Wonderful clean water
Sweden is known for its clean water! Here you do not have to worry about drinking tap water. We even have competitions about which municipality has the best tap water, where well-known wine tasters judge!
CHOOSE TAP WATER INSTEAD OF BOTTLED WATER!
There are many reasons to choose tap water instead of bottled water! Here you will find some:
The environment: Choosing tap water is to do the environment a great service because the tap water is always locally produced and distributed in pipes, which is very energy efficient. In addition, bottled water requires a package, normally in the form of environmentally harmful plastic. Bottled water is transported by boat, car, plane or train. The transport of 1 liter of packaged water generates more than a thousand times greater carbon dioxide emissions than the same amount of tap water.
Price: Bottled water costs at least 250 times more than tap water.
Emissions associated with bottled water: Producing and delivering a liter of bottled water requires at least 300 times more energy than draining a liter of tap water. Producing and delivering a liter of bottled water emits at least 300 times more of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide than draining a liter tap water.
Fresh: You can always be sure that the tap water is fresh. In the case of bottled water, on the other hand, it may have been transported for a long time and left in the store for a long time before you consume it.
Quality: Tap water is our most controlled food. The quality is high and meets the National Food Administration’s requirements. There is also bottled water on the market that contains such high levels of fluorine and / or sodium, for example, that they exceed the National Food Administration’s recommendations.
Source: Swedish waters
Controlled drinking water
Water that is classified as approved drinking water undergoes ongoing tests to ensure quality. This applies to both companies that serve water from the municipal system or from their own well. If you want to take part in tests on the municipal drinking water, you will find it here:
Wonderful swimming in Åsnen
Åsnen is a wonderful lake for swimming and water play! Samples are taken continuously in different places around the lake and you can see current results and detailed information here: Bathing water quality, interactive maps with data
Västra Åsnen Click on the bathing places: Sjöby bathing place, Torne, Hulevik or Ulvö.
Södra Åsnen Click on the bathing places: Norrayd Ryd, Rävabacken Urshult, Ursöbadet (eastern Åsnen), Kärrrasand or Mårdslyckesand (lake Tiken which is close by).
Norra Åsnen Click on the bathing places: Åsnen Jät or Åsnen Kalvsvik.
With prolonged heat, algae formation can occur, if it does it is usually at the end of the summer. Then you should avoid swallowing the water when bathing, children and dogs are advised against bathing. This is temporary and if you notice something that seems to be floating on the surface, please check with your host and on the links above that also provide information about this. Usually it is something completely different and harmless.
COGNAC LAKES
In the 1930’s, German limnologists jokingly called southern Swedish lakes with brownish, humous water ”cognac lakes”. Still to this day, Åsnen lives up to that description. The water is brown and depth of visibility is limited. This might lead to conclusions that Åsnen is polluted and unsuitable for swimming and fishing, but this is not the case! Åsnen’s cognac coloured water is explained by the fact that organic material with a high content of humic substances, that are not poisonous or polluted, reach the lake via waters that have run through marshes and forestland. In other words, Åsnen is excellent for both swimming and fishing and is very clean, even though it has a brown hue!
CLEAN YOUR OWN WATER FOR THE NATURE ADVENTURE
Should you go hiking or e.g. a paddling trip, it can be nice to not have to carry water with you, partly because it is heavy and partly because it takes up space that you may need for other things. We want to suggest that you instead bring your own water purifier / water filter and use water from lakes or streams in nature, which you purify before drinking it. There are many different brands and varieties on the market. Here are some suggestions: