24 Bottled Water Statistics
Should you use bottled water or drink from the tap? Do you prefer the taste of bottled water over tap water, but are concerned about the negative effects of using individual bottled water has on our environment?
Below is an extensive list of 24 bottled water statistics to help you decide which course is better for both you and the environment. One avenue to consider is making the switch from using multiple small bottles to larger, more economical, refillable bottles.
You can talk to the friendly staff at WaterSmart today to find out about our wide range of bottled water products that are both cost-effective and can be delivered free of charge.
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24 Bottled Water Statistics
The following is a list of 24 interesting statistics about bottled water usage and the industry itself.
1. In 2013, Canadians purchased 2.4 billion litres of bottled water, which equals about 68 litres per person.
2. The bottled water industry is worth more than $170 billion worldwide.
3. In the United States, more bottled water is sold by volume than milk and beer.
4. According to Statistics Canada survey in 2015, 19 percent of Canadian households drink primarily bottled water. (Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM table 153-0063).
5. The cost of bottled water ranges anywhere from approximately 8 cents/500ml (bought in bulk from a large chain) to $2.50/500ml (high-end brand bought from a vending machine).
6. The recommended daily intake of water is 3.7 liters (15 cups) for the average adult male and 2.7 liters (11 cups) for the average adult female. If these numbers seem daunting, don’t worry - this includes water from the food you consume.
7. You can fill your own 18L bottle at either WaterSmart location for 20¢/litre, and
prepaid water plans are available at huge discounted prices.
8. Only about 70% of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles - the type that can be recycled - are recycled by Canadians according to the Canadian Beverage Association.
9. Some of the plastic waste from water bottles gets shipped abroad for recycling. This contributes to greenhouse gasses.
10. It takes manufacturers up to 3 litres of water to make 1 litre of bottled water if you factor in the amount of water needed to make the plastic bottle to contain it.
11. WaterSmart's 18L bottles are filled with distilled spring water that is purified by a process called reverse osmosis.
12. For babies, it has been shown that you should use distilled water for formula.
13. According to Health Canada, any water you give a baby under four months of age should be brought to a boil for two minutes and then cooled to make sure it is sterile. Once your baby is over 6 months old you can give them tap or bottled water to drink.
14. The Pacific Institute found that in 2006, bottled water production required the energy equivalent of 17 million barrels of oil and emitted 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide.
15. Water quality and water source have very little to do with the price of bottled water; 90% of the cost is the packaging, which includes the plastic manufactured to contain the water and the labelling created by the seller to brand it.
16. According to Statistics Canada, in 2015, 69% of Canadian households reported that they primarily drank tap water at home. This figure was up slightly from 2013.
17. Households in Prince Edward Island (84%) and British Columbia (85%) were the highest reported drinkers of tap water at home in 2015.
18. Households in both Newfoundland and Labrador and Manitoba were the highest reported drinkers of bottled water at home in 2015 - both at 26%.
19. According to Statistics Canada, 51% of Canadian households said that they treated their drinking water prior to consumption.
20. 25% of Canadian households reported that they used jug filters to treat their drinking water in 2015, and 18% of Canadian households used on-tap filters to treat their drinking water in 2015.
21. 12% of Canadian households boiled their water before consumption in 2015.
22. In 2015, 10% of Canadian households reported that they had been issued a boil water advisory.
23. In response to the boil water advisories, 60% of households boiled their water, 65% used bottled water and 12% filtered their water prior to consumption.
24. Reusable BPA free bottles are available for purchase at WaterSmart and can be refilled for $6.75/18L bottle.
Summary of Key Points
Sources
Bottle Vs. Tap: 7 Things to Know About Drinking Water
Against The Flow: Which Households Drink Bottled Water
Households And The Environment Survey 2015
