Truths, Taps, and Time
Speaking to staff at Starbucks outlets around the world, the Sun found that many did not use the running tap or even know what it was for.
Starbucks wastes millions of litres of water a day | Business | The Guardian
Peter Robinson, of the environmental charity Waste Watch, said: And to claim you are doing it for health and safety reasons is bonkers. Big companies should set an example.
Jacob Tompkins, of the independent water efficiency agency Water Wise, said: There are a lot of other ways to stop a build-up of bacteria. And if there is one they're not cleaning the tap properly.
Cheap taps, bathrooms taps & kitchen taps
Ian Barker, the head of water resources at the Environment Agency, said: A spokeswoman for Starbucks said that the company's water use adhered to the World Health Organisation, US and EU environmental directives for in-store water supply standards. But she acknowledged the company could cut its water use. Fancy a Pot Noodle or other instant noodle treat? Want to whip up a quick pasta dish? All of these are possible to do simply by turning the handle on a tap, and all in a fraction of the time it would take you to boil a kettle.
It all sounds great so far, but what is this mysterious truth that we need to speak of? The truth is, whilst they may be referred to as 'boiling' water taps, by the time the water makes its way from the tank and out through the spout, most models do not delivery true boiling hot water. So do these few degrees make a difference? The consensus seems to be that most teas should not be prepared with boiling water. White tea, so we're told, should be 'brewed with water that is well below boiling The same seems to be true for green tea.
And what about coffee? The sweet-spot for most blends is often just below boiling.
Jack Daniel’s taps into ‘a triangle of truth’
All Vellamo hot water taps also come with a filter which purifies the water before it enters the boiler tank, removing impurities and preventing limescale from building up in the tank. The other added benefit of the filter is that it ensures your boiling water is as pure as possible, and therefore tastes better. Boiling water taps of old used to be just that - a boiling water tap.
This not only looks messy on the surface, but is a nightmare for plumbers as well. Fortunately then, almost all modern boiling water taps also serve all your other kitchen needs with mains hot and cold water coming out of the same spout. Another cost worry might be installation costs. Do you need to book a plumber and an electrician? The average kettle costs about 2. Quooker states that their boiling water taps cost just 3p per day. Obviously this daily cost will vary from brand to brand, but all brands will be cheaper throughout the day than constantly boiling a kettle, especially if you're not boiling the exact amount of water that you need to use.
If you live in a hard water area, look at the inside of your kettle. The answer is the filter unit that most boiling water taps come with. This filter purifies and removes the hardness from the water before it even reaches the boiler tank. The only difference is the presence or absence of minerals. Associate Professor Richard Webster from Nanyang Technological University's School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences said that tap water and bottled water should be of "very similar quality" after being treated.
The Truth About Boiling Water Taps
But there are differences in terms of where the water is sourced from and how it is subsequently treated. Natural mineral water is extracted from underground sources and may contain small amounts of minerals. The water is treated through the process of distillation. This involves boiling the water and re-condensing it by cooling.
Water with pH levels above 7 are alkaline. Some studies have suggested that alkaline water can help with acid reflux, high blood pressure and diabetes. Bottled alkaline water from supermarkets carries claims of pH levels of 8 and above.
Starbucks wastes millions of litres of water a day
This category is a catch-all for water that is considered fit to be bottled for drinking. This includes water processed by reverse osmosis. A report commissioned in by World Wildlife Fund International said bottled water may not be safer than tap water, as there are fewer standards to conform to. However, this has been disputed by the International Bottled Water Association. Water with minerals was found to lower the blood pressure of people with low urinary excretion of magnesium or calcium, according to a study published in the BMC Public Health journal in Others may also benefit, as a Montana State University professor and his team found.
The study, conducted in , found that people who drank mineral-based, alkaline water were better hydrated. An in-vitro laboratory study published in Sage Journals in suggested that alkaline water could be good for patients with a reflux condition. Despite some studies affirming the benefits, experts told The Straits Times that more conclusive results are necessary to support claims for alkaline water and oxygenated water. The British Journal Of Sports Medicine investigated claims in that athletes could gain a competitive edge by drinking water with extra oxygen, but found that the claims failed the study's analysis and physiological tests.
When it comes to the taste of water, most people cannot tell the difference, The Guardian reported in Two earlier studies - in France and Northern Ireland - led to the conclusion that water simply tastes like, well, water. Generally, one should drink around eight glasses of water a day, with each glass holding ml of water. Fluids can also be obtained from food and other beverages.