Five Reasons Not to Drink Bottled Water
By Chris Baskind in Health
Bottled water is healthy water — or so marketers would have us believe. Just look at the labels or the bottled water ads: deep, pristine pools of spring water; majestic alpine peaks; healthy, active people gulping down icy bottled water between biking in the park and a trip to the yoga studio.
In reality, bottled water is just water. That fact isn’t stopping people from buying a lot of it. Estimates variously place worldwide bottled water sales at between $50 and $100 billion each year, with the market expanding at the startling annual rate of 7 percent.
Bottled water is big business. But in terms of sustainability, bottled water is a dry well. It’s costly, wasteful, and distracts from the brass ring of public health: the construction and maintenance of safe municipal water systems.
Want some solid reasons to kick the bottled water habit? We’ve rounded up five to get you started.
Bottled water isn’t a good value
Take, for instance, Pepsi’s Aquafina or Coca-Cola’s Dasani bottled water. Both are sold in 20 ounce sizes and can be purchased from vending machines alongside soft drinks — and at the same price. Assuming you can find a $1 machine, that works out to 5 cents an ounce. These two brands are essentially filtered tap water, bottled close to their distribution point. Most municipal water costs less than one cent per gallon.
Now consider another widely-sold liquid: gasoline. It has to be pumped out of the ground in the form of crude oil, shipped to a refinery (often halfway across the world), and shipped again to your local filling station.
In the U.S., the average price per gallon is hovering around $3. There are 128 ounces in a gallon, which puts the current price of gasoline at fraction over 2 cents an ounce.
And that’s why there’s no shortage of companies which want to get into the business. In terms of price versus production cost, bottled water puts Big Oil to shame.
No healthier than tap water
In theory, bottled water in the United States falls under the regulatory authority of the Food and Drug Administration. In practice, about 70 percent of bottled water never crosses state lines for sale, making it exempt from FDA oversight.
On the other hand, water systems in the developed world are well-regulated. In the U.S., for instance, municipal water falls under the purview of the Environmental Protection Agency, and is regularly inspected for bacteria and toxic chemicals. Want to know how your community scores? Check out the Environmental Working Group’s National Tap Water Database.
While public safety groups correctly point out that many municipal water systems are aging and there remain hundreds of chemical contaminants for which no standards have been established, there’s very little empirical evidence which suggests bottled water is any cleaner or better for you than its tap equivalent.
Bottled water means garbage
Bottled water produces up to 1.5 million tons of plastic waste per year. According to Food and Water Watch, that plastic requires up to 47 million gallons of oil per year to produce. And while the plastic used to bottle beverages is of high quality and in demand by recyclers, over 80 percent of plastic bottles are simply thrown away.
That assumes empty bottles actually make it to a garbage can. Plastic waste is now at such a volume that vast eddies of current-bound plastic trash now spin endlessly in the world’s major oceans. This represents a great risk to marine life, killing birds and fish which mistake our garbage for food.
Thanks to its slow decay rate, the vast majority of all plastics ever produced still exist — somewhere.
Bottled water means less attention to public systems
Many people drink bottled water because they don’t like the taste of their local tap water, or because they question its safety.
This is like running around with a slow leak in your tire, topping it off every few days rather than taking it to be patched. Only the very affluent can afford to switch their water consumption to bottled sources. Once distanced from public systems, these consumers have little incentive to support bond issues and other methods of upgrading municipal water treatment.
There’s plenty of need. In California, for example, the American Society of Civil Engineers estimated the requirement of $17.5 billion in improvements to the state’s drinking water infrastructure as recently as 2005. In the same year, the state lost 222 million gallons of drinkable water to leaky pipes.
The corporatization of water
In the documentary film Thirst, authors Alan Snitow and Deborah Kaufman demonstrated the rapid worldwide privatization of municipal water supplies, and the effect these purchases are having on local economies.
Water is being called the “Blue Gold” of the 21st century. Thanks to increasing urbanization and population, shifting climates, and industrial pollution, fresh water is becoming humanity’s most precious resource.
Multinational corporations are stepping in to purchase groundwater and distribution rights wherever they can, and the bottled water industry is an important component in their drive to commoditize what many feel is a basic human right: the access to safe and affordable water.
