Boiling Water – Or Preferably Mineral Water?

In adulthood, the human body consists of about 70% water. At birth, it's even around 95%. No wonder water is the number one essential food. To stay healthy, one must replenish their reserves daily. Therefore, it is crucial that the available drinking water is safe and of high quality.

Many people use their tap water to prepare baby food. In Switzerland, tap water is generally of very good quality and can be used for drinking – provided there are no lead-containing pipes in the house. The quality of tap water is regulated by the EDI Ordinance on Drinking Water. The cantons are responsible for water supply.

However, limit values can be exceeded under certain conditions, such as:

• Old pipes and plumbing
• Medication residues
• Legionella or other bacteria

Boiling Water or Not – Scenarios

Families with babies often face the task of boiling tap water, as it must meet the highest standards. Unfortunately, boiling water only helps babies to a limited extent. For example, Legionella can enter the body through the respiratory tract. Bathing a baby in unboiled water can therefore also pose a risk.

If you generally feel unwell from consuming tap water or often suffer from headaches – or if you're preparing baby food – you should consider a water test to evaluate your drinking water quality.

Bottled Mineral Water – Pros and Cons

With bottled mineral water, you're generally safe from medication residues, heavy metals, or other substances. However, it scores very poorly in terms of environmental impact. Did you know that the eco-balance of bottled mineral water is up to 1000 times worse than tap water? This is mainly due to transport, bottling, and packaging. Bottles found in stores often have long transportation routes.

So, if your tap water is safe, it's a much more sustainable and practical option – especially for the environment. But you shouldn't risk your health just to be eco-friendly.

Conclusion

If you choose tap water, make sure it’s safe – especially if you have a baby and prepare baby food. In such cases, a water test is not a luxury but a necessity. It’s the only way to detect and solve issues in your home water system.

Boiling water can eliminate bacteria but not chemical contaminants. So when it comes to "boiling or bottled?", both choices have drawbacks. The best solution is a water analysis – identify the problem and fix it. That’s the way to achieve safe drinking water long term.