Tap water gets the thumbs up
France is No4 for best global water quality and two out of three French people drink it every day
FRENCH people like tap water, with 84% of people saying they drink it and like it, and 66% saying they drink it every day.
Although 67% think that it is rather expensive 56% say they drink tap water because it is less expensive than bottled water – some studies have shown it is 100 times cheaper.
And while just 22% say tap water is more environmentally friendly the opinion poll for the Centre d’Information de l’Eau found 51% watched how much water they used in order not to waste it.
The Centre’s study also showed that people did not know much about how much their water cost – with 71% not knowing that the price was fixed by their commune.
The most recent global water quality survey by the World Health Organisation placed France fourth in the Top 10, saying levels of bacteria were very low in the water which was provided by private sector groups regulated by regional water agencies and European legislation.
The UK came seventh on the WHO list, with Scottish water getting special mention. Switzerland was at No1, followed by Norway, Luxembourg, France, Austria and Italy. Below the UK were Sweden, Germany and New Zealand.
Last month bottled water company Cristaline was ordered to pay a €100,000 fine plus €50,000 in damages in Paris for claiming in poster adverts that tap water did not taste good, that it contained nitrates, lead and chlorine and that it was no better than the water in toilets.
Photo of water drop falling in glass: Mukesh Patil (CC0)
