Recent studies show that these spring water bottles can be harmful to those who reuse them as refills, as they are potential bacteria bombs, regardless of how much they are cleaned before reuse.
This alarming result comes from recent research done by five female biotechnology students at the University of Aarhus.
The students expected the bacteria to be high in the water but they were shocked at how high the bacteria content was.
They took 15 bottles of spring water, drank the contents then refilled the bottles with tap water for 5 days. When they measured the bacteria at the end of the study, it was 16 times higher than that allowed for tap water. Even the bottles that were cleaned out each time were still 8 times higher.
The study concluded that the material used to make these bottles is just not suitable to be used over and over again.
The head physician of the University also found it difficult to understand why so many people prefer spring water. Spring water has no were near the stringent test placed upon it as tap water.
It was found that spring water could contain as much as 10 times the bacteria found in tap water.