I often tell younger people how we kind of made fun of people who drank bottled water in the 80s, like Weird Al's song "This is the Life" that has the line "My bathtub's filled with Perrier."

I don't think I knew anyone personally who drank bottled water back then, other than buying it by the gallon if you thought the weather would affect the water supply. Did you drink bottled water in the 80s or know someone who did?

If you must know, my family drank bottled water in the 1970's.  I'll explain.

At the time we had moved to a farmhouse in rural Michigan.  We had running tap water, but that was fed from a "shallow" well on the plot which was continually in a polluted state.  It wasn't drinkable by any standards.  (When we took possession of the house, there was no standard plumbing in the house; that was something my Dad, who was very handy, installed right away.)

In a nearby town there was an artesian spring flowing that had an open tap.  The family would drive to the spring with a number of empty plastic gallon jugs, fill the jugs, and return home with 6-10 gallons of spring water, which is what we drank from.  It was good water, despite its slight iron taste.

Thus, we always drank bottled water at home, if water from a gallon jug fits the definition.

The first bottled water I remember was Perrier. We derisively called it "designer water". Nobody thought anybody would pay for water (just like in the early 70s nobody thought anybody would pay for "pay TV", later known as cable TV). It was considered snooty, and then maybe for special occasions. Like you might go to a party and there would be bottles of Perrier.  And, truth be told, it was originally marketed that way, as if it was something "special" and not an everyday kind of thing. At some point people started distrusting tap water more and more (sometimes with reason and sometimes without reason) and buying water became the norm and no longer "special".

I often tell younger people how we kind of made fun of people who drank bottled water in the 80s, like Weird Al's song "This is the Life" that has the line "My bathtub's filled with Perrier."

I don't think I knew anyone personally who drank bottled water back then, other than buying it by the gallon if you thought the weather would affect the water supply. Did you drink bottled water in the 80s or know someone who did?


Back in the 1980's I think our family drank mostly sodas and coffee, We rarely drank water.

The first bottled water I remember was Perrier. We derisively called it "designer water".


Absolutely - Perrier was very well known, but don't think we ever bought it or drank it. Evian was a little more popular with the masses, but that was more 90s.

hNVcs4jKP_A

Here's an Evian ad from 1986. Obviously targeting the health market and gym goers...

WfjWBZ4ERNA

I drank tap water in the 80's.  I'm not sure when I started drinking bottled water, or even filtered water, but it was definitely after the 80's. We were luck enough to have pretty good tap water where I lived.

I drank tap water in the 80's.  I'm not sure when I started drinking bottled water, or even filtered water, but it was definitely after the 80's. We were luck enough to have pretty good tap water where I lived.


I didn't drink a lot of tap water cause in the 1980's I drank mostly sodas and fruit juices.

I insult people for drinking bottled water in 2019, because it's environmentally wasteful :P

I always thought it was crazy that when you go to a gas station they want 1 or 2 dollars for a single bottle of water when you go inside, yet they have those 24-packs of bottled water stacked up outside the front door that only cost $5.  ;D

I always thought it was crazy that when you go to a gas station they want 1 or 2 dollars for a single bottle of water when you go inside, yet they have those 24-packs of bottled water stacked up outside the front door that only cost $5.  ;D


Yes, that's one of those crazy things like a 2-liter bottle of soda in the supermarket costing the same as (and sometimes less than) a 1-liter bottle. I think it actually costs them less to sell a 2-liter bottle.

I always thought it was crazy that when you go to a gas station they want 1 or 2 dollars for a single bottle of water when you go inside, yet they have those 24-packs of bottled water stacked up outside the front door that only cost $5.  ;D


I'd choose the bottled water packs instead of just a single one.

I was always confused about the bottled mineral water/gay reference in Heathers - if you haven't seen it, it's pretty funny. Was there a stereotype that homesexuals drank bottled water in the 80s??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtG3ldqD0uE  (2.33)

If you must know, my family drank bottled water in the 1970's.  I'll explain.

