When you were younger, did you primarily drink bottled or tap water?

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskOldPeople/comments/1h23syx/when_you_were_younger_did_you_primarily_drink/

created by FunnyManufacturer936 on 28/11/2024 at 19:31 UTC

298 upvotes, 314 top-level comments (showing 25)

And which area were you living in?

Comments

Comment by AutoModerator at 28/11/2024 at 19:31 UTC

1 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Please do not comment directly to this post unless you are Gen X or older (born 1980 or before). See this post[1], the rules, and the sidebar for details. Thank you for your submission, FunnyManufacturer936.

1: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskOldPeople/comments/inci5u/reminder_please_do_not_answer_questions_unless/

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Comment by jon1rene at 28/11/2024 at 19:35 UTC

932 upvotes, 11 direct replies

Tap was the only thing available in the day.

Comment by NoDragonfly1750 at 28/11/2024 at 19:37 UTC

95 upvotes, 2 direct replies

We didn’t have bottled water.

Comment by challam at 28/11/2024 at 19:38 UTC

122 upvotes, 2 direct replies

Water hadn’t been discovered yet.

Comment by hoosiergirl1962 at 28/11/2024 at 19:38 UTC

85 upvotes, 6 direct replies

Indiana, Midwest. Nobody ever heard of drinking bottled water before the 1990s. But really, we hardly ever drank regular water. It was always iced tea, Kool-Aid, or pop.

Comment by mrsredfast at 28/11/2024 at 19:47 UTC

39 upvotes, 3 direct replies

Tap. I’d never heard of bottled water until people started drinking Perrier.

Comment by [deleted] at 28/11/2024 at 19:43 UTC

28 upvotes, 3 direct replies

Tap and still do

Comment by Majestic_Spring_6518 at 28/11/2024 at 19:39 UTC

48 upvotes, 3 direct replies

Tap water was the norm. However, when visiting those who had fresh limestone well water 💦, well that was clearly water far superior in taste and quality.

Comment by baddspellar at 28/11/2024 at 19:44 UTC

22 upvotes, 4 direct replies

I grew up in New York City. Our water was renowned for its quality and taste. It would have been foolish and wasteful for my family to drink bottled water, as it likely would have been inferior to what came from our taps

Comment by parkinglola at 28/11/2024 at 19:37 UTC

16 upvotes, 2 direct replies

Hose

Comment by CharmingGuide919 at 28/11/2024 at 19:52 UTC

14 upvotes, 3 direct replies

The only bottled water was distilled water for my grandma’s steam iron.

Comment by Mattyou1966 at 28/11/2024 at 19:40 UTC

13 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Water fountain ⛲️, sink, hose. Perrier water didn’t show up until after I survived childhood.

Comment by [deleted] at 28/11/2024 at 19:45 UTC*

11 upvotes, 1 direct replies

[deleted]

Comment by Phil_Atelist at 28/11/2024 at 19:47 UTC

28 upvotes, 2 direct replies

Tap. Bottled water wasn't a thing. And by the way (just a minute, I have to come in from shaking my fist at a cloud), bottled water is a frigging gimmick.

Comment by SuperCookie22 at 28/11/2024 at 19:47 UTC

8 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Tap, restaurants didn’t even ask, if someone had Evian it was like, “oooh, fancy! But unnecessary!”

Comment by Optimal-Ad-7074 at 28/11/2024 at 19:47 UTC

8 upvotes, 0 direct replies

i've always drunk tap water. been privileged enough to live where it's perfectly feasible for my whole life.

Comment by Overall_Meat_6500 at 28/11/2024 at 20:32 UTC

8 upvotes, 0 direct replies

There was no such thing as bottled water when I was a youngster.

Comment by Attinctus at 28/11/2024 at 19:54 UTC

14 upvotes, 1 direct replies

I used to drink tap water. I still do, but I used to, too.

Comment by oldmanout at 28/11/2024 at 19:40 UTC

8 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Tap. The water tasted better from a alpine spring

Comment by Sunflowers9121 at 28/11/2024 at 19:54 UTC

7 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Tap water, hose water, and well water. Perrier was for rich folk.

Comment by Nightgasm at 28/11/2024 at 19:43 UTC

12 upvotes, 0 direct replies

I don't remember bottled water even existing til the last 20 yrs.

Comment by nor_cal_woolgrower at 28/11/2024 at 19:43 UTC

5 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Tap. There was no other option. Still hardly ever drink bottled water.

Comment by Mentalfloss1 at 28/11/2024 at 19:44 UTC

5 upvotes, 0 direct replies

There was no bottled water.

Comment by Keveros at 28/11/2024 at 19:41 UTC

6 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Hand Pumped Well Water...

Comment by Silly-Resist8306 at 28/11/2024 at 20:03 UTC

6 upvotes, 1 direct replies

In the 50s, 60s and 70s, only an idiot would have spent money on bottled water, had it even been available. Water was one of those things that was freely available anywhere from the tap. I'm not really sure how any of that changed, but someone, somewhere made a bundle of money selling free water to the American people.