What can you do?
There’s a simple alternative to bottled water: buy a stainless steel thermos, and use it. Don’t like the way your local tap water tastes? Inexpensive carbon filters will turn most tap water sparkling fresh at a fraction of bottled water’s cost.
Consider taking Food and Water Watch’s No Bottled Water Pledge. Conserve water wherever possible, and stay on top of local water issues. Want to know more? Start with the Sierra Club’s fact sheet on bottled water.
Bottoms up!
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what do you mean? why couldn't you?
what do you mean? why couldn't you?
personally, I think city water tastes better than bottled
personally, I think city water tastes better than bottled
personally, I think city water tastes better than bottled
I'm only twelve and I'm already very involed in these things. My family recycles, uses city water (which tastes just fine, even better than bottled for those of you that are suspicious) and composts almost all of our food. personally I don't get why you want to do that the Earths atmosphere protects us from getting cancer and prvents air from leaving earth so we can breath. And the ocean takes care of your dumb hummer by absorbing the co2 from it so really, the only thing your wasting is you money. Good luck with it though.
P.S. I agree with chris baskind
I'm only twelve and I'm already very involed in these things. My family recycles, uses city water (which tastes just fine, even better than bottled for those of you that are suspicious) and composts almost all of our food. personally I don't get why you want to do that the Earths atmosphere protects us from getting cancer and prvents air from leaving earth so we can breath. And the ocean takes care of your dumb hummer by absorbing the co2 from it so really, the only thing your wasting is you money. Good luck with it though.
P.S. I agree with chris baskind
If it smells funny talk to your city, see what up and if you can get the quality improved. if you cant do that by a water filter they work so well that they make even clay water good tasting and clean
If it smells funny talk to your city, see what up and if you can get the quality improved. if you cant do that by a water filter they work so well that they make even clay water good tasting and clean
If it smells funny talk to your city, see what up and if you can get the quality improved. if you cant do that by a water filter they work so well that they make even clay water good tasting and clean
what kind of pollutants? some water filters can remove them
what kind of pollutants? some water filters can remove them
what kind of pollutants? some water filters can remove them
Are you serious? I'm writing a blog about bottled water RIGHT NOW. Damn it!!!
Are you serious? I'm writing a blog about bottled water RIGHT NOW. Damn it!!!
Are you serious? I'm writing a blog about bottled water RIGHT NOW. Damn it!!!
I buy bottled water only because the infrastructure in my town is in bad shape, and most of the pipes, etc are from the 50's and before. There have been many residents on my street that have died from cancer in the last 10 years, and many now who are very sick. I would love to drink the tap water but I just don't trust its pureness. I buy bottled water usually at Aldi's, and do recycle everything I can that comes out of my house. The filtering systems I have tried in the past and I don't think they do a good enough job considering the condition of the pipes in this area. For those that live in newer homes and neighborhoods, I trust they have more up to date infrastructures, sadly I don't and live in a house that was built in 1955 and at best the piping attached and all surrounding my neighborhood is well out of date.
I buy bottled water only because the infrastructure in my town is in bad shape, and most of the pipes, etc are from the 50's and before. There have been many residents on my street that have died from cancer in the last 10 years, and many now who are very sick. I would love to drink the tap water but I just don't trust its pureness. I buy bottled water usually at Aldi's, and do recycle everything I can that comes out of my house. The filtering systems I have tried in the past and I don't think they do a good enough job considering the condition of the pipes in this area. For those that live in newer homes and neighborhoods, I trust they have more up to date infrastructures, sadly I don't and live in a house that was built in 1955 and at best the piping attached and all surrounding my neighborhood is well out of date.
I buy bottled water only because the infrastructure in my town is in bad shape, and most of the pipes, etc are from the 50's and before. There have been many residents on my street that have died from cancer in the last 10 years, and many now who are very sick. I would love to drink the tap water but I just don't trust its pureness. I buy bottled water usually at Aldi's, and do recycle everything I can that comes out of my house. The filtering systems I have tried in the past and I don't think they do a good enough job considering the condition of the pipes in this area. For those that live in newer homes and neighborhoods, I trust they have more up to date infrastructures, sadly I don't and live in a house that was built in 1955 and at best the piping attached and all surrounding my neighborhood is well out of date.
