I usually drink bottled water (buy the 2 litre bottles off the shelf) but surprise surprise, when I went to my local supermarket yesterday afternoon there was not a single bottle of water left. None on the shelves, none in the fridge. So is London tap water OK to drink?
Contributor 
70,754 posts
11 reviews 
89 helpful votes Not only is it all right to drink, it's actually quite tasty. Put a drop of lemon juice in your water bottle to give it extra tang - even more refreshing in this wretched heat!!
Thanks, it is actually coming out of the tap quite cool at the moment also.
yes, and 7.5million do daily. It's only some that prefer bottled water, but thats their choice, I actually like our tap water over bottled
We bought one of those water filters for our home. The water does take better and it stops that white build up on the element of the jug. We just fill small bottles of water to take to work.
Tesco in piccadilly had pretty much sold out of all drink when I went at lunch time yesterday!
I prefer it for environmental reasons - millions of plastic bottles coming off the supermarket shelves every day aren't cool .
Plus it's good quality and tastes fine. There was a short article in the Evening Standard the other day in which nobody could spot it among bottled water.
Contributor
15,408 posts
307 reviews
701 helpful votes London tap water is hard water - leaves a film of minerals floating on a cup of tea - but don't be alarmed, its actually the most healthy type of tap water and is very good for the arteries.
Soft water (found in Scotland) is equally delicious, but is not as good for your heart. If you are out and about then maybe your only choice is bottled, but when available you should use tap water and help the environment.
add some ice in this weather though!!!
I usually refill any bottled water I get while in London with tap water and store in the fridge over night (or freezer if I have one available) then pop them in my bag to carry with me all day. And I don't usually carry the 2 litre bottles - too big, too heavy. I got the pomegranate water from Pret - delicious!! and would refil those bottles .. 1/2 litre.
Ta. M!
Yes. Mineral water is a triumph of the marketing industry.
Contributor
4,776 posts
75 reviews
194 helpful votes and if youre not partial to London tap water you could always mask the flavour by drinking London Pride Beer! (from the Fullers brewery in Chiswick, West London - which uses..... London tap water!)
I've been drinkiing it for over 40 years and it hasn't done me any harm, only thing to watch out for is that it contains it's own mix of mineral elements peculiar to this area of the UK - so that if you are from anywhere outside London (even from with in the UK) you MAY find that you have a minor tummy upset for a day or so - but it most definitely WILL NOT give you any health problems.
