Why has water become the enemy in 2025?

Look. There are a lot of things I thought I'd be writing about in 2025 — but water being a villain was not one of them. Truly, I didn't call it.

Yet, here we are.

Because apparently we've suddenly gone from being VERY CONCERNED about our water intake and carrying around a 10-litre water bottle at all times (donned with tiny backpacks, food trays and key rings, of course) — to now deciding water is quite literally cursed juice from the depths of Satan's pits.

And we're going to need to discuss.

Watch: On No Filter with Mia Freedman, Naomi Watts gets candid about sex, menopause, hormones and the shame she carried for so long. Post continues after video.

It was only last year that our quest towards hydration domination hit a whole other level — evolving into influencers finding alternatives to drinking water for hydration. Chances are, you might've seen those 'WaterTok recipes', showing people mix artificial sweeteners and syrups into their giant water bottles, sending doctors and dentists into an actual spiral.

Now, however, it appears that drinking water is officially… out, with wellness influencers everywhere tapping into the #NoWater trend.

Yes! We don't like water now! Keep up.

Take US influencer Taylor Donaghue, for example.

The content creator recently shared her experience seeing a urologist about suspected bladder issues, after going to the bathroom so frequently.

"You guys, I am that friend that would use the bathroom like every hour… it's gotten out of control," she explained in a TikTok video.

I feel seen.

After consulting a doctor and undergoing various tests, she said: "I just paid $500 to be told by a doctor that I just need to drink less water."

She said the doctor spotted her excessively large water bottle in her handbag and told her she was drinking "too much" and to"slowly reduce her water intake and spread out her drinking times.

Donaghue said she usually fills her one-litre bottle three times a day, meaning she slugs back around 3.5 litres of water every day.

According to current dietary guidelines, it's generally recommended that the daily water intake is 2.1 litres for women and 2.6 litres for men. The Mayo Clinic also states that hydration needs can also be met through fruits, vegetables, coffee, and soda.

@taylordonoghuee

Let’s hope her advice works lol basically I am nuts hahahaha

♬ original sound - Taylordonoghuee

In the comment section, a doctor noted, "I'm an MD. I have no idea where everyone got the idea they need to drink SO much water."

Donaghue said, "Yeah idk why it's always drilled in my head to drink a ton of water I didn't realise how much I was overdoing it! Thought it was healthy."

As nutritionist Bridget Foliaki-Davis, founder of Bridget's Healthy Kitchen and the 28-Day Boost Camp, told Mamamia, there is such thing as being too hydrated.

"Overhydration can be bad for your health too," she said. "It is rare to die from drinking too much water, but it has happened."

Yeesh.

She added, "Overhydration can lead to mild fatigue and feeling distracted. It can cause pressure in your brain (as water goes to brain cells of course), and you may also start vomiting. Your sodium levels will be most affected by overhydration, which can cause your cells to swell. Also, you will likely need to pee a lot, disrupting your day and your sleep."

On the other side of the spectrum, there's Alise Miksta, who went viral a few years back for her "no water" regimen, where she completely replaced her fluid intake with fruit. Because remember how I just said Mayo Clinic stated hydration needs can also be met through fruits and vegetables?

Well, we're now apparently taking it to the extreme and completely ditching water, because of course we are.

In an article with Vice UK, she shared, "I believe you don't hydrate from water — water just cleanses" Which kind of sounds like it has no scientific backing but… okay.

"So if you eat raw food and fruits, you really don't need water."

Another content creator by the name of Sophie Prana actually completely gave up water.

She shared with Vice UK: "It's the best thing I've ever done in my life. If you're [eating] a normal Western diet, eating salt and cooked fats, [not drinking water] can be really damaging — but I transitioned into a raw vegan diet, so I hydrate with living water [like melon juice and coconut water] from fruits, and I stopped drinking empty water from bottles or the tap. You hydrate with living water because there's nothing in the water in bottles. It's the water industry that tells us to drink all the time."

There's also tech billionaire Bryan Johnson — the man who plans to live forever.

It doesn't come as a surprise that he avoids alcohol, caffeine and sugar — but he also avoids water.

In a video posted to YouTube, Johnson stated he and his son Oliver don't drink regular water, opting instead for mineralised beverages like tea or electrolytes. He also shared that he follows a tiered approach to water quality, ranging from basic mineral water to specifically sourced water tested for heavy metals and high polyphenol density. Which ultimately sounds tricky to do at home if you're not a billionaire.

He also reportedly drinks about five cups of green tea each day as part of his water intake.

So is water really that bad for you?

Beyond drinking excessive amounts of water (a la Donaghue) and risking overhydration and drop in your sodium levels, can water itself actually be bad for you?

