28 Sep Top-4 Dirty Truths About Bottled Water
Bottled Water is a Booming Industry, but is it Worth the Cost?
Home Water Treatment Systems | Truth About Bottled Water
Hydration is important, and the bottled water industry helps more people drink more water. In the U.S. alone, bottled water is a $18 BILLION plus industry! However, is bottled water really “better” than tap water? There are a lot of dirty secrets about bottled water that may have you rethinking things the next time you go to grab a bottle. Here are the top-4 things you should know about bottled water.
TOP-4 Things You Should Know About Bottled Water
BOTTLED WATER IS SOMETIMES JUST TAP WATER
Hate to break it to you, but that “fancy” bottle of water, with its images of fresh mountain springs and flowing waters, is very likely just tap water. According to FOOD AND WATER WATCH, nearly 64% of all bottled water comes from municipal water sources, just like your tap water. The only difference is that the bottled water has maybe gone through extra filtration. Now, there is nothing wrong with purified water. In fact, we are big proponents of filtering your home’s water. We just think it is misleading when bottled water manufacturers provide marketing that suggests their water is more “natural” and somehow superior to tap water.
BOTTLED WATER IS NOT NECESSARILY SAFER, OR MORE PURE THAN TAP WATER
The FDA regulates bottled water. Meanwhile, the EPA and the “Safe Drinking Water Act” regulates our tap water. The FDA does not regulate bottled water as stringently as the EPA regulates tap water. If you read THIS ARTICLE HERE, you would know that the EPA’s standards for “safe” are not even that great. A 2008 investigation by the Environmental Working Group looked at contaminant levels in major bottled water brands. There was an average of 8 contaminants per brand. These contaminants are all considered harmful to health and included things like disinfecting by products, caffeine, and fertilizer residue. Nine of the brands contained synthetic industrial chemicals. Of course, tap water has its own share of contaminants problems. Just don’t trick yourself into thinking bottled water is always “safer”.
BOTTLED WATER IS CRAZY EXPENSIVE
U.S. tap water costs about $0.005 per gallon. Conversely, bottled water costs about $9.47 per gallon! If bottled water is essentially tap water, should you pay more for it? Bottled water is great for staying hydrated, especially when on the go. However, it seems crazy to pay about 2000 times more for that convenience! It seems like people have been convinced that bottled water is “better” than tap, and therefore, worth the additional expense.
BOTTLED WATER IS A TERRIBLE SOURCE OF POLLUTION
PET plastic is typically used today for bottled water. PET is a synthetic plastic that does not contain BPA or phthalates, and is completely recyclable. Unfortunately, it is estimated that in 2015, 70% of PET plastic water bottles ended up in landfills or incinerated, instead of being recycled. This resulted in an estimated 3 billion pounds of waste. Plastic bottles are filling our landfills and our oceans. There is so much plastic waste in the environment that it has become harmful to marine life and birds as it has essentially become part of the food chain.
On top of that, producing plastic also contributes to pollution. The Pacific Institute estimates that it takes 1,100-2,000 times more energy to manufacture, produce, and transport bottled water than to treat and distribute tap water. It requires a lot of “fracking” and energy annually to produce the billions of pounds of plastic that is in use for bottled water. One estimate is that the energy for this level of production is the equivalent greenhouse gas emissions of 2.5 million cars!
Is There a Better Alternative?
There is a time and place for bottled water. Certainly, during emergencies and natural disasters, it can be an absolute necessity. Bottled water might be the only source of safe water during disasters. However, there are great alternatives to bottled water for everyday use. For starters, invest in a reusable water bottle, like a Hydroflask. Not only will this allow you to bring water where ever you go, a quality reusable water bottle will keep the water cool. You can fill the water before you leave your house using tap water (if you are convinced that tap water is essentially the same quality as bottled water). A $20 reusable bottle will essentially pay for itself in no time at all.
If you are concerned about the quality of water you drink, then we recommend investing in a home water system, rather than buying bottled water. As described above, bottled water is not necessarily “safer” or more pure than tap water. The only way to be sure your water is the highest quality is to filter it yourself. A whole home water treatment system will condition and purify all the water coming into your home. This is peace of mind that is worth the investment. Not only that, a high quality system, like a HALO, will also prevent hard water and scale damage to your plumbing equipment! If you are curious about learning more, CONTACT ALWAYS AFFORDABLE PLUMBING TODAY!!! Our licensed, professional plumbers will go over your options and even test your water for you! From there, we can provide an estimate on a recommended water treatment system. Don’t delay, improve the quality of your water TODAY!
Service, quality, and affordability for our customers always comes first. Call today to schedule your appointment!
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Home Water Treatment Systems | Truth About Bottled Water