Did you know that your bottled water has an expiry date? Does this mean that water goes bad over time, and can become unsafe for drinking?

 

Well, not exactly. Stored properly, water has the potential to last indefinitely. However, different factors can affect certain attributes of water.

 

Exposure to Air

Since water does not contain sugars or proteins, microbes do not consume it. However, exposure to air/dust does bring your water in contact with bacteria. Since commercially sold bottles of water contain small amounts of chlorine, exposure to bacteria will only be a problem after about a day or two.

 

The chemistry of water can also change slightly when exposed to air, as it absorbs CO2. The resulting chemical change causes the pH level of the water to reduce. This can change the taste of your water but is not necessarily harmful to you.

 

Exposure to Sunlight

Even if you are storing water in a closed bottle, make sure you do so away from sunlight. Certain plastics release the hormone disruptor bisphenol A (BPA) when they come in contact with heat.

 

So next time you go pick up a bottle of water, don’t let the expiry date stress you out. Just make sure you store your water safely and stay hydrated!