THE BOTTLE LIE: WHY TELANGANA & ANDHRA MAY BE DRINKING RISK, NOT RELIEF

For millions across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, bottled water has become a daily necessity at homes, offices, construction sites and roadside kiosks. In cities like Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam, distrust of tap water has quietly fuelled a booming bottled-water economy. But mounting scientific evidence suggests this trust may be dangerously misplaced.

Studies now warn that bottled water is often less safe, less regulated and more contaminated than people believe, and in states with hot climates and weak enforcement, the risks are amplified.

A 2025 international study found high levels of bacterial contamination in water sold in refillable jars and plastic bottles that dominate the market in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Unlike municipal tap water, which is routinely tested, bottled water is treated as a packaged food product and checked far less frequently.

Public water supplies are monitored daily for bacteria, heavy metals and chemical pollutants. Bottled water manufacturers are not legally required to publish detailed test results, leaving consumers blind to what they are actually drinking.

Health officials and consumer groups in both states have repeatedly flagged illegal bottling units, especially in peri-urban and rural belts. Many operate without proper filtration, source water from borewells of questionable quality and refill large jars with minimal sanitation. Yet their products end up in homes, schools and hospitals.

A 2024 study detected tens of thousands of microplastic particles per litre in some bottled water brands. Research shows bottled water often contains more microplastics than tap water, a serious concern as these particles can accumulate in human organs.

Plastic bottles can also leach chemicals such as:

• Antimony (used in PET bottles)
• Phthalates (plastic softeners)
• Bisphenol analogues (BPS, BPF), close cousins of BPA

In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, where bottled water is routinely stored in direct sunlight, overheated godowns, delivery vans and car boots, chemical leaching becomes far more likely. Scientists warn these compounds can disrupt hormones, affect metabolism and impact reproductive health with repeated exposure.

Bottled water is not sterile. Once opened, bacteria multiply rapidly, especially in warm conditions common across both states. A half-used bottle left in a parked car or reused multiple times can turn into a breeding ground for microbes.

Refillable jars pose an even greater risk. Poorly cleaned containers, reused caps and contamination from handling are all common problems flagged by food safety inspectors in the region.

Contrary to popular belief, tap water is often safer. It is regulated, traceable and constantly tested. Bottled water, despite its clean branding, escapes the same scrutiny.

Public health researchers also note that tap water contains essential minerals. Bottled water varies wildly in mineral content, and studies link heavy bottled-water use among children to higher rates of dental cavities, especially where fluoride is absent.

The bottled-water boom is also draining the planet. Around one million plastic bottles are bought every minute globally, and India is a major contributor.

Producing a single litre of bottled water can consume up to 2,000 times more energy than supplying tap water. Add transport, cooling and plastic waste, and the carbon footprint becomes staggering, a bitter irony in drought-prone regions like Telangana and Rayalaseema.

Bottled water remains essential during emergencies or where tap water is genuinely unsafe. But for everyday consumption, the idea that bottled water is automatically cleaner or healthier is increasingly being exposed as a marketing myth.

As climate change, heatwaves and water stress intensify across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, blind dependence on bottled water may quietly replace one risk with another.

The question for consumers is whether they truly understand what bottled water contains and what they are consuming every day.