In a recent episode of the podcast Diary of a CEO, a doctor told host Steven Bartlett that there are some "deadly consequences" that can happen if you don't filter your water properly.

According to Dr Yvonne Burkart, a doctor of toxicology from the US, often the jug filtering system is not enough.

"It depends on what kind of filter you have. Some of the more mainstream, lower cost, lower end options do not remove fluoride… and they don't filter nearly enough chemicals."

She explained that "many dangerous toxins" are found in tap water, including "hormones, endocrine disruptors, pesticides, heavy metals, and fluoride."

And okay but ma'am, I have a crippling HECS debt, mould in my apartment and currently pay $150 for one bag of groceries. Can we not right now?

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"There's a bunch of contaminants in tap water, depending on where you live. Some are worse than others," she added.

"There have been tragic instances of lead, high levels of lead, because of lead piping that water is transported through. So we've got to be careful with the water we're using to drink and cook with."

Of course, it's important to note that Dr Burkart is speaking about the water quality in the US.

So, is it the same in Australia? How does our water shape up?

Well, in an investigation published last year by The Sydney Morning Herald, it was reported that Australian water had 'forever chemicals' that were similar to that of the US.

Cool, cool, cool.

Water consumption trends aside, it seems the buzz is not only around people giving up drinking water, but also using water in their beauty routines.

Look at the beauty market, and you'll see filtration systems that can be attached to shower heads and taps, marketed for reducing 'hard water' and removing chlorine, impurities and odours to promote healthier skin and hair.

In fact, one of my colleagues at Mamamia revealed she exclusively uses BRITA filtered water to wash her face.

In a Reddit post, someone wrote: "Your water could be the culprit of your acne", sharing, "I recently started filtering my water with a BRITA for washing my face. The water is much softer and less drying than my tap water, and maybe feels more moisturising? My redness has reduced a lot and applying products is a much better experience. I don't see the harm in trying it out, as it's the same as using bottled water!"

Should you quit water?

Okay, but it's important to note that Dr Burkart doesn't tell us to completely QUIT water entirely, but rather FILTER our water.

*Googles best water filtration systems for 2025*.

The notion that you can hydrate by "eating" water isn't anything new — however, most experts will tell you that the average person still needs to ingest fluids alongside eating water-rich foods.

If you're going to go with the guidance of the World Health Organisation and just about every expert and health-related website on the internet — giving up on water is not something professionals see as a particularly smart move.

And look, I'm no scientist (fooled you!), but the fact that our bodies are made up of 70 per cent water makes me think that it's pretty important to slug the stuff down.

While it's true water-rich fruits and vegetables can provide hydration, the evidence is pretty limited — despite the amount of wellness influencers on social media that will tell you otherwise.

As Foliaki-Davis told Mamamia, a lot of what you see on social media (particularly when it comes to health and wellness) should be taken with a grain of salt. "Social media is great for sharing ideas, but sometimes, when an idea is out there, people like to take things to the extreme," Foliaki-Davis said.

"Research has found that almost 50 per cent of Australians don't drink enough water and symptoms can include dehydration, dry mouth and lips, headache, discoloured urine, tiredness, dry skin, light-headedness and of course, not being able to concentrate, which isn't very productive."

"Drinking too much water, however, can also be an issue. While your body's cells need water to function well, being overhydrated can lead to mild fatigue and feeling distracted. It can cause pressure in your brain (as water goes to brain cells of course), and you may also start vomiting. Your sodium levels will be most affected by overhydration, which can cause your cells to swell. Also, you will likely need to pee a lot, disrupting your day and your sleep."

As our expert shared, the buzz around the "no water" movement on social media is a wee bit (very) dangerous and could be particularly harmful to those who might completely cut out water and not replace the lost fluids. Especially when you're time poor AF and don't have time to freshly squeeze watermelon and pineapples every time you're thirsty. Or worse, a person who simply reads that drinking no water is essential to wellness and completely misses the context.

"Not drinking water at all is dangerous. Yes, you can hydrate from fruit and vegetables, but there is a lot of sugar in fruit, and you don't want to eat enough fruit to meet your daily water intake needs. Tea and add-ons such as hydrate in your water are also fine in moderation, but too much can also have a negative effect on your body," said Foliaki-Davis.

As for filtering your water? That's something she can get on board with.

"There is truth to contaminants being in the water. Therefore, I would recommend filtered or bottled water where possible."

It goes without saying, but when it comes to taking advice from social media accounts — buying a pretty dress that looks ugly IRL is one thing, but taking health advice is a whole other game.

The shower filter for better hair and skin, however? Sign me up.

Now. Can someone please check on the Stanley tumblers?

What are your thoughts on people ditching water? Share them with us in the comment section below.

Feature image: David Jones/Canva.