Statistics on Tap and Bottled Water
Statistics on Tap and Bottled Water “In 2007, 19 out of 20 (95%) households in Canada’s census metropolitan areas (CMAs) were connected to municipal water supplies” (Statistics Canada, 2010). Type of Water Consumed Among Canadian Households that Were Connected to a Municipal Water Supply
Type of Water Consumed Among Canadian Households that Were Not Connected to a Municipal Water Supply 8%
11% Tap
Tap
Bottled 29%
Bottled 34%
Both
56%
59%
Adapted from Statistics Canada
Both
Adapted from Statistics Canada
Households that were not connected to a municipal water supply consumed more bottled water, 34 percent opposing to 29 percent, thereby decreasing the use of tap water from 59% to 56%.
Halifax CMA “In 2007, slightly less than three-quarters of the households (74%) in the Halifax CMA had a municipal water supply. Just over half (52%) of those households that drank tap water treated the water prior to consumption” (Statistics Canada, 2010).
Type of Water Consumed Among Households in Halifax that Were Connected to a Municipal Water Supply
“Of those households that treated their tap water prior to drinking it, 58% did so to improve the appearance, taste or odour and half treated their water to remove water treatment chemicals” (Statistics Canada,
13.5% Tap Bottled
13.5%
Both 73%
2010). “Despite having safe, clean drinking water supplies available to them, many Canadian households choose to drink bottled water, even though the cost per litre is many times that of the water from their taps”
Adapted from Statistics Canada
(Statistics Canada, 2010).
“Of the CMAs profiled, Saskatoon [76%], Victoria [75%] and Halifax [73%] had the highest rates of households that used primarily tap water” (Statistics Canada, 2010).
“According to Lauria's bottled water association, in 1990, 2.2 billion total gallons of bottled water were sold worldwide. In 2007, it was 8.8 billion” (Gashler, 2008). “It takes 15 million barrels of oil per year to make all of the plastic water bottles in America, according to the Container Recycling Institute” (Knopper, 2008). “Plastic water bottles produced for U.S. consumption take 1.5 million barrels of oil per year, according to a 2007 resolution passed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. That much energy could power 250,000 homes or fuel 100,000 cars for a year, according to the resolution” (Gashler, 2008). “Some cities [in the U.S.], including San Francisco, Albuquerque, Minneapolis, and Seattle, have banned city purchase of single-serve bottled water because of waste impact from the bottles and because it's viewed as an unnecessary cost to taxpayers” (Gashler, 2008). “An estimated 25 percent or more of bottled water is really just tap water in a bottle—sometimes further treated, sometimes not” (All About Water, 2004). “It takes 1,000 years for plastic bottles to break down, CRI estimates. But when they do, they disintegrate into tiny bits. The green and blue bottles, especially, look like tasty food to fish and shorebirds. Scientists are finding these dead animals on the beach, with bellies full of plastic pellets” (Knopper, 2008). Visit www.sustainablebabysteps.com/water-conservation.html for many ways to save water.
References All About Water.org (2004) Natural Spring Water or Reconstituted Tap Water? Retrieved from http://www.allaboutwater.org/tap-water.html Gashler (2008) Thirst for bottled water unleashes flood of environmental concerns. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2008-06-07-bottled-water_N.htm Knopper, M. (2008). Bottled Water BACKLASH. E - The Environmental Magazine, 19(3), 36-39. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Statistics Canada (2010) Drinking Water Decisions of Canadian Municipal Households: Main Article. Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/16-001-m/2009010/part-partie1-eng.htm
Type of Water Consumed Among Canadian Households that Were Not Connected to a Municipal Water Supply 8%
11% Tap
Tap
Bottled 29%
Bottled 34%
Both
56%
59%
Adapted from Statistics Canada
Both
Adapted from Statistics Canada
Households that were not connected to a municipal water supply consumed more bottled water, 34 percent opposing to 29 percent, thereby decreasing the use of tap water from 59% to 56%.
Halifax CMA “In 2007, slightly less than three-quarters of the households (74%) in the Halifax CMA had a municipal water supply. Just over half (52%) of those households that drank tap water treated the water prior to consumption” (Statistics Canada, 2010).
Type of Water Consumed Among Households in Halifax that Were Connected to a Municipal Water Supply
“Of those households that treated their tap water prior to drinking it, 58% did so to improve the appearance, taste or odour and half treated their water to remove water treatment chemicals” (Statistics Canada,
13.5% Tap Bottled
13.5%
Both 73%
2010). “Despite having safe, clean drinking water supplies available to them, many Canadian households choose to drink bottled water, even though the cost per litre is many times that of the water from their taps”
Adapted from Statistics Canada
(Statistics Canada, 2010).
“Of the CMAs profiled, Saskatoon [76%], Victoria [75%] and Halifax [73%] had the highest rates of households that used primarily tap water” (Statistics Canada, 2010).
“According to Lauria's bottled water association, in 1990, 2.2 billion total gallons of bottled water were sold worldwide. In 2007, it was 8.8 billion” (Gashler, 2008). “It takes 15 million barrels of oil per year to make all of the plastic water bottles in America, according to the Container Recycling Institute” (Knopper, 2008). “Plastic water bottles produced for U.S. consumption take 1.5 million barrels of oil per year, according to a 2007 resolution passed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. That much energy could power 250,000 homes or fuel 100,000 cars for a year, according to the resolution” (Gashler, 2008). “Some cities [in the U.S.], including San Francisco, Albuquerque, Minneapolis, and Seattle, have banned city purchase of single-serve bottled water because of waste impact from the bottles and because it's viewed as an unnecessary cost to taxpayers” (Gashler, 2008). “An estimated 25 percent or more of bottled water is really just tap water in a bottle—sometimes further treated, sometimes not” (All About Water, 2004). “It takes 1,000 years for plastic bottles to break down, CRI estimates. But when they do, they disintegrate into tiny bits. The green and blue bottles, especially, look like tasty food to fish and shorebirds. Scientists are finding these dead animals on the beach, with bellies full of plastic pellets” (Knopper, 2008). Visit www.sustainablebabysteps.com/water-conservation.html for many ways to save water.
References All About Water.org (2004) Natural Spring Water or Reconstituted Tap Water? Retrieved from http://www.allaboutwater.org/tap-water.html Gashler (2008) Thirst for bottled water unleashes flood of environmental concerns. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2008-06-07-bottled-water_N.htm Knopper, M. (2008). Bottled Water BACKLASH. E - The Environmental Magazine, 19(3), 36-39. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Statistics Canada (2010) Drinking Water Decisions of Canadian Municipal Households: Main Article. Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/16-001-m/2009010/part-partie1-eng.htm
