Bottled Water Vs. Filtered Tap Water

Bottled water is one of the most popular drinks in the world

Drinking water is a part of all human natural survival traits, and as of August 2008, bottled water is only second in North America to carbonated soft drinks. What some may not know is that some filtered tap water is actually bottled water. It mainly depends on the filtration and purification process that is used. In 2007, the average American drank more than 28 gallons of bottled water.

Comparison

Filtered tap water is considered purified water and is bottled. Filtered tap water also runs through a tap water filter system to remove contaminants and minerals. Water filters are also available for in home and office use. There are various types of bottled water. The types are artesian, drinking, mineral, purified, sparkling, spring, and well water.

Safety

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the safety, purity and labeling of bottled water and indicates that it is one of the most highly regulated products. It also considers bottled water a food. In the United States, city water is filtered and regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act. City water is also treated with disinfectants and chlorine to ensure the water supply is safe.

Considerations

The plastic used to make bottled water continues to be an environmental threat, including controversy over which is better, bottled or filtered tap water. The National Resource Defense Council (NRDS) released a report in March of 1999 indicating that 25 percent of bottled water is in fact filtered tap water.

References

• The Bottled Water Controversy
• Tap Water, Bottled Water, Filtered Water: Which to Choose?
• FDA: Bottled Water Regulation and the FDA