| Savvy marketing used by bottled water companies | | | | contaminants." The cumulative effect of long-term |
| over the past few decades have convinced many | | | | exposure to the contaminants found in both tap and |
| Americans that water that is bottled is safer and | | | | bottled water will negatively affect human health. |
| healthier than municipal water. In fact, consumers | | | | One advantage tap water has over bottled is that it |
| have spent more than $6 billion a year on bottled | | | | is better regulated. The EPA guidelines are stricter |
| water. | | | | than the FDA guidelines for bottled water. As far as I |
| However, sales have decreased this past year and | | | | am concerned, the biggest health and safety concern |
| people are asking the question, "Is bottled water | | | | about water that is bottled is that you really never |
| really better than tap water?" | | | | know what you're getting! |
| In order to answer this question, we will consider | | | | Consumer Costs |
| three key issues: (1) health and safety, (2) consumer | | | | Even though many people have been willing to pay |
| costs and (3) environmental impact. | | | | the extra price for the convenience of water that is |
| Health and Safety | | | | bottled, the trend is turning. The current economy |
| The perception that bottled water is healthier and | | | | has likely had something to do with that. |
| safer than tap water is just that--a perception. The | | | | Bottled waters cost anywhere from $1.00 to $5.00 |
| fact is that scientific studies have proven that the | | | | per gallon. When you add up all the additional |
| vast majority is simply re-processed tap water. | | | | expenses, including delivery, driving to the store, |
| According to the Food and Water Watch | | | | buying dispensers, and so forth, it costs at least a |
| Organization, nearly 40 percent of water in bottles is | | | | thousand times more than tap. |
| actually tap water. In addition, many bottled brands | | | | Environmental Impacts |
| that have been studied contain more contaminants | | | | Many people in the U.S. are saying that the plastic |
| than tap. | | | | bottles are destroying our environment. Over 1.5 |
| The chemicals, such as pthalates, which leach into | | | | billion tons of plastic bottles end up in our landfills each |
| water from the soft plastic bottles themselves are | | | | year--an ecological nightmare, since it takes over 300 |
| concern enough. Pthalates are xenoestrogens in the | | | | years for plastic to degrade. |
| body that disrupt the normal functioning of the | | | | In addition to the burden of plastic waste, large |
| endocrine system and mimic estrogen. Many serious | | | | amounts of fossil fuels are being used to make, |
| health conditions, including cancer, are attributed to | | | | transport, store and deliver bottled water. |
| estrogen dominance. | | | | A Better Solution |
| Comprehensive testing by the Environmental Working | | | | After in-depth research on these three issues, it |
| Group over the past decade has revealed that | | | | becomes clear that bottled is no better than tap |
| bottled water contains everything from fertilizer | | | | water, and tap isn't all that great. Thus, |
| reside to disinfection byproducts and pain | | | | health-conscious individuals are looking for a better |
| medications. But let's face it, tap water has its | | | | solution. |
| problems, too. Even though the U.S. has one of the | | | | Many are choosing to save money and take control |
| safest water supplies in the world, water quality | | | | of their drinking water quality by purchasing water |
| varies from city to city and home to home. | | | | filters and reusable water bottles. Water filters can |
| According to the Environmental Protection Agency | | | | range in price from as low as $25 for a water filter |
| (EPA), all tap water in the U.S. "can reasonably be | | | | pitcher to a few thousand dollars for a high-quality |
| expected to contain at least small amounts of some | | | | water purification system. |