Bottled Water vs Tap Water. Why Neither is a Good Choice

Water impacts every single cell in the body and makes up 90% of our blood. It helps our joints function so we can move; it helps us digest food and eliminate toxins; it delivers nutrients and oxygen throughout the body; it keeps our brains healthy and happy AND more.

Whether you drink bottled water or tap water both have pros and cons.

Bottled water can cost you 2000% more than tap water. Is bottled water worth the extra cost? Is tap water any safer? Lets look at bottled water vs tap water to find out.

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Bottled Water vs Tap Water

Bottled Water Pros

Convenience

• Bottle water can literally save your life if there is a crisis. In both weather disasters and in a public crisis bottled water may be the only way to get safe drinking water.
• Bottle water can save the day if you’re on vacation and have no access to a reliable source of water.
• There’s is no need to worry about filtering bottled water for taste.

Bottled Water Cons

Cost

You’re paying a premium price for bottled water.

If you drink 8 glasses of water a day and your tap water costs 1 cent per gallon then you will pay 15cents per month. An equivalent amount of bottled water will cost you up to $160 per month. (American Water)

Lack of Disclosure

Do you know the source of your bottled water?

The National Resources Defense Council estimates that 25 percent of bottled water is really just tap water.

Many companies like Dasani source water from places of severe drought like California.

Toxins

Bottled water is less regulated than tap water. It can have contaminants above the legal limit for tap water.

A study by EWG found multiple toxins in bottled water

• Disinfection Byproducts
• Caffeine
• Pharmaceuticals (acetaminophen, for example)
• Heavy Metal
• Fertilizer/Pesticide Residue
• Bacteria

Upgrade Your Hydration Game: The Ultimate Guide to the Best Nontoxic Water Bottles

Micro Plastics

Why should we care about drinking microscopic pieces of plastic?

• Micro plastic particles harbor chemicals or pathogens. Some of which are found in sewer sludge.
• A recent study found more than 90% of 250+ water bottles found micro plastics present.
• As the plastic continues to degrade they become small enough to penetrate our organs and cause health problems.
• Plastic easily leaches from the plastic bottle into the water we drink.

Reusable Plastic Straws : which type is best?

Environmental Pollution

• Water bottles have to be made, filled, and transported.
• It is estimated that it takes 3 liters of water to package 1 liter of bottled water. (TheWaterProject.org)
• Not all plastic water bottles actually get recycled
• The majority of these plastic water bottles go into landfills, harm wildlife and pollute waterways.

Tap Water Pros

• Tap Water is regulated by the EPA. Yearly water quality test results come in the mail and are available to the public.
• Can easily be filtered to make it taste better.
• Its already paid for with your water bill.

Tap Water Cons

Contaminants

According to Environmental Working Group’s research hundreds of contaminants in the average U.S. faucet are at levels below EPA regulation but above levels for health risks.

These Include:

• Heavy Metals
• Chlorine
• Fluoride
• Drugs/ Medicines
• PFAS ( Forever Chemicals)
• Pesticides

Linked to

• Cancer
• Nervous System Damage
• Fertility Problems

Chlorine

Chlorine is used to keep our water clean by disinfecting it and killing germs.

Unfortunately, in addition to killing the harmful bacteria it also affects our gut bacteria. Science continues to reveal the importance of good gut bacteria and our health.

Fluoride

Fluoride is added to tap water in some countries to prevent tooth decay.

53 studies have linked fluoride with reduced IQ in children.

97% of western Europe has rejected water fluoridation

Drugs

Between 10 to 80% of the pharmaceuticals in the water fail to be removed during waste water treatment.

Pesticides

Pesticides and fertilizers get into the water supply from farms through runoff.

Atrazine is the most commonly detected pesticide in U.S. waters. It’s known to cause reproductive harm to mammals, fish and birds.

Regulation

The EPA hasn’t added any new contaminant to the list of regulated drinking water pollutants in more than 20 years.

The current regulations don’t do enough to protect our health. Many of the legal limits for chemicals are outdated and no longer protect us from harm.

Options

The concern with both bottled water and tap water are the contaminants that harm our health. Think about long-term exposure for eight glasses a day over a lifetime.

Bottled water vs tap water, which is better?  We currently use a countertop reverse osmosis for our tap water. I love water too much to spend hundreds of dollars a month on buying plastic water bottles, and I also don’t want to be ingesting plastic.

Water Filters

If your budget allows you can find the best water filter type for the contaminants specific to your tap water. Check out the EWG Tap Water Database.

If your budget doesn’t allow then a simple Brita pitcher can save you a lot of money over bottled water.

Quick Overview

Bottled Water vs Tap Water

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