Although Coke/Dasani doesn't say what they are, they are in all likelihood simple salts like potassium chloride.

The start making Dasani by purifying tap water. Humans don't think very pure tap water tastes 'right' because they're used to drinking water that contains some level of dissolved salts (try taking a sip of highly distilled water or 'RO' water). So, they add some mineral salts to make the taste 'better'.

It is frankly just a silly product which I believe was dreamed up by a marketing genius and should be highly taxed as an environmental disaster. We act like we are concerned about global warming and yet we waste resources to import a product that adds nothing except to our landfills. I refuse to drink it unless nothing else is available or I am in a third world country. If you have to drink bottled water (and there is very little reason for it, other than in a third world country), one should drink local bottled water.

We are obsessed with drinking water in fancy bottles when people in third world countries are dying from lack of potable water, as “[u]nsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of all sickness and disease, and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.” We really should be ashamed. Instead of spending money on bottled water, we should make donations to charities like charity: water.

Also, bottled water does not have fluoride which prevents tooth decay. So kids who grow up in wealthy families drinking the stuff will likely spend lots of time in the dentist’s chair when they get older.

Can we send this thread to OMNI or lock it now?

Let it go on record that I agree with Nevsky on all his points but
also with jakuda in that this thread doesn't really belong here.

I love Fiji water, drink it every day... while the other bottled water companies have been going the "eco-friendly" route of making their bottles as thin and light as possible (and thus a pain to re-fill yourself), Fiji has these nice thick, sturdy plastic bottles. I bought a litre bottle of it at the store six months ago, and have been refilling and keeping it in my fridge ever since! Can't say I can tell that it's from the tap, as long as it's ice cold, that's all that matters.

Now refilling is a real win-win.

Responding to the comments above - henever I use a bottle of hotel water, I try to re-use the one bottle, to minimise waste.

Aside from buying a few packs of Fiji once, for the pantry, I don't buy it unless we're out of bottles for the fridge. I now use a Sistema (NZ made) sports water bottle with wetsuit-style insulation while at work.

Have you seen Fiji Water offered at any hotel where you've been a guest?

Cheers,
BB

I have some hilarious pictures of my brother with bottles of Fiji water in Nadi. IIRC, it was around 50 cents US for a liter bottle.

After touring all over Fiji, especially in areas around Nadi and Suva, I don't see how anyone could ever think it is a "pristine ecosystem." The water is a brilliant marketing concept, though.

I fully concede that I'm going OMNI PR with this reply, very much on-topic for this conversation.

Fo those who continue to reuse the botles over a period of months, do you sanitize the bottles...?

Those of you worried about lack of fluoridation in bottled water, do you brush your teeth..?

I fail to see the linkage between consumption of bottled water and lack of safe drinking water elsewhere in the world. There's no tradeoff other than at the level of spending money on something you view as frivolous. Do you take vacations? Buy new rather than used clothing? Use anything other than the cheapest shampoo? There are plenty of things that many people consume in wealthier countries (and that 'elites' in less wealthy countries consume) that could be deemed less important than provision of healthy drinking water.

Still, the presents something of a false choice.

(1) it's precisely economic growth that provides for safe drinking water
(2) systems which support such growth as well as consumption are precisely the systems that provide for healthy drinking water
(3) the barriers to implementation of such systems where healthy drinking water is a luxury are not going to be consumption of bottled water in wealthier societies... the barriers are going to be local institutions and policies.
(4) if you care about safe drinking water you care about governments and polciies in the countries without such. in fact, why are you spending your time on Flyertalk, discussing drinking water, when you could be working for institutional change in countries where poor institutions prevent the development of safe drinking water?

My objection to Fiji water - or drinking Evian in India - is that it is pointless to cart a product thousands of miles when a perfectly acceptable local substitute exists e.g Highland Spring in UK, Himalaya in India.

The same can be said for virtually every product you buy.

In many cases yes. I can tell the difference between a British and Kenyan pea (for example) but bottled water? Not at all.

It is about to become the water of choice at W Hotels.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

So pedestrian.

I only drink bald eagle tears.

Good point - but to some people, certain brands of water do taste better than any available local flavors.