A question I pondered as I heaved 24 litres of bottled water from the supermarket shelves into my trolley, then onto the conveyor belt and then back into the trolley. Seriously resenting the 24 litres of bottle water as I lifted them out of my trolley and into the car.
Miles of supermarket aisles are filled with bottles water.
I know in the back of my mind, Yes, of course French tap water is safe to consume, but I don’t, why?
The preference for bottled water amongst the French is something of an historical legacy, for as late as the 1990s up to 13% of consumers in some areas of the country did not have drinking water that complied with quality standards.
However, in recent years (largely as a result of pressure from the EU, it has to be said) the French government has invested heavily in water treatment works, with a major programme of investment that is ongoing.
The system of quality control in France today is also rigorous, and carried out along the whole of the supply chain – at the point of capture, at treatment stations, and within the distribution network itself.
Not only do the water companies themselves do their own tests, but there are also regular independent tests carried by officials from the French Ministry of Health.
The frequency of these tests will depend on the size of the population served by a particular supply, and by the risks that may be present within an area.
The tests regularly show that over 99% of the supply complies with quality standards, which are set by the European Union.
If a breach of standards does arise, and the water is considered unsafe to drink, it is the responsibility of the local mayor to ensure that the inhabitants of the communeare informed.
So yes, the water in France is very safe to drink, but the French aren’t convinced, particularly in agricultural areas where the nitrates and pesticides contained in the untreated water is particularly high.
The French government have worked really hard to convince the public that tap water is safe to drink…
‘Water resources are exposed to a range of contaminants, but there is a rigorous regulatory framework in France (as elsewhere in the developed world) based on European standards, with regular controls by agencies, and treatment networks amongst the best in the world. This makes tap water one of the most monitored, most healthy, and most secure compounds we consume.’
In addition, the local council are required to inform all inhabitants each year of the result of the most recent tests. This information is included with the water bill. The results are also normally on the notice board at the mairie.
It appears that the French government can do no more to allay our fears as to the quality of the tap water so why do the majority of the French still prefer bottled water?
Is it a habit?, we have always drunk bottles water so we will continue to. Or, is it because the water is so heavily treated it tastes so awful !!…
No comments:
Post a Comment