Kev wrote:

Something that I have always puzzled over is that if people now wander
off for more than 5 minutes from their home they have to take water
with them to prevent dehydration.

Or is it because mineral water is becoming a fashion statement?

My journey into work this morning was an hour and a half, I drank tea
before I left home and I reached work without dieing of thirst.

Depends on the individual. I dehydrate very easily, especially in this
kind of weather, so if I'm carrying any sort of bag it'll likely have a
bottle of diluted squash in it somewhere (or similar). I've done this
for years. Not everyone's the same, though.

Neil