Column: Save Money, Drink Tap Water
[Written by Erich Hetzel & Katie Berry]
Did you know that in the last five years Bermuda’s consumers have spent over $7 million buying bottled water, much of it contained in single-use plastic? That’s money we are spending for something that falls from the sky, for free.
This is a huge amount of money to be spending on a natural resource that we all have sitting in our tanks, or have access to via piped water systems, which are a fraction of the cost of buying bottled water.
This isn’t just a financial waste. This is a physical waste too. Plastic cannot be recycled in Bermuda. These bottles either end up in our incinerator, releasing toxic gases into the atmosphere when burned, or littering our island.
This is why Beyond Plastic Bermuda is launching a new campaign: ‘Take Back the Tap’. We want Bermuda to say ‘no’ to single-use plastic water bottles and instead, save money by drinking appropriately treated tap water.
For anyone concerned about the quality of their tank water, Beyond Plastic Bermuda has spoken to government scientists, water companies and water filtration experts about how to ensure your tap water is safe to drink.
Through our interviews and research, we have discovered what contaminants may be in our tanks, trucked and piped water, and sought advice about how to minimise water contamination, ensure safe water treatment and implement effective filtration systems that can remove these contaminants from your tank water before you drink it. For example, carbon filters can remove aluminium, chlorine, chloramines, sediment, certain trace metals and other chemical contaminants. Reverse osmosis systems can remove those contaminants as well as bacteria. UV light treatment can kill bacteria.
We investigated how much it costs to buy bottled water on an ongoing basis, which can be used to compare against the costs of piped water or water filtration systems such as Point of Use [PoU] or Point of Entry [PoE] which are available locally, or water filtration jugs such as Brita.
These findings can be found on our website at https://beyondplastic.bm/drinking-water-in-bermuda/.
Why are we doing this? Because hundreds of thousands of plastic water bottles are needlessly shipped to Bermuda each year, contributing to environmental pollution and exposing us to a cocktail of chemicals which can negatively affect our health.
Bottled water companies may promote a healthy image, using photographs of mountain springs, lush greenery and successful athletes to promote their products, but the reality is very different.
A recent study by Columbia University, published in January 2024, found that on average, a litre of bottled water contained around 240,000 detectable plastic fragments. Many of these fragments are nanoplastics, which are microplastics that have broken down. This allows them to pass through the intestines and lungs directly into the bloodstream and travel from there to organs including the heart and brain. These particles can even pass through the placenta and into the bodies of unborn babies.
Some of the plastics found include polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and polymethyl methacrylate. These contain endocrine disrupting chemicals [EDCs], which are linked to diabetes, obesity and a variety of fertility issues. What’s worse is that they can be passed onto our children in utero.
People are also at risk from the EDCs found in the plastic bottles themselves, including bisphenols and phthalates. If a plastic water bottle has been left in the sun or a warm car at any point during its life cycle, these chemicals can leach into the water you are intending to drink.
As long as you know the condition of your tank water therefore and have it appropriately treated, our stored rainwater is safe to drink. Bermuda’s roof water catch is one of the few, genuinely sustainable things that we do here in Bermuda. Other countries even look to us as a pioneer in this respect.
If you care about your health, your family’s health and your environment, please stop spending your hard-earned money on single-use plastic water bottles. Invest in clean tanks, clean roofs, water filters and reusable bottles instead.
- Erich Hetzel and Katie Berry, Beyond Plastic Bermuda
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Category: All, Environment, News
The authors, respectfully, are pushing a feel-good go-green narrative. They do not know if the cost and utility of bottled water outweigh the cost of drinking treated water of lesser quality.
I will not drink any water out of any tap in Hamilton. I will not drink any tap water served in restaurants in Hamilton. Even the ice in my iced tea is less than pure and I always ask for low ice, two fingers worth.
“Did you know that in the last five years Bermuda’s consumers have spent over $7 million buying bottled water, much of it contained in single-use plastic?” That $7 million is irrelevant given the high cost of shipping in bottled water + markup. What are the numbers by bottle size? Who are the biggest consumers? Government? Schools? Individuals?
From a Florida Wal-Mart: How much would these cost in Bermuda?
Great Value Purified Drinking Water (filtered tap water), 16.9 fl oz Bottles, 40 Count, $5.36.
Dasani Purified Water (filtered tap water), 500 mL, 32 Count, $6.98.
Aquafina Purified Bottled Drinking Water (filtered tap water), 16.9 oz, 32 Pack Bottles, $6.98.
POLAND SPRING Brand 100% Natural Spring Water, 16.9-ounce plastic bottles (Pack of 40) on sale $22.50.
