Have you noticed that more and more Canadians seem to be purchasing bottled water? The other day, I was walking through our neighbourhood and I was shocked to see the number of plastic water bottles in recycling bins. That got me thinking, why are some Canadians buying single bottles of water instead of drinking tap water? I did a deep dive to try to answer this question. It turns out, there’s a lot of misinformation circulating about water quality.
Why are some Canadians nervous to drink municipal tap water?
As many of you know, Canada is blessed with having over 20% of the World’s freshwater. It can be found in lakes, rivers, springs, and underground. So why is it then, that Canada is one of the top countries in the World for bottled water consumption?
It is no secret that access to fresh, clean water is not equal across our nation. According to Indigenous Services Canada, as of March 2026, there are 38 First Nations communities with long-term drinking water advisories on public systems. For a ‘developed’ nation, this is certainly unacceptable.
Moreover, tragedies such as the E-coli outbreak in Walkerton, Ontario (in the year 2000 where over 2,300 residents fell ill and 7 died) may contribute to some citizens’ hesitancy in trusting municipal drinking water. Lastly, those living in rural Canada must test their own drinking water quality, as many depend on well water and other surface water sources.
Keeping these facts in mind, it is understandable why some Canadians have turned to bottled water out of necessity and/or fear. However, do ALL Canadians need to be worried about drinking municipal tap water? And, is turning to bottled water really a healthy and sustainable alternative? Let’s take a look.
Who regulates bottled water & municipal tap water in Canada?
No matter what, any time you ingest something into your body there is an amount of risk involved (e.g. contamination, bacteria, etc.). However, we must eat and drink water to live. Therefore, we are forced to accept a certain level of risk. Of course, we can make choices that can help to reduce risk (e.g. growing your own organic fruits / vegetables, testing your drinking water, etc.). So, does drinking bottled water reduce risk?
Bottled water and municipal tap water are regulated differently in Canada. For instance, bottled water is regulated as a food item and must follow the Food and Drugs Act. The Health Products and Food Branch also issue guidelines. Moreover, federal responsibility is shared by Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Provinces and territories are also permitted to add any additional guidelines. Overall, these agencies are responsible for specifying microbiological standards, acceptable water treatments, and labelling requirements for bottled water. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency can inspect products, labels, and facilities. However, bottled water companies do not need a license to sell commercially in Canada.
On the other hand, municipal tap water is regulated by provinces and territories. Health Canada does provide input through the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality that is formed by Health Canada and members of the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Committee on Drinking Water. In this document, guidelines for microbiological, chemical, physical and radiological contaminants are found.
Municipal tap water is continually tested on a daily or weekly basis in Canada. Cities, such as Toronto, test their tap water 4 to 6 times every day. Many smaller towns test tap water either every day or multiple times per week. The number of times can vary depending on province or territory. The water is tested and analyzed at different points of its journey (e.g. at the source where the water is extracted, on route through city / town pipes, etc.).
In summation, quality standards for bottled water and tap water are similar in Canada, but municipal tap water is more strictly monitored and regulated. For example, municipal water suppliers must release information of their water quality, while bottled water companies are not required to publicly report regular water quality test results.
Where does the water for bottled water come from?
The water for bottled water can come from numerous sources, including from springs, aquifers, lakes, rivers, and even from municipal water supplies! Spring and mineral water must be labelled with the exact location of extraction and indicate whether the water has been altered in any way. Non-spring or mineral water does not need to state the location or type of water source.
Bottled water companies may choose to alter water by reducing mineral content or by taking out chemicals such as chlorine. They may also decide to add elements like carbon dioxide to create ‘sparkling water’.
What are the health implications for drinking bottled water?
Currently, Canadians consume 2.29 billion litres of bottled water annually, which equates to over $6 billion in sales. Over 5.3 million bottles of water are sold in Canada every single day and the average Canadian drinks between 65 to 68 litres of bottled water in a year. Lastly, 20% of the Canadian population solely drink bottled water for their water intake. Unfortunately, 97% of these bottles are made from materials like polyethylene terephthalate (PET / PETE) or polyethylene (PE)- in other words, plastic!
According to David Suzuki, individuals ingest an entire credit card of plastic every week. Yuck! Plastic bottles leach microplastics and nanoplastics into the water through the actual bottle, manufacturing debris, and from screwing and unscrewing the bottle cap. In fact, 240,000 plastic particles can be found in just one litre of liquid. Microplastics and nanoplastics can have negative health implications such as reproductive / digestive / respiratory issues, as well as contributing to various cancers.
Moreover, bacteria is present in most bottled water. Fully sterilized water is usually only available for pharmaceutical purposes, such as for contact lens solutions. There is also some risk that water has been improperly or inadequately treated by companies.
Finally, some individuals are not consuming bottled water properly. For example, a half drunk bottle should be stored in the fridge rather than at room temperature. Furthermore, single-use plastic water bottles should never be refilled, as they can be a breading ground for bacteria. Water bottles should be stored in a dry and cool location that is away from sunlight. If you have an emergency supply of bottled water (which is actually a good idea), it should be replaced every year. Although most bottle labels say that the water is drinkable for two years, Health Canada advises that one year is safer.
