RSPH calls for action to make water the easy choice in everyday life
Author: RSPH 16 September 2026 2 min read
Charity says action is needed on drinking water access, healthier drink environments and a Food and Drink Bill.
A new report from the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has revealed that taste, cost and convenience are shaping the UK’s hydration habits and beverage choices - and argues that healthier options must be made easier, more visible and more affordable in everyday life.
Findings show that while most people recognise the signs of dehydration, many do not prioritise health when choosing what to drink. The report points to a gap between people’s knowledge of hydration and the environments, pressures and choices that shape what they drink every day. On top of this, it reveals that access to free drinking water is inconsistent across the UK.
Healthy Hydration: The Importance of Drinking Water to Public Health combines a review of scientific evidence, expert insights from a roundtable held in July 2026, exclusive polling of more than 2,000 UK adults, and a FOI request to UK local authorities about access to water – all conducted during a summer that the Met Office said was provisionally the hottest on record for the UK.
It argues that healthy hydration has been largely overlooked in public policy, despite evidence linking water consumption with lower sugar intake, better dental health, improved wellbeing and a reduced risk of some long-term health conditions. The report calls for hydration to be given greater prominence in national health policy, including through a new Food and Drink Bill, alongside practical measures to improve access to free drinking water and make healthier drink choices easier in everyday settings.
Polling results for the report show that:
- More than nine in ten people (over 90%) say taste influences their choice of beverage, while 84% cite cost as a factor.
- Just over half (53%) consider how a drink affects their health when making choices.
- When buying water, only 27% say health benefits are important, compared with 67% who prioritise cost.
- Six per cent report drinking no water at all on a typical day, rising to 9% among those aged 65 to 74.
- Twenty-two per cent say they do not have easy access to clean or filtered tap water, highlighting concerns about availability, convenience and confidence in everyday water provision.
- Less than one in five people report easy access to water coolers (18%), public refill stations (17%) or public drinking fountains (12%).
- 93% recognise thirst as a symptom and nearly nine in ten identify dry mouth as a warning sign.
Freedom of Information (FoI) research with UK local authorities about access to free drinking water revealed a mixed local picture. Some councils were able to identify and map publicly available drinking fountains, while others reported having none or holding no information about local provision. Polling separately found that reported access to public drinking fountains varied by age and socio-economic group, with particularly low levels among older people and those in less affluent groups.
Healthy hydration is one of the foundations of good health, yet it receives far less attention than other public health priorities. Our polling shows that people often know why hydration matters, but the reality of everyday life means taste, cost and convenience can carry more weight than health when people choose what to drink. At the same time, access to free drinking water remains inconsistent.
Matthew Bazeley-Bell, Deputy Chief Executive of RSPH
If we want water to be the easy choice, it needs to be visible, accessible and attractive where people live, work, learn and spend time. That means coordinated action from government, public services, employers, retailers and industry.
RSPH is calling for measures to improve healthy hydration and make water the easier choice in everyday settings. Key recommendations include improving access to free drinking water and public toilets, creating a national Food and Drink Bill, and making water the default offering in public settings such as schools and the NHS.
On top of this, RSPH is calling for a targeted communications campaign on healthy drinks, matched by action on labelling, marketing, product placement and availability to create healthier drink environments.
This research underlines the need for action to be taken to improve our hydration habits in the UK and make water the default choice. We welcome the report’s contribution to the evidence and for supporting the wider conversation about how government, public services, employers and industry can help people make healthier drink choices.
Kinvara Carey, General Manager of the Natural Source Water Association
RSPH says the success of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy in reducing sugar levels in soft drinks demonstrates how policy can help create healthier environments and argues that similar ambition is now needed to make healthy hydration and access to free drinking water a more routine part of everyday life.