ZEPHYRHILLS Brand 100% Natural Spring Water, 16.9-ounce plastic bottles (Pack of 35) $6.95.
How much bottled water is consumed by members of Beyond Plastic Bermuda? Do they refill metal bottles with tap or with filtered water? Do they use plastic water bottles?
The comment made by Hillarious” are absolutely correct as some building in the city their tank water are filthy.
I amsupprised that we don have major medical problems here like the plague .
The latest is Sarah desert dust fall out what next.
Please serve you animals clean water and pets with pre boiled water.
Do we not have inspectors checking water quality in all of city properties restaurants hotel homes and schools are not much better and can cause major health issues .
Bermuda tank water should be absolutely as clean as you can get them provided that, the roof is kept power wash clean and roofs tri annualy power washed bleached and painted .
Down pipes and over flow pipes should be screened and cleaned and screens replaced periodaly, and the tank it self is completely drained and cleaned of sludge which in some instance can be over 6″‘ deep and also vermin removed,as they get in through overflow drain pipe.
Birds and rats can nest in over flow pipes also if not screened ..
Hurricanes don’t make life any easier as sand, leaf matter, and salt spray, will contaminate the water making it unsafe to consume .
Adding bleach to the water with an attempt to purify the water is not a good idea when it is too far gone which can be detected when the hot water smells that is if you get that while taking shower .
( An oppinion) This BELCO situation, i Ido not recomend turning the water heater down or off water heater come with thermostats designed a set at 120 degrees F. .
It is not a good idea to consume water from low water in tanks as sludge gets stired from heavy rainfall.
Coffee water and cooking water should be boiled .
Bermuda water tanks function properly as water need to be used and turned over as stagnation can take place.
Further advice may be be had from the Health department who also test water sample .
It is better to to clean and power wash fresh water tanks after hurricane season and before to October an November rains usin the swap tank side system
Pumping and pressure system need to be drained >>> one side only at a time <<< and cleaned also water filters need to be replaced.
Not all fancy bottle water is palatable as some comes from big city supply with minerals added, I think the realy mean dirt .
By the way do not pum tank water containing bleach in the garden
Dwellings located below road level are particularly voulunable to tank dirt accumulation with again hurricans being one of the worst.
WATER TRUCK DELIVERIES
Other recommendations.
For each 1,000 gallons of water delivered the water trucker is required add one cup of clorox per load
Water trucker should be very carefull from what sourse they get their water from.
Never pump a neighbors poluted water into a your fresh water tank. (tempting as that may be)
Take advantage of low water supply to have your tank cleaned.
Alway un plug pressure pump ,water truckers know the routine .
Before use after delivery run off all in house water to be rid of left over stagnant pipe and pressure tank water.
Always have the fresh water tank cleaned before adding at least two loads of fresh water to one side only
do not forger to switch over to the fresh water side.
Your pump may need to be re ~ primed set 10 gallons of water aside for this .
Bermuda water works Devonshire bottled water is good they have very strict quality control and they deliver.
Water pumps cost money plus labor to install .
Never let the water tank run dry to avoid water pump over heating and burn out.
Check your tank on a monthly basis more often during the summer months*.
* I am not sporting with your feelings .
That’s why you should buy water in recycled aluminum cans as those can be recycled forever and are much better for the environment!
Have not seen water available in cans and where it comes from.
The down side is keeping drink containing acids usually found in most fruits in other than glass containers.
EG: orange, lemon and many others which are tart, is not a good idea.
However ,most likely recycling your own glass bottles with screw on cap try small 16 oz “Apple juice” bottles would be the best way to go, try to avoid the sugar as that take longer to process.
Some plastic soft drinks containers left in the sun causes in plastic bottle to leach bad stuff which may cause medical issues.
Now you know why they stopped plastic straws.
When ever you go out in you car alway take plain water with you for every body.
The absolute best refreshment is plain water being good for flushing your kidneys .
>>clear in>> should be >> clear out. >>>>>>
Search Amazon for “canned drinking water” – lots of different brands are available.
Plastic straws were banned mostly based on an overblown report written by a 9-year-old child and pushed by environmentalists.
NYT July 19, 2018 – How a 9-Year-Old Boy’s Statistic Shaped a Debate on Straw
If you’ve read a recent article about Starbucks, Marriott or Seattle banning plastic straws, you might have come across a striking statistic: Americans use about 500 million straws each day.
That figure has been cited widely, appearing in stories by USA Today, CNN, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Fox News and, yes, even The New York Times.
But consider the source: The number is based on research conducted years ago by an enterprising 9-year-old Vermont boy named Milo Cress.
