Bluewater ‘Alarmed” By New U.S. Study Spotlighting Cancer-linked Chemical Risks in Tap, Bottled, and Household-Treated Water

Stockholm, Sweden, September 12, 2024 – Clean water and beverage innovator Bluewater today said it had been alarmed by a new, groundbreaking US research study that found alarming levels of potential health risks across various water sources in San Francisco. The study, published in the journal Plos Water, analyzed 603 tap water samples, 100 bottled water samples, and 111 samples of household-treated tap water in the San Francisco Bay Area.

“It is hard not to come across as alarmist when a study clearly flags up the threats posed to drinking water by commonly used chemicals,” said Swedish ecopreneur Bengt Rittri, founder and CEO of Bluewater.

Rittri noted that the mounting evidence of increased contamination of tap water by chemicals, toxic metals, and microplastics is driving increased public fear about the safety of drinking water. In August, a global US study among 148,585 adults in 141 countries indicated 40 percent of people worldwide mistrust their tap water amid fears it is unsafe

The research by a team at the environmental testing company SimpleLab in Berkley, California, found that all three water sources – tap, bottled, and household-treated – pose potential health risks primarily due to trihalomethanes (THMs).

THMs are a byproduct of chlorine disinfection, commonly used to ensure public health safety by preventing waterborne diseases. However, exposure to THMs has been linked to a potential increased cancer risk and damage to the liver and kidneys.

“The study represents the first large-scale comparison of the quality of bottled water, tap water, and household-treated tap water,” one of the study’s authors said. “Our findings highlight that while alternatives to tap water, such as bottled water and household treatment systems, are popular, they do not necessarily offer a superior option in terms of safety and can sometimes come with higher environmental and financial costs.”

Bluewater was launched over a decade ago with the aim to develop technologies and solutions that would end the need for single-use plastic bottles. Today Bluewater offers a host of innovative solutions that empower individuals, communities, and businesses worldwide to take control of their water quality by harnessing the company’s next-generation reverse osmosis SuperiorOsmosis™ technology, a proprietary solution designed to remove up to 99.7 percent of contaminants.

For more information, contact: David Noble, Bluewater Chief Communications and PR Officer, at david.noble@bluewatergroup.com or +44 7785 302694.

About Bluewater Group: Bluewater has set its sights on being the world’s most planet-friendly water purification and beverage company by innovating and marketing disruptive hydration solutions for home, work, and play. Bluewater Group products are available globally to consumers, hotel and catering operations, event and venue organizations, educational institutions, and for public dispensing. Learn more about our purpose-driven mission on our website.