Okay, so the water tastes great and won’t hurt you. But why should you give a hoot? Because it’s a total money-saver. Imagine every time you’re thirsty, you just walk to your sink instead of forking out £1.50 for a plastic bottle at a corner shop. Over a year, that’s hundreds of pounds you could spend on actually fun stuff—like a fancy coffee at The Milkman or a proper pie at Oink.
Scottish Water install Top up Tap outside Holyrood - The Edinburgh Reporter
Plus, you’ll be saving the planet. Single-use plastic bottles are a menace to the world’s oceans, and honestly, they’re a nuisance to carry around. Edinburgh has hundreds of public water refill stations. You can fill your reusable bottle in most cafes for free. Or just use the tap at home.
I’m not saying you should never buy bottled water. When you’re hiking up Ben Arthur and have forgotten your flask, sure, grab one. But for daily life—for making tea, for chilling out on your sofa, for giving to your cat who insists on drinking from a glass—the tap is your best friend.
The Famous “Edinburgh Tap Test”
Here’s a little game you can play. Fill two glasses: one from your tap, one from any expensive brand like Evian or Highland Spring. Now do a blind taste test blindfolded. I guarantee you, most people cannot tell the difference. In fact, many prefer the tap. It’s crisp, neutral, and doesn’t have that weird “mineral” aftertaste that some bottled waters carry.
My wife did this during a dinner party once. The guest who swore by bottled water picked the tap. He was genuinely shamed for the rest of the evening—in a fun, laughing way. Now he only uses his tap at home.