“It is honestly a little surprising,” said Mr. Cress, who turned 17 on Thursday. “I came up with this statistic because I couldn’t find anything else about it. If there are other statistics on how many straws we use that are based on more rigorous research than the research that I did, I’m happy to embrace those.”
Fact check: The claim that 500 million straws are used by Americans is an estimate above the ranges of more rigorous studies. Market research firms put the figure between 170 million and 390 million per day, or 63 billion to 142 billion straws per year.
One market research firm, Freedonia Group, determined that the nation used about 390 million straws a day last year. Another, Technomic, puts the number closer to 170 million, though that count excludes some types of straws.
But Mr. Cress, who then lived in Burlington, Vt., had access to neither of those figures when he developed his estimate in 2011, when he started “Be Straw Free,” a campaign to persuade restaurants to offer straws optionally rather than automatically.
After failing to find reliable statistics online about straw usage, he decided to call a handful of manufacturers himself.
yada, yada, yada – a 9 YEAR OLD!!!
Well if you live in Bermuda, which it sounds like you don’t, but even if you live in America there are hundreds of options in recyclable canned aluminum water. Even here in Bermuda take a look around and not everyone can drink out of the tap based on where they stay lol
There’s nothing wrong with drinking naturally flavored water with fruits lmao where are you getting your information from? You’re not drinking 100 cases of day of those waters and you don’t think there’s naturally occurring acid from fruits in your food or the fruits you eat?! Fruits like grapefruit, etc are actually good for the body.
That’s also not why plastic straws
WATER TANK CLEANING >>>>WARNING <<<< HOME OWNERS SHOULD NOT DO IT.
Cleaning water tank is not exactly and easy job that can be knocked off in 90 minutes , also to do the job properly you will need the proper equipment for the job which :::::: I will not list here , for good reason, your health !
Taking a wild guess at it , I can almost guaranteed that 95% of Bermuda homes require their water tank to be cleaned this year, you could have 13,000 gallons of polluted water . There is time and money there . .
To be blunt ,I strictly do not recomend a home owners atempt this project and / or go up on the roof all it take is one slip and it all over for life .
Many water truckers are in the business of cleaning tanks or they know someone who does that ,and they also have the first load of two of clean water available.
Some tank guys come with a light truck with all the required equipment including a power washer for the job .
WHAT IF ! you have a tank leak that needs to be repaired do you know how, or how to replace the correct size suction foot valve (s) that should be replaced regardless ?
Justs ask for a fixed price and let then get on with it because it is a two person project and you are lookin at say 1/2 a day in labor charges
To start with you might just fill the bath tub for flushing water and have 10 gall of bottled water in the kitchen
GARDEN VEGITATION FIRES
I am not done yet !
” Hilarious” Thanks for your lecture on plastic drinking straws, very interesting.
WARNING
I owe every one an explanation as to why it is not advisable for an in~ experianced person to get up on a Bermuda Slate roof.
THE PIVOT
Over a period of time the roof application starts to break down, heavy rain will send most of that in to the tank as sludge .
However, some of this grit remains on the roof , standing on that will throw a person to the ground.
Here is where the power washer comes into play, blast off THE PIVOT and mold off and also proper shoes comes in.
TANK APPLICAIONS
Water tank minimums. at begining of summer should be 3,000 galls for each bedroom / bath 2,000 for each kitchen an one for tank for fall thank cleaning. or at least half a tank of water
An experience water tricker can fill a tank without disturbing the sludge .
” An oppinion”
(1)
I do NOT recommend any other product application for the interior of a water tank other the grey cement wash only
which should be 100 % cured / dry be for adding any water,failing that all the cement will wash off.
(2)
I do NOT recomend using any other roof applications other that white cement based power an plain water with no aditives only.
3)
I do NOT recomend, unless you are painting a new construction roof using two coats unless you are covering a repair using dark grey ” fiber bond “. Wait 2/ 3 years for any additional application.
I see no problem using a fine pump sprayer with 50/ 50 bleach and water for touch up .
Eat choclate or drink almond chocolate and wear eye protection against blow back + old clothes and hat say of the roof !
ROOF CRACKS.
We cannot expect a Bermuda Coral Slate roof to stay in one piece through the roofs entire life time.
CRACKING of the roof slate can be caused by expansion and contraction of the roof lumber due to heat , humidity and also the sheet weight of a low pitch roof with poor fastenings under sized lumber.
THUNDER CRACK directly over a house will shake the roof an cause several cracks, there is a need to check for this or listen for the drip on the ceiling.
OTHER.
If you have a neighbor who burns their garden wastes and you can smell it, I guarentee the smoke deposits will stick to your roof pout you interior and wind up in your tank, burning pride of India or oleander these are poison.
You with out delay need to get the owner or Fire departmen to put the fire out if it get out of hand.