It is better to choose tap water instead of mineral water at home: it is just as good, safe and controlled. Bottled mineral water is not necessarily healthier, has a negative impact on the environment and is an unnecessary expense.
The water in the aqueduct is subject to regular quality controls and has the same chemical composition and taste, smell and colour characteristics as bottled water.
The law precisely regulates the physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics of drinking water. Even for bottled mineral water, the law provides for the necessary controls, but it is not automatically to be considered healthier: its characteristics also depend on its hydrogeological origin and there may be contamination problems deriving from its conservation or pollution of the aquifers.
Moreover, the consumption of plastic bottled water weight on the environment.

Advice from Altroconsumo

- If you have health problems, don't decide on your own that you need water other than tap water and don't let yourself be influenced by advertising. For specific health disorders, ask your doctor if bottled water is preferable.
- If the problem is the taste, for example the hint of chlorine, you can leave the water in a pitcher in the fridge for around 30 minutes before drinking it. If there are other problems, you can get a water filter pitcher. We tested them on "Altroconsumo Inchieste 338", July 2019.
- If you like sparkling water, you can get a carbonation device. We tested them on "Altroconsumo Inchieste 338, July 2019". Or you may be able to obtain it from the water houses active in many municipalities.
- If you have doubts regarding the condition of water from your tap, you can have it analysed through our dedicated service. You can find all the information on: www.altroconsumo.it/
analisi-acqua.
- If you do not want to give up mineral water, choose water in returnable glass bottles.

In collaboration with

ISDE - Associazione Medici per l'Ambiente