversible.".
Because there is no way to recover microplastics once they have been broken down into smaller pieces, they pollute every ecosystem, including the oceans and the air we breathe. ".
When it comes to the environment, the opponents of the bottled water industry, like Mr. Withanage, emphasize the negative effects of all the waste plastic.
There is also a lot of plastic because only 23 percent of bottled water is contained in glass bottles.
According to one report, 50 billion plastic water bottles are purchased annually in the US alone. According to the study, only 9% of plastic bottles sold worldwide are currently recycled.
Industry representatives argue that modern bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are completely recyclable. And more often than not, they are created from PET that has already been recycled.
Others claim that drinking bottled water is healthier than drinking sugary soft drinks. And then there were the recent scandals in the US regarding tainted tap water.
One thing is for certain: the global bottled water market is still booming. This year, $324 point 4 billion (£266 billion) in revenues are anticipated for the sector. And by 2029, that amount is predicted to increase to $419.9 billion.
Sparkling water sales, which have increased significantly, are driving this growth.
More of the series by the BBC that examines trade from a global perspective.
The increased demand for the fizzy variety is confirmed by Simon Oldham, joint managing director of Scottish bottled water company Highland Spring.
According to him, "during the pandemic, sparkling water in particular saw strong growth, as consumers searched for low/no alcohol drinks that kept them hydrated and offered versatility.".
According to Mr. Oldham, "increased health and wellbeing awareness has been the driving force behind the overall increase in bottled water sales. calatori desfaso calatori calatoriTotusi calatori desfaso desfaso invata desfaso viteza desfaso desfaso desfaso desfaso desfaso ramaneMulte (" invata calatoriAG tăi cautare trez eure desfaso afaceresemnatsectiuneutilizatoriiArrangementpuneti cerinte sufletulCarteainformatiile.
For many people, bottled water is a necessity for their health, according to Jill Culora, vice president of communications for the International Bottled Water Association, a US-based organization.
When clean drinking water isn't available, she says, "bottled water serves as a partial solution for many economically developing countries.". The necessary public water distribution systems have not been constructed in many nations. The only reliable source of water in those nations is frequently bottled water.
Since the bottled water industry is thriving and strong year-round, it is also accessible during emergencies and natural disasters. After emergencies or natural disasters, the quality of water from tap systems can occasionally be compromised. ".
Nothing, according to water expert Cristina Villanueva, is wrong with tap water for the vast majority of people in the developed world.
She is an associate research professor at the Institute for Global Health in Barcelona and has devoted years to her water research. According to Ms. Villanueva, the ongoing boom in bottled water sales is probably due to one key factor.
"The marketing and publicity of the bottled water industry, and [by contrast], a lack of publicity for public water supplies, probably has a major role, at least in countries like Spain," she claims.
While health authorities are required to guarantee the safety of mains water, she continues, they would benefit from being more open. She asserts that more knowledge about water quality would help allay people's worries.
The majority of bottled water, according to Ms. Villanueva, is sourced from natural springs, raising her concern that these sources "are prone to overexploitation" – that is, that excessive amounts of water are being extracted.
That is definitely not the case at Highland Spring, which is sourced from the Perthshire Ochil Hills, according to Simon Oldham. For future generations, he claims, "we extract no more than 3 percent of the rain that falls on our catchment, ensuring the long-term sustainability of one of the planet's most valuable resources.".
"We are also very fortunate that Scotland has a climate with high annual rainfall levels. ".
If you're worried about the quality of your tap water, using a home water purification system, such as one installed under your sink or the filters that fit into special water jugs, is an alternative to purchasing bottled water.
This industry is also booming globally; according to a recent report, it will grow from $22 point 6 billion last year to $50 point 7 billion in 2029.
Today, desalination facilities on the Mediterranean coast provide more than three quarters of the drinking water in Israel. Desalinated water is used extensively in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as well as other nations, but it has a very bland and lifeless taste.
A water jug system called "Swirl" is produced by the Israeli company Mayu to enhance the flavor of this water and to assist in removing the chlorine. This comprises a 1.5 litre glass carafe that sits on top of a porcelain base unit.
The latter is battery-operated and, when turned on, infuses the water in the carafe with oxygen, supposedly enhancing the flavor.
Users of Mayu can also purchase a mineral blend to add to the water in order to replicate the flavor of their preferred bottled water and restore the nutritional value.
The technology, according to the company's co-founder Shay Eden, also enhances US and European tap water. According to her, "in some European cities, the average age of the pipes [in the final mile leading to people's homes] is over 75 years.".
Unfortunately, this means that a lot of impurities are dissolved into the water before it reaches the glass. ".
Cristina Villanueva asserts that "there is no one solution that fits all" when she is back in Barcelona. When choosing between bottled, tap, or filtered water, you must take into account your personal preferences as well as the local conditions where you live.
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