Globaliser

Yes, but have you tasted it?

I drink a lot of fizzy water because I like it and will happily drink a lot of it. It's better for me than soft drinks. But I have a problem with flat water (bottled or tap) - I can look at jugs and bottles of the stuff for so long that I get sick from dehydration without it ever occurring to me that I should drink it.

Malin

So you'd have drank this then??

http://www.the-gazette.co.uk/news/vi...afe?mode=print

Granted, it isn't as dirty as this now but there's still bits of grit in it etc.

LTN Phobia

I wouldn't drink the tap water in any of my home areas.

Area one, just looking at the residues that water leaves is horrible - limescale special! Maybe it's not harmful, but it's not nice.

Area two, full of whatever residues - no idea what, but it's often yellow in colour. Very off-putting. Again, maybe it's not harmful, but it's not nice.

Area three, full of chlorine. The smell is overpowering when having a shower. I cannot bring myself to drinking chlorine-smelling water.

All in the first world countries.

However, I would happily drink the tap water in some other areas. It all depends on where I am.
I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I am too lazy to filter my own water.

corporate-wage-slave

And for that matter, all whisky should be replaced with Teachers Blend. All these distilleries scattered over Scotland, wasting resources like that.

I'm both teetotal and my home water supply comes from a spring and is thus not chlorinated. I really do struggle to drink tap water, the taste is horrific to my tongue. It even goes to the extent that I struggle with tea made from tap water, despite being boiled. Less so with coffee. I can easily tell Evian from Highland Spring from Badoit from Malvern, sometimes by smell alone. So recognising that this is something of a luxury when many people in this world have poor access to water, I am nevertheless grateful to have something to drink.

BlueThroughCrimp

Sorry, but London tap water makes me gag. It's almost as if I have to chew it.

I guess I'm lucky that the tap water I have at home is almost as good as bottled water.

Jenbel

Somewhere, a marketer dies happy

(there really isn't such a thing as 'premium water' in the UK - it all comes out the ground. The 'premium' comes from how much they spend tarting up the bottles and on the advertising to justify the higher prices)

Land-of-Miles

I definitely wouldn't normally choose to drink London tap water either. I find there is a considerable difference between the different brands of mineral waters. I prefer gently sparking waters like Badoit or San Pellegrino rather than heavily carbonated mineral water. I hate Hildon with a passion and would rather drink tap water in preference. Of the still waters my preference is Voss but only if available in glass bottles. I really dislike mineral water from plastic bottles as the plastic seems to impact the taste somehow.

A little OT but it always amazes me how many high end restaurants do not know what type of water they serve. I typically ask what the water is before ordering because if they have Badoit or Pellegrino I will typically order sparking, if not then I want to check it isn't Hildon before I order. I would estimate that at least 80% of the time I ask my waiter/ess what type of water they have (where it isn't clear in the menu) they do not have a clue.

corporate-wage-slave

I agree, especially if the plastic bottled water has been allowed near to sunlight or kept too warm, or was bottled a long time back.

To get back on topic, Speyside is a slightly more flinty flavour than HS, and the sparkling version has a more sharp, pinpoint texture to it than HS, so a very good replacement from my point of view.

BA304

Highland Spring is such a dull water. Anything else would be preferable.

ClubClassCowboy

Let's not get ridiculous

T8191

Area 3 sounds like somewhere in the USA … yukky smell.

Filtered water … we have 2 jugs in the fridge, even though our local water is actually really rather nice. "St Helier Spring", anyone?

Fruitcake

Always Peckham Spring for me.

T8191

Ahhh, there you go, London-centric.

Now HilFly will need an explanation of that one

Fruitcake

Thanks for providing. There will be those on here who don't remember it - 20 years ago now!

ColdWalker

^

There has to be something wrong when something as simple as water costs more than a highly processed/transported and taxed product like petrol! And seeing evian in hotel rooms in Asia beggars belief; the thought that is has been transported halfway round the world to a country with perfectly good local water is pure madness. I can see the arguement for having to buy bottled water when you are out and about, but the majority of the time a tap is accessible. There should be no reason for bottle water in the home/office/airport lounge/hotel in a developed country. We would be better off making our public supply more palatable.

As for the concept of premium and super-premium waters, piffle and tosh. Wholly marketing rubbish. I would challenge anyone to consistently identify super-premium water in a blind taste test, and put good money on it.