Bottled Water vs. Tap....interesting article

18 years ago

There was a really interesting article in the local co-op newsletter that came today. Although the link below isn't to that particular article, it has basically the same information. I found it very interesting, especially the last paragraph dealing with the carbon footprint.

I don't often purchase/drink bottled water, but after reading these articles, I will do so even less often. I've been drinking tap water for my entire life with no ill effects, think I'll continue.

Linda

Here is a link that might be useful: Bottled vs. Tap Water

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Comments (16)

dlundin
18 years ago
Bottled water drives me crazy. Lord knows I have been guilty of consuming the stuff myself but not any more. We do have those big five-gallon jugs at work and I have a reusable bottle that I fill from that. At home, I drink filtered tap water. Those plastic bottles are such a waste, it makes me apoplectic, not to mention the issue that article brings up, Linda... that the bottlers are taking it from public sources. I'm getting so bad now that straws and plastic forks also bother me...
pkramer60
18 years ago
Linda, I am another one that will not buy bottled water for daily consumption. The bottles are wasteful and the price is ridiculus.....we figured out at work one day that the cost was over $8.00 per gallon.

I did buy a case yesterday to have for long summer road trips, such as when we are touring the area on our annual pond and garden tour, or a trip to the beach. That case will last more than a year for us.

Chicago is dealing with the litter from the bottles by charging a five cent tax on each bottle now.
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wizardnm
18 years ago
I don't buy bottled water, with the exception of being away from home and having my dog with me. I'll buy it for her. Usually I fill my own water bottles and take those.

We have an artisan well and the over flow runs 24/7 right out into the lake. I often joke about how we should be bottling our water, it truly is spring water. We have it tested, every couple of years, it is great and is always very cold. Nope, not going to pay for inferior water.

Nancy
canarybird01
18 years ago
I buy bottled water now for drinking straight, but use tap water for coffee, tea and cooking. The brand I use comes from a local underground spring located in a gallery drilled deep into the side of the volcano Teide, and it comes with the mineral analysis and the registry number from the ministry of health printed on the side of the bottles. It tasted much better than our chlorinated tap water.

We've tried using water carafes with filters for tap water but they're just a nuisance to remember to constantly fill and they doesn't fit in our fridge either. We drink quite a lot of water every day.

SharonCb
User
18 years ago
I use bottled water - Poland Spring (the big jugs) for drinking and some cooking. My well water is very high in iron and tastes awful, even filtered and treated. I don't generally buy small bottles for drinking, I fill bottles (still have some Nalgene) from the water cooler (at work/home).

I buy bottles of water at the airport when I travel and they are always the rebottled faucet water that Coke and Pepsi sell under silly names, always makes me smile.
donnar57
18 years ago
I seldom buy bottled water - like many here, only when I'm away from home. On the few occasions that I do, or when I'm given one, the bottle comes home and gets refilled a few times with our own filtered tap water before the plastic bottle goes into the recycle bin. (I know, I know - it's not supposed to be good to reuse those plastic bottles. Can I help it if I feel less wasteful by so using???!)

DonnaR/CA
khandi
18 years ago
I bought a stainless steel water bottle, which we fill at home with our well water. We filter out water in a jug.
maggie2094
18 years ago
I don't buy it anymore either for most of the reasons in the article. It is a hard habit to break but it is just so wasteful. Now, I am working on the paper plate habit! I am used to the filtered tap now but like Mom, I have to buy jug water at our upstate house because the well water is not great.

They actually just recalled Nestle Pure Life jugs - which I had - they contained a commercial cleaner!
dedtired
18 years ago
I was never a big bottled water drinker either. I don't drink enough water no matter where it comes from.

The price has always bothered me especially because our tap water is so good. I often refilled a plastic bottle (yes, I know this is a no-no).

My son thinks the water in our fridge is filtered. What he doesn't know is that I took the filter out and couldn't get it back in, so it's just tap water.

I do think Brita systems are nice but the cost of the filters is too much.

I hope there will be fewer plastic bottles in land fills soon.
maggie2094
18 years ago
OH, wanted to ask - was looking at buying one of those aluminum water bottles - but of course, I am thinking, hmmmm, isn't aluminum bad for you? LOL! Can't win! I am sure it is coated...
doucanoe
Original Author
18 years ago
I did not know it was a no-no to refill a plastic bottle. Why is that? Is there really something harmful or is it just a ploy by the bottled water companies to get you to buy a new bottle each time? And if it IS harmful, then you'd think it would be just as harmful to drink the water from the bottle the first time around!

Someone pointed out to me once that EVIAN spelled backwards is NAIVE....Hmmm...makes you think.

Linda
BeverlyAL
18 years ago
I've never been naive enough to buy a single bottle of water. There's absolutely nothing wrong with tap water where I live or most other places either.

I've heard not to reuse plastic bottles, but I've done it many times with cola bottles. Probably shouldn't.
centralcacyclist
18 years ago
Yet another reason to stick with wine! ;)
annie1992
18 years ago
LOL, barnmom!

Add me to the lsit of people who absolutely refuse to buy bottled water. Ice Mountain (the Nestle company) bottles water just a few miles from the farm. It comes right out of the aquafer and into their plant and gets bottled. Not filtered or distilled or anything else, just bottled.

So a foreign company is pumping millions of gallons of water out of our own aquafers and selling it back to us, in flastic bottles that will then fill up the landfills. Sigh. And we're foolish enough to buy it.

Not me. My city water here in town is high in sulfer and smells. I use it for coffee because I told the boss that coffee is brown and our water is brown, so it just skips a step, LOL.

For drinking I take a 2 gallon thermos to the farm and fill it with that good old "Ice Mountain", right out of Dad's tap. In a pinch, I drink my own tap water, it's been tested as safe to drink even if it is a bit off color. (grin) I usually have a pitcher of iced tea in my refrigerator and I'll drink that instead of water, although I know water is really better for me. I have a thermos that goes to work with me for water or tea or Crystal Light.

If I run out or forget my thermos I drink the water from the fountain and everywhere else I drink water from the tap. Heck, if I'm going to pay for a bottle of something I might as well make it juice or tea or Diet Coke, not my own water.

Annie
dgkritch
18 years ago
I'm another who detests bottled water. So, my well water is a little high in iron and smells of eggs.
Let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes and the smell dissipates and Lord knows I can use the iron!!! LOL.

On a rare occasion, I will buy one (when the choices are beer, soda or water), but only when severly limited and I'm dying of thirst! Not often, obviously.

My daughter had a case at her wedding over a year ago and we ended up with about half it back at our house. We're still working on it.........

And, Yes, I re-fill the bottles. I do believe those foreign (and/or U.S.) conglomerates want us to buy a new one every time. They'll get us either way....we'll pay them to take away our waste too.

Stepping down now.......

Deanna
BeverlyAL
18 years ago
Oh lordy Annie, I don't see how you drink that sulfur water! I probably would have to give up and buy some water, heaven forbid.

Bottled Water vs. Tap....interesting article

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Bottled Water vs. Tap....interesting article

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