Shopper Issues Warning After Finding Out What Costco Bottled Water Smelled Like: "Burns Your Nose..."

About one-third of the world’s population lacks access to safe drinking water– a basic amenity that greatly influences the quality of life, as per WHO. This problem is directly linked to poor health and higher mortality rates across the globe. While the situation is expected to be fair in developed countries like the United States, recent accounts indicate otherwise. A TikTok user (@quantim.jedi) was horrified by the smell of bottled water she bought from Costco. 

The woman, who goes by the name Claudia, as reported by Twisted Sifter, strangely compared the foul odor of the bottled water with that of a dog, a “wet dog” more precisely. She must have predicted that people would not believe her claim and was determined to prove it to them. In the viral clip viewed 1.6 million times, she said,  “So we’re smelling the Costco water because it smells like dog water. It smells like dogs.” Another person pulled out a bottle from a pack while the influencer walked closer to the pantry. 

Then opening the cap, the man gave the drink a little sniff and was instantly repelled by the strong smell. “It smells like dog, wet dog,” he remarked. However, the woman clarified that not all of the bottles smell like that but they are still trying to “figure” out the issue. She called out the wholesale retailer in the video’s caption and said, “What’s going on @Costco? The smell burns your nose.” As she might have expected, several other people joined in on the conversation and unveiled their personal experiences with Costco’s bottled water. 

One person (@launicadeex) confirmed the smell in Califonia bottles. “Yes, it’s been making me sick this week! And mine does smell too in Cali,” the comment stated. @missylelia warned, “I had to stop buying caused a bladder infection, be careful.” Some other users tried to explain the cause behind the pungent smell. “It’s probably a breakdown of the plastic bottle. I’m sure they’ve been left out in the heat at some point,” @ehteraldanyell wrote while @soficating called attention to the poor hygiene of machines in the manufacturing industry. “Lol, the machinery used to bottle water is never cleaned. Bottled water is absolutely disgusting,” they noted. 

As one commentator rightly pointed out, when exposed to heat, the plastic bottles release hazardous chemicals that mix with water causing the smell and several health issues. This is because the “safe” drinking water is then denatured and unfit for consumption. The breakdown of plastic bonds due to heat leaches out chemicals like BPA and antimony, per a report by WebMD. BPA exposure is linked to an increased risk of cancer while it causes complications in the brain development of children. In adults, it disrupts normal hormone levels and affects the development of fetuses and babies. Cardiovascular diseases, obesity, ADHD, and diabetes are some of the other diseases caused by BPA exposure. 

According to the report, plastic production involves BPA (Bisphenol A) usage and is generally found in single-use water bottles and other food packaging. It essentially hardens the plastic material and has been doing so for over four decades. Despite the many risks, the federal government has taken little to no action against its usage in food packaging. However, they are funding new research to determine the potential risks in the near future. 

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