Tap Vs. Bottled Water Facts

Bottled water is much more expensive than tap water.

The debate of bottled water versus tap water has many people on either side. Before deciding which way is your preferred method to drink water, check out the facts on both bottles and tap water.

Environment

Bottled water is made from plastic which creates additional waste, while tap water comes with no packaging. Fossil fuels are eliminated in the creation of bottles, and gasoline is burned while driving the bottles to retailers. While some people recycle plastic bottles, many do not.

Cost Factors

While using tap water may slightly affect your utility water bill, bottled water is essentially more expensive. Food and Water Watch reports that over $10 billion was spent on bottled water by Americans during the year 2009.

Health

Tap water and bottled water are both similar in terms of health factors despite public perception. Tap and bottled water must meet standards set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and are tested for quality. In addition to the FDA regulations, tap water is also overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

References

• Healthy Water: The real bottled water facts... ...and who wins bottled water vs tap water debate
• FoodAndWaterWatch: Bottled Water