Bottled water better than tap?

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

bottled-water-vs-tap-water The myth, and a myth it certainly is, that bottled “spring” water is better than tap water for us to drink is a lie that is being perpetuated by clever marketing.

This very marketing has brainwashed an entire generation, almost, into believing that in order to live healthy they have to drink bottled water, at high cost to themselves and the Planet and must not drink tap water.

However, fact is that tap water, at least in most “civilized” countries is better and safer than any bottled water. Better for you, for your wallet and for the Earth.

While tap water undergoes around eight – at least this is the case with most water companies in Northern Europe, including Britain – quality tests bottled “spring” water is only tested every now and then and this during a year often less than six times. Thus tap water, except for the additives such as chlorine (and fluoride, in some places), is actually safer than bottled “mineral” or “sporing” water and the chlorine is only added to keep the water from spoiling and in order to destroy pathogens.

Don't be deceived by marketing and the pictures of pristine countryside and mountains and glaciers on the labels of the bottles. The water in those bottles more than likely comes from a source far closer to home than any mountain or glacier and at times – about half of all bottled water, in fact – from public sources, which is but a cover for saying municipal sources, that may, or may not, have gone through a filtering process.

In other words, the bottled water that you pay so much money for on a daily basis may actually be nothing more than bottled tap water.

What a con, eh?

Just get a refillable bottle – stainless steel is best – and fill from the tap. It you don't like the taste then a simple jug filter already can change that as all of those – despite what some may claim – will remove chlorine, fluoride and, in addition to that heavy metals and other pollutants, including most pathogens.

Don't pay again and again for bottles... but, do not reuse any of those plastic bottles that bottled water comes in for tap. They leach dangerous chemicals into your water.

© 2012