EU moves to discourage people from drinking bottled water
The European Union is revamping its water quality rules to address possible new health hazards and limit plastic waste by discouraging people from drinking bottled water.
The European Commission said the rules will oblige the bloc's 28 countries to improve access to drinking water and better inform citizens about water quality, be it from taps or bottles.
It hopes the move will improve confidence in local tap water and wean people off bottles, which are among the most common plastic items found on European beaches.
Tap water in Europe costs around 20c per litre, far less than bottled water.
Commission vice president Frans Timmermans said: "If people know water is cheaper for them and not hazardous to their health, they might make a different choice."
