Tap water may increase risk of dementia, study suggests

Drinking tap water could be putting millions of people living in the UK at a greater risk of dementia, new research has found.

- ALEX ROSS

Scientists claim to have fresh evidence that shows the "harmful effect of soft water on neurodevelopmental disorders", including dementia and multiple sclerosis.

The research found that people exposed to soft to moderately hard water had a higher risk of vascular dementia, compared to those who had a hard water supply. Furthermore, it found those most vulnerable to the potentially harmful effects of soft water were people living in urban areas and aged over 65.

Soft water contains lower levels of calcium and magnesium. Scotland, west Wales, Cornwall and northern England are areas that get soft water - but some people living in hard-water areas install water softeners. The research, supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, tested almost 400,000 people aged between 37 and 73.