Is bottled water better than tap water?
Here are eight things to know about bottled water in Singapore: 1.
And more brands have recently been added to the shelves, including two brands of alkaline water which were introduced at the Sheng Siong supermarket chain in 2016.
They are natural mineral water, packaged drinking water, mineralised drinking water, distilled water and spring water.
Chlorine concerns Some have switched to drinking bottled water due to worries over chlorine levels in tap water, but experts have said the level of chlorine in Singapore’s tap water is within acceptable limits.
Is it better for health?
According to a study published in the BMC Public Health journal in 2004, water with minerals was found to lower the blood pressure of people with low urinary excretion of magnesium or calcium.
However, experts told The Straits Times that more conclusive results are needed to support claims that alkaline water and oxygenated water are better for health.
Fluoride levels may pose risks to children Dr Wuang Shy Chyi, domain lead for water technology at Temasek Polytechnic’s School of Applied Science, said that due to their natural sources, mineral water can contain trace amounts of elements.
Associate Professor Richard Webster from Nanyang Technological University’s School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences said that water marketed as artesian or untouched by humans is not better, describing it as a "marketing gimmick".