At the time we had moved to a farmhouse in rural Michigan.  We had running tap water, but that was fed from a "shallow" well on the plot which was continually in a polluted state.  It wasn't drinkable by any standards.  (When we took possession of the house, there was no standard plumbing in the house; that was something my Dad, who was very handy, installed right away.)

In a nearby town there was an artesian spring flowing that had an open tap.  The family would drive to the spring with a number of empty plastic gallon jugs, fill the jugs, and return home with 6-10 gallons of spring water, which is what we drank from.  It was good water, despite its slight iron taste.

Thus, we always drank bottled water at home, if water from a gallon jug fits the definition.


I too grew up in Rural Michigan but luckily had good water both from the town wellhouse and from our own well.  Many of our acquaintances were not so fortunate.

I don't even recall seeing bottled water in stores when I was a kid.  It was probably there but we never bought it.

I too grew up in Rural Michigan but luckily had good water both from the town wellhouse and from our own well.  Many of our acquaintances were not so fortunate.

I don't even recall seeing bottled water in stores when I was a kid.  It was probably there but we never bought it.


I remember growing up seeing a lot of soda in stores.

We had gallons of bottled water. And we had bottled water dispensers delivered. But it wasn't typical to drink individual bottles.

I think people nowadays are drinking more bottled water than they used to during the 80's since kids back then were drinking more sodas and fruit juices.

I think people nowadays are drinking more bottled water than they used to during the 80's since kids back then were drinking more sodas and fruit juices.


Don't forget Kool-Aid!  I remember drinking quite a bit of Kool-Aid as a kid.  Also stuff like "Tang".  Plus we drank plenty milk.  (Not unusual for one growing up in the 60s & 70s.)

If you grew up during or before the 80s, did you feel a little silly the first time you paid for a bottle of water? I'm pretty sure I did.

If you grew up during or before the 80s, did you feel a little silly the first time you paid for a bottle of water? I'm pretty sure I did.


Yes, I was quite resistant at first. It seemed unnecessary. It used to be like a joke, "paying for water? What next, paying to breathe air?" (which may not be so far fetched, after all).  On a related note, have you noticed that it seems people now always carry a drink with them wherever they go? Be it bottled water, coffee in special "travel mugs" in their cars, on buses, or walking down the street? Shopping carts in supermarkets now even have a place to insert a drink. It's almost like a drink is an accessory now. This is a relatively recent development in the scheme of things.

I cannot remember when I started drinking water from a bottle, but can recall at one time in the past, in London water was more expensive than buying beer.

Don't forget Kool-Aid!  I remember drinking quite a bit of Kool-Aid as a kid.  Also stuff like "Tang".  Plus we drank plenty milk.  (Not unusual for one growing up in the 60s & 70s.)


Yes I do remember those silly Kool Aid commercials almost all the time on TV when they were promoting fruit juices and sugary sodas.

If you grew up during or before the 80s, did you feel a little silly the first time you paid for a bottle of water? I'm pretty sure I did.


How much was a bottled water back then?

Yes, I was quite resistant at first. It seemed unnecessary. It used to be like a joke, "paying for water? What next, paying to breathe air?" (which may not be so far fetched, after all). On a related note, have you noticed that it seems people now always carry a drink with them wherever they go? Be it bottled water, coffee in special "travel mugs" in their cars, on buses, or walking down the street? Shopping carts in supermarkets now even have a place to insert a drink. It's almost like a drink is an accessory now. This is a relatively recent development in the scheme of things.


I see it all the time now.

How much was a bottled water back then?


I don't remember, but more than free. I doubt I ever bought an individual bottle until at least the mid-90s.

I don't remember, but more than free. I doubt I ever bought an individual bottle until at least the mid-90s.


Half my childhood, I drank fruit juices and sodas.

Half my childhood, I drank fruit juices and sodas.
Water that has been in plastic bottle after a while becomes the taste of plastic.