In recent years, a debate’s been brewing about whether bottled water is better– whether it actually tastes discernibly different to the average consumer, but more importantly, whether it’s healthier. We already know that the use of plastic water bottles pollutes the environment over the long-run, but in fact, it’s likely that bottled water is not only uneconomical but also unsafe for human consumption.
Worth the Cost?
Sure, wine connoisseurs can sip, swish, and spit a few ounces of wine and tell you where and when those grapes were grown. But I doubt even the most die-hard bottled water guzzler could do the same. So what if I told you, the water you were drinking from that expensive bottle, was actually tap water? (Morpheus, The Matrix, circa 1996).
Poland Springs, a very popular bottled water manufacturer, once known for tasting so pure and refreshing, has found itself on the bitter end of yet another lawsuit alleging fraud, according to the New York Post. Back in 2003, bottled water had already become suspect, when Poland Spring’s parent company, Nestle Waters North America, settled a similar suit out of court. Now this August, a federal lawsuit claims that what was marketed as “100% natural spring water” was actually “common groundwater that doesn’t meet the federal definition of spring water.”
Now, are those customers are saying, “you know, the last few cases tasted different, but I couldn’t put my tongue on it.” Or are they re-thinking their thirst at $4.98 a bottle? Suddenly, consumers who’d been willing to spend anywhere from “89 cents to $8.26 a gallon” for “pure” water, might be happy enough to pay less than a penny per gallon for filtered household water.
Quality
Okay, but bottled water from “real” natural aquifers could be better for you, right?
Probably not. Interestingly, the FDA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are both responsible for the safety of drinking water; however, “the EPA regulates public drinking water (tap water), while FDA regulates bottled drinking water.” But according to BottledWater.org, “Most FDA bottled water quality standards are the same as the EPA’s maximum contaminant levels (MCL) for tap water systems.” So, when it comes to quality in terms of federal regulations, tap water actually has more stringent guidelines than bottled water does