What are the health implications for drinking municipal tap water in Canada?
According to the Environmental Performance Index, Canada ranks 22nd in the World for safest drinking water. It is believed that Canada has some of the safest drinking water available. The risk of getting sick from municipal tap water is generally very low. Although, approximately 334,966 Canadians contract acute gastrointestinal illnesses from municipal systems annually. This, however, is deemed to be a small fraction of the population and is usually due to sub-standard systems and/or localized issues. Generally, most municipal water is of very high quality and heavily disinfected. Chlorine is added into our drinking water to disinfect it by getting rid of microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses. Health Canada determines that the amount of chlorine in municipal tap water is safe for human consumption.
Bottled Water & the Environment
Producing bottled water costs money, and wastes energy, resources, and water. For example, 1.2. million barrels of oil are used annually for the creation of plastic bottles. Moreover, 3L of water is needed to make 1L of bottled water. This is because water is required to make the bottle and to clean it before being filled. After that, bottles need to be labelled and transported to stores. As you can see, making bottled water takes quite a toll on the environment. And, I haven’t even touched on disputes that can occur between communities and water companies that are extracting water from local water sources. That, in itself, is a whole other article!
Furthermore, only 70% of plastic bottles are recycled by Canadians. The other 30% end up in landfills or as litter. In fact, 90% of floating litter in oceans and shorelines are plastic bottles! Clearly, this is NOT good!
What's cheaper, bottled water or municipal tap water?
Municipal tap water is substantially cheaper than bottled water. Generally, a litre of municipal tap water is well below 1 cent. Whereas a 500mL bottle of water can cost anywhere from 0.20 cents to over $3.00. Therefore, tap water is 300-6200 times less expensive! Honestly, consumers are mostly paying for the bottles, labels, and packaging costs.
Final Thoughs
There is definitely a time and a place for drinking bottled water. For example, if your community is under a drinking water advisory or during a natural disaster and/or emergency. It’s also a great idea to have some bottled water on hand at home for ‘just in case’ circumstances.
However, for healthy individuals who have access to safe and treated municipal tap water, it is just as good to consume (or even better) than bottled water on a daily basis. Let’s face it, you still have to pay for tap water whether you drink it or not!
As we know, people have different reasons for selecting bottled water over tap. This can be for pure convenience, disliking the taste of the local tap water, needing to test well / other water sources on more rural properties to ensure it’s safe to drink, and general hesitation and skepticism of the quality of municipal tap water. In addition, bottled water companies are very skillful in marketing their water as ‘superior’ or ‘healthier’. But remember, oftentimes these are solely marketing tactics, so don’t be fooled.
What steps can you take to be more environmentally friendly and to veer away from drinking bottled water?
The easiest and most obvious suggestion is to switch to drinking your municipal tap water if it is deemed safe to drink. Additionally, get in the habit of carrying a refillable water bottle when leaving your home.
If you do not like the taste of your municipal tap water, or if you are nervous of its quality and/or chemical composition, there are ways to modify it to your liking. For example, you could consider using a regular water filter (e.g. Brita) or activated carbon filters. We personally have a water filter installed under our kitchen sink because we do not like the taste of our municipal tap water. The filter reduces chlorine levels by more than 95% and gets rid of sediment and odour. In my opinion, it drastically changes the taste of our regular tap water for the better. We have a Rainfresh Water Filter that costs $114.99 at Rona. The filter cartridge can be used for 4 to 6 months and then needs to be replaced (pack of two filters costs $25.29 at Rona).
In comparison, the average case of 24 bottles of water (500 mL) costs between $2.99-$7.99 CAD. If an individual consumes 4 to 6 bottles / day (recommended daily water intake), that means one case would be finished in under one week. Then, you need to consider whether there is more than one person in a household. As you can see, the cost of buying bottled water can quickly add up! Not to mention its environmental cost.
In addition, there are also Reverse Osmosis Systems and UV Purifiers that you can install (these options remove 99% of contaminants from water). These systems are also more environmentally friendly and significantly reduce and/or eliminate the need for bottled water.
Another suggestion is switching to a water cooler in your home. That way, you can refill large bottles at refill stations. Clearly, this would also help in reducing smaller, single-use plastic water bottles.
Finally, if you live on a rural property and need to test your own drinking water, you can investigate to see if there is free testing in your area. For example, Public Health Ontario offers free testing for bacteria in well water. There are also nitrate or fluoride testing kits that sell for around $17 CAD each. If you live in a home that was built prior to 1950, it is a good idea to check the quality of your pipes (to ensure they are not lead).
In conclusion, it’s always sensible to stay informed and to test your water quality if you are ever concerned. Overall, many Canadians are fortunate to have access to clean, safe, and reliable drinking water. If you are one of those Canadians, consider ditching bottled water all together and turning to tap water. As mentioned above, there are numerous ways that you can modify your municipal tap water to your liking.
All individuals living in this nation should have access to clean and safe drinking water, so let’s keep raising awareness, as well as our voices for those who don’t! After all, water is essential for life and should be a basic human right.
Did you find this article interesting? If so check out my article, Every Drop Counts: Water Conservation at Home, by clicking here.
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