A Beijing expert revealed she had stopped drinking tap water 20 years ago as water quality in the capital continues to decline, according to Southern Weekly report.

According to Zhao Feihong, researcher with Beijing Healthcare Association’s Drinking Water Committee, nitrates in the city’s tap water tested just below the national standard of 10mg/L the week before Christmas, compared to around 1.5 mg/L over 5 years ago.

According to the Southern Weekly report, Zhao named bottled water brands both she and her husband, who is also a water expert, buy regularly, such as Kunlun Mountains and Volcanic Rare Natural Mineral Waters. 

Her comments sparked public concern about our environment and called the national standards for drinking water into question.

@Bivor: In the end we will suffer from the disastrous effects brought about by “extensive” growth without consideration for the environment.

@融融的老爸: It is shameful that the couple doesn’t work to improve China’s drinking water quality, and instead promotes bottled water brands. Can’t we drink brands other than those they mentioned?

@parry_120: These so-called experts refused to drink water with quality near the national standard. Does that mean the national standards are not trustworthy?

@宅在网上: The couple drinks mineral water while local water remains polluted, but how do they avoid air pollution? Do they have “bottled mineral air”? How can they be so righteous when there’s pollution all around us? Isn’t sharing their research with the public more valuable?