Bottled Water vs a Tap Filter: How Much Could You Actually Save?
Bottled water can cost around 2,000 times more than tap water — and a tap filter usually works out to just a few cents per litre. For most households, switching from bottled water to a tap filter saves hundreds of dollars a year and cuts a serious amount of plastic waste.
The real cost of bottled water
Bottled water averages around $2.24 per litre in Australia, while tap water costs a fraction of a cent per litre. According to Clean Up Australia, Australians spend hundreds of dollars per person each year on bottled water — and most of that price is the bottle, lid and label, not the water.
Let’s do the maths
Say your household drinks 2 litres of water a day:
- Bottled water: 2 L/day × $2.24 × 365 ≈ $1,635 a year.
- Tap water: essentially negligible — well under $1 a year.
- Tap filter: the filter plus replacement cartridges typically works out to just a few cents per litre — a fraction of bottled, with the convenience of filling up at home.
Even allowing for cartridge replacements, a tap filter pays for itself many times over compared with buying bottled.
The environmental cost
It’s not just your wallet. Clean Up Australia reports that a large share of plastic drinking bottles end up as landfill or litter, and it takes several litres of water to produce just one litre of bottled water. Switching to filtered tap water removes that packaging entirely.
Does filtered tap water taste as good?
For most people, yes — once the chlorine taste and odour are removed, filtered tap water tastes clean and fresh, without the cost or waste. See our full tap vs bottled vs filter comparison.
Where a tap filter fits in
Filtering is optional rather than essential for safety on Australian mains water. If you do want to cut chlorine taste, sediment and microplastics, a point-of-use activated-carbon filter is one simple, low-cost option. PureFlow is one such tap-mounted filter, but the right choice depends on your water and your household — it is worth comparing the options and deciding what suits you.
Frequently asked questions
Is bottled water cleaner than filtered tap water?
Not necessarily — bottled water can contain more microplastics than tap, and filtered tap removes chlorine taste and sediment. See microplastics in tap water.
How much does a tap filter cost per litre?
Including cartridge replacements, typically just a few cents per litre — far less than bottled.
How often do I replace the cartridge?
Usually around every six months. See how often to replace your cartridge.