Research continues to tell us that bottled water is on the rise. Yet there are so many good reasons to drink tap. Here are some facts around tap water in Australia.
The facts
- Urban water utilities supply safe, high quality drinking water to cities and regions across Australia.
- The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council provide over 250 rigorous guidelines for water utilities to follow.
- In the most recent National Performance Report which assesses compliance against the Guidelines or licence conditions imposed on water utilities, water supply quality compliance remained strong and in the majority of cases was 100 per cent.
- There are typically more tests to confirm safety and quality of public drinking water than bottled water
- Tap water costs less than one cent per litre compared to over $3 per litre for many bottled varieties.
- Plastic bottles take up to 1000 years to break down and while recyclable, most end up in landfill
- WSAA members around Australia are educating customers about the cost, environmental and health benefits of drinking tap water.
- The Choose Tap campaign, started in Victoria, is the first fully integrated, grass-roots program of its type in the world. Over 13 water utilities and many community organisations are using Choose Tap.
- Sydney's Beat the Bottle campaign to raise awareness that drinking tap water is a simple way to reduce reliance on single use plastics
- Turn to tap in Queensland offers tips and information for customers including recipes for water infusions drinks.
The Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) is the peak industry body representing the urban water industry. Our members provide water and sewerage services to over 20 million customers in Australia and New Zealand and many of Australia's largest industrial and commercial enterprises.
26 Aug 2018