Fluoride also zaps iron from your body. Seems all or something is bad for us. But I will remain on bottled water for the reasons I posted above.
Fluoride also zaps iron from your body. Seems all or something is bad for us. But I will remain on bottled water for the reasons I posted above.
Fluoride also zaps iron from your body. Seems all or something is bad for us. But I will remain on bottled water for the reasons I posted above.
I am upset that none of the “green” websites or blogs argue against the purchasing of coke, vitamin water, juices and all soft drinks which are sold in plastic containers. Is the problem water or is the problem plastic?—if it is plastic then I believe it is unethical and bizarre to argue against the buying of bottled water (which is necessary for life) especially considering our epidemic of obesity (largely caused by soft drinks consumed from plastic bottles). Let's speak up and take action against corporate soft drink producers.
I also wonder what we are supposed to do when we find that we are thirsty and we have already drunk the amount of water in our thermos or if we find ourselves in a situation (movie theater, ex.) where you are required to buy drinks and can't bring your own inside–what are we supposed to drink? If we need to drink something then we have to buy water it seems–what choices do we have? Should we lobby that every public source of water be filtered? maybe so–don't know…
Our parents were railing against soft drinks, so it doesn't make much sense to rehash that topic. Everyone knows most sodas and fake juice drinks are bad for them. You're right, of course, that their plastic packaging is just as troublesome.
That doesn't dull the argument against bottled water, though. The wastefulness of paying a buck or more for a bottle of what is most likely tap water is obvious, and the ongoing corporatization of water is deeply troubling. As I've written before, there's a time and place for bottled water. But I rather doubt the almost 9 billion gallons of bottled water sold in 2008 went solely toward the relief of people stuck in movie theaters and rock concerts.
Yes, you should press for safe, clean public water. And help us keep companies like Suez, Vivendi, and Thames from privatizing our water utilities. Access to safe water is a basic human need, and shouldn't be held hostage to corporate profits.
i dont think there is any point of arguing over this topic. it is our choice wht we want to drink. there are people who trust botltle water a lot and no matter what they wont quit and there are people who prefer tap water. so i think its a personal choice what we want to drink. None of them are “HEALTHY” enough to satisfy us so i would say just drink what u want to drink based on ur financial status bcz bottle water cost money.
One reason FOR drinking bottled water,
Flouride.
Flouride is poisonous and is present in a lot of tap water.
Do some research about flouride on the internet, it will make you think twice about drinking tao.
I personally don't hate bottled water. It's not exactly satan.
LOL I'm 12 too, was looking at this for a science then see chriscalloway's idiot remark
I;m glad someone as young as me is interested in the environment as well I hope you continue the good effort
P.S. I also agree with you about agreeing with chris baskind his heads in hte right place
This gives me alot of information and i think that i will be using my stainless steel bottle instead of buying them, and im also throwing away all my plastic re-used bottles
eli says your stupid sorry
Yet another great resource!
it realy is not healthy for u DO NOT DRINK IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DO NOT DRINK IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THIS IS THE WORST WEB EVA IDIOTS
i like to materbate with bottles
Buy several KleenKanteen bpa stainless steel water bottles. and keep several on hand.
“In practice, about 70 percent of bottled water never crosses state lines for sale, making it exempt from FDA oversight.”
GOOD!!! That's what I buy bottled water for, because I don't want all chemical treatments like Chlorine and other cleaners the FDA requires for water.
One reason we shouldn't have to clean it as much is because it's usually flowing ground water filtered through miles of earth, all the while absorbing many minerals. Just like municipal water supplies, except without all of the chlorine and other chemical cleaners.
You have absolutely no idea what is in bottled water, and that's my point about lack of regulation. Additionally, the FDA doesn't require anything be added to municipal water supplies, since they're not the regulatory agency.
You have absolutely no idea what is in bottled water, and that's my point about lack of regulation. Additionally, the FDA doesn't require anything be added to municipal water supplies, since they're not the regulatory agency.
WHO would lyke something this stupid…………………………..
Someone who knows how to wryte?