Bottled Water

Why do we continue to buy a product that generates an enormous volume of waste, is derived from fossil fuels and can only be recycled a limited number of times?

Not only is Australia is home to the world's most expensive bottled water, we have the second highest consumption rate per capita, a UN Report has revealed.


Although most Australians can access extremely good, safe drinking water straight from the tap, on average, each Australian spent about $580 on bottled water in 2021, making it one of the most common and expensive single-use purchases in the country.


The Problem

Unlike tap water, however, producing bottled water is an expensive, resource-heavy process that requires crude oil and extra water. Numerous blind tests have shown many people can't tell the difference between bottle and tap. Although plastic bottles are recyclable, many end up in landfill or as litter. When littered they often end up in the sea where they break up in small pieces, killing marine life that mistake them for food.

Water extracted from springs can deplete the aquifer, which can have consequences for local people, flora and fauna. It can take up to 3L of water and 1L of oil to produce just 1L of water. The transportation of water around the world requires energy, which is mostly created by burning fossil fuels.

And bottled water is expensive! Over 90% of the cost of a water bottle can be traced back to the bottle, lid and label. You can save all that money by drinking tap water. And rest assured, drinking tap water in Australia is completely safe, with about 250 rigorous guidelines, developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council, which cover everything from metals to microbiology.

What can you do?

Together we can help reduce the amount of waste from plastic bottles.

List of Services

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