Americans love drinking bottled water. In fact, bottled water is more popular than carbonated soft drinks. But it’s expensive and oftentimes no better tasting or safer than the water you can get from your own tap. In this month’s blog, we discuss its growing demand and five good reasons to stop drinking bottled water.
Bottled Water Consumption on the Rise
Last year, bottled water consumption in the U.S. climbed to 39.3 gallons per capita, while carbonated soft drink consumption fell to 38.5 gallons. With more than $100 billion spent each year on bottled water around the globe, it’s clear that there is a demand for bottled water. But here are five good reasons why you shouldn’t drink bottled water:
1. Bottled Water Costs up to 2000 Times as Much as Tap Water!
Americans spend a lot of money quenching their thirst with bottled water. According to the industry research group Euromonitor, we spent $21.3 billion on bottled water in 2016. Even more incredible: we’re paying an average of $1.22 per gallon of bottled water, or 300 times the cost of tap water, according to ConvergEx Group Chief Market Strategist Nick Colas. Colas estimates that this cost may be even higher–up to 2000 times the cost of tap water–when you take into account that nearly two-thirds of all bottled water sales are single (16.9 ounce) bottles. Calculated this way, the cost is about $7.50 per gallon.
2. Bottled Water Doesn’t Always Taste Better than Tap Water
One of the most common reasons people give for drinking bottled water is that it tastes better than tap water. However, in most blind taste tests, tap water easily holds its own, even against the pricey ones. You can see the same result in numerous taste tests in cities across the United States and around the globe.
And according Peter Gleick, scientist and author of Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water, roughly 45% of bottled water brands are actually sourced from municipal water supplies!
If your home water has an unpleasant taste or odor, you should have it tested by a professional. A free water analysis from Secondwind Water Systems can help you determine the quality and safety of your water. Even if there is nothing harmful in your water, steps can always be taken to improve its taste.
3. Bottled Water Isn’t Necessarily Safer than Tap Water
While many choose to drink bottled water because of its perceived taste quality, others choose it because of concerns about the safety of their tap water.
However, according to the EPA, the standards for bottled water in the U.S. are exactly the same as those for tap water–except bottled water isn’t subject to the same consumer reporting standards as tap water. Under the Safe Water Drinking Act, municipal water systems must annually send users a consumer confidence report that tells them the source of their water and whether it meets federal standards. Bottled water, by contrast, is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and typically isn’t subject to these reporting requirements.
In some parts of the world, particularly in developing countries where safe drinking water and/or reliable treatment systems are not readily available, bottled water is a viable solution. However, within developed countries like the U.S., we have much greater access to clean, safe tap water and modern water treatment systems, where needed.
4. Most Bottled Water Packaging Contains Toxic Chemicals
Most water bottles are made from a kind of plastic called polyethylene terephthalate, or PET. Manufacturing this type of plastic releases a variety of toxic chemicals into the air, including nickel, ethylbenzene, ethylene oxide, and benzene. And over time, some of the toxic chemicals in the plastic can leach out over time into the water inside– especially if the bottle is rinsed and reused.
5. Bottled Water Hurts our Environment
The plastic from all the bottled water we drink is clogging up landfills and polluting our oceans. According to Columbia University’s Earth Center, Americans throw away around 33.6 million tons of plastic each year, but only 6.5% of that is recycled.
Water Testing and Treatment in NH
When you turn on your faucet, you expect to have clean, safe, and great-tasting water. If you have questions or concerns about the safety or quality of your water, contact the professionals at Secondwind Water Systems. One of our Water Quality Association certified water specialists will test and then explain your water chemistry in a way that is easy to understand. We will then recommend the most efficient, effective, and economical water treatment solution for your budget and needs. Contact us today!
