When I had just arrived in Singapore, one of the first things I noticed was that people always drank from bottled water. I was surprised.
Then I asked the cleaning lady at the hotel where I was staying whether it’s safe to drink tap water. She said yes, but when I went to drink from the tap, she quickly asked me not to; saying that I could get as many bottled water as I wanted from the hotel.
I just thought, what’s the point of having clean water then?
Not only Singaporeans, my fellow countrymen are apparently the same. They prefer bottled to tap water, citing that they’re not used to drinking directly from the tap. Others said that they couldn’t trust the cleanness of the water pipes, so they chose to drink bottled water.
I’m no tree hugger or flower sniffer. I hardly thought about recycling things, but I think it’s just a waste to drink bottled water.
I mean, have you ever heard anyone who got sick after drinking tap water here? I’m sure the government wouldn’t stay silent if that ever happened.
How could we criticize plastic bags so much — remember Bring Your Own Bag Campaign — while throwing plastic bottles so freely?
Bottled water is a multibillion dollar business.I drink tap water all my life and I’m still here. LOL Have you moved? How’s your new place? There’s a chance we’d move too… (seems like we’re moving every year). But not sure though… thinking about the packing already made me feel tired.
Comment by sultana — December 28, 2009 @ 5:59 am
Me too, Syari. Bottled water is not expensive, but if we could drink for free, why pay?
Why would you move again? I thought you liked the place. I’m still not done unpacking, we don’t have any furniture yet lol. Everything will only be delivered starting from this week…so it’s interesting :p
Comment by ayulittleone — December 28, 2009 @ 3:04 pm
Cheap if you buy one, but if you keep on buying then it’ll be expensive. The water you drink from the tap too ain’t free cause you pay monthly for it, but it isn’t as expensive at least. I’ve read an article before about bottled water being a real big money business. Selling on people’s paranoia of germs and what not.
The moving isn’t a sure thing. But sure is tiring even thinking about the possibility of moving. LOL You have to go on a big shopping spree then if you have to buy from the living room sofa to the bedroom beds.Heh, wish you happy shopping then!
Comment by Syari — December 30, 2009 @ 3:09 am
oh yeah, I just realized I can change the comment settings on my blog. So you don’t even need to log in to your blogger account to comment now.
Comment by Syari — December 30, 2009 @ 3:10 am
Cool, I’ll write you later
Utility doesn’t really cost that much here, so I consider drinking water as free, especially since we can really find it for free in most public places.
Almost done with the shopping here. Today some of the furniture will be delievered. I’ll have to stand by from 11 AM to 7 PM lol. Adam won’t be happy I bet.
Comment by ayulittleone — December 30, 2009 @ 9:10 am
Singapore tap water is recycled from sewage as they reduce buying treated water from Malaysia…
Comment by Eric — January 24, 2011 @ 10:24 am