Depending on where you live, water quality and taste can vary.  People might decide the water in their home is not suitable for drinking, so they turn to bottled water.  Look at the aisles in a grocery store.  There are dedicated sections to bottled water.  When you purchase a bottle of water, many people concern themselves with the effects bottled water has on the environment or the extra cost to the consumer.   We provide reasons to stop buying bottled water.

  1. Hurting the Environment

The majority of bottles from bottled water end up in a landfill.  In 2015, the Association of Plastic Recyclers reported plastic bottles were recycled at a rate of 31.8%.  Think about it.  It still means over sixty-five percent of bottled water is put into landfills, or two-thirds of 50 million plastic bottles end up in landfills1.  Oftentimes, plastic bottles will not only end up in landfills, but floating in oceans, rivers, or waterways, potentially breaking down and seeping into our water supply.  Water is a precious resource, and we must value it.

  1. Bottled Water Can Be Tap Water

Do you know where water in bottled water you’re purchasing comes from?  Many bottled water products are nothing more than municipal water going through some filtration at a bottling plant.  Manufacturers are great at marketing, using the exact words to make consumers think their water is the purest water available.

Pepsico, the maker of Aquafina, admitted that its bottled water was nothing more than tap water. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has limited standards for the bottled water industry.  As a result, consumers have to carefully look at the label to find the water source.

  1. Money Wasted

Americans are by far the largest users of bottled water.  According to the International Bottled Water Association and the Bottled Water Association, bottled water has been the #1 beverage product in the United States for the second consecutive year.  The average consumer will spend near $100 per year on bottled water.  In 2013, according to Business Insider, the bottled water industry totaled $11.8 billion in sales, which averages out to approximately $7.50 per gallon of bottled water2.  Wow!  It’s 2,000x’s more expensive than turning on the tap at your kitchen faucet.

  1. Contaminated Water

Just because it’s water in a bottle does not mean it is free of contaminants.  The FDA does have some standards for companies who bottle water, but they cannot regulate bottled water bottled and sold within the same state.  Oftentimes, city water is more heavily regulated than bottled water. So before you buy a bottle of water, take a real hard look at where the water is sourced and any other information pertinent to the water quality.

  1. Plastic is Harmful to Your Health

Many consumers are trying to live a healthier lifestyle, and kudos to them.  Drinking water is a great way to live a healthy lifestyle.  Many consumers don’t think of plastic bottles as being unhealthy.  The biggest problem with bottled water is the actual plastic bottle.  We’ve all heard of BPA in terms of plastic.  According to the Mayo Clinic website:

“Some research has shown that BPA can seep into food and beverages from containers that are made with BPA.  Exposure to BPA is a concern because of possible health effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland of fetuses, infants, and children.”3

We will often not drink all of the water in the bottle and let the water bottle sit for extended periods of time or expose the bottled water to sun or heat. Unfortunately, this increases the risk of the plastic breaking down and seeping into the water, causing possible health effects.

It’s certainly not too late to make a change in your water purchasing habits.  Home filtration products, such as reverse osmosis, are a great way to know how your water is filtered and understand your water quality. In addition, you won’t have to concern yourself about any marketing slogans or false claims and know you are drinking worry-free water.  When you feel the time is right to stop buying plastic bottled water, we’re here to help.  Contact Us or Call.

References:

  1. https://plasticsrecycling.org/
  2. https://www.businessinsider.com/bottled-water-costs-2000x-more-than-tap-2013-7
  3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/bpa/faq-20058331