Study: Households drinking bottled water

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Higher-income households and households with children were the most likely to drink bottled water in the home, according to a new study.

The study, "Against the flow: Which households drink bottled water?" was published today in EnviroStats, Statistics Canada's quarterly bulletin on environmental and sustainable development statistics.

Using data from the Households and the Environment Survey, the study examines the characteristics of households that used bottled water as the main source of drinking water in the home.

The large amount of plastic waste generated by the consumption of bottled water has raised concerns due to the availability of potable tap water in most Canadian communities.

Households living in apartments, households with seniors and households with at least one member with a university education were least likely to drink bottled water, compared with other households.

Overall, almost 3 in 10 Canadian households used bottled water as their main source of drinking water in the home in 2006.

High-income households more likely to drink bottled water

In general, households with a higher income were more likely to drink bottled water. While about one-quarter of households with a household income of $40,000 or less drank bottled water in the home, the proportion rose to one-third among households with an income over $91,000.

Although drinking bottled water generally increased with education, households where at least one member had a university education did not follow the trend. Whereas about one-third of households with some postsecondary education drank bottled water, only one-quarter of university-educated households reached for bottled water, the lowest proportion of any education group.

Though there is often a link between households with high income and households with higher education, this does not extend to drinking bottled water in the home. The higher bottled water consumption among high income households was driven by households where no one had completed a university degree.

Drinking bottled water most likely among families with children

Household consumption of bottled water varied with the age of household members.

Households made up of working-aged adults and children under the age of 18 were the most likely to drink bottled water, with one-third reporting they used bottled water as the main source of drinking water in the home.

In contrast, seniors showed a strong preference for tap water. In fact, they were the least likely to drink bottled water, with only 17% reporting they drank primarily bottled water in the home.

Households living in apartments were also less likely to drink bottled water, with one-quarter reporting that they consumed bottled water in the home.

These findings have an income-related link. Half of all households composed of seniors had an income of $25,000 or less a year. In contrast, over half of households with children had incomes above $64,000.

Households living in apartments were also more likely to be in the lowest income category than other households.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 3881.

The article "Against the flow: Which households drink bottled water?" is now available in EnviroStats, Summer 2008, Vol. 2, no. 2 (16-002-XWE, free), under the Publications module of our website.

The articles "The Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators: On population weighted ground-level ozone," "Gone fishing: A profile of recreational fishing in Canada," and "Canadian industry's expenditures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions" are also released in this issue of EnviroStats.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact the Information Officer (613-951-0297; environ@statcan.gc.ca), Environment Accounts and Statistics Division.