Bottled Water Vs. Tap Water

Bottling water has become a very lucrative industry. A fair amount of consumers believe bottled water is superior than tap water.

A great deal of making bottles, printing labels, packaging and shipping of bottled water use large amounts of resources and essentially creating more waste.

Studies have shown little difference in taste and quality between bottled and tap water. "Because bottled water is considered to be a “food,” regulation and testing falls to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA currently requires bottled water manufacturers to test their product for harmful contaminants once a week.

Municipal tap water is under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA’s testing requirements are much more stringent for tap water, requiring water treatment plants to test for contaminants several times a day. In terms of potential harm to people and animals, unchecked bottled water could prove to be much more hazardous than municipal tap water." WiseGeek. Read More  Tap water may be the way to go, but it is not recommended to fill disposable plastic bottles with fresh tap water. Some plastic bottles may contain harmful chemicals that may leach into the water as the bottle gets older. Use glass or more permanent plastic containers. It is also suggested that a water filtration system can be implemented to improve the taste of tap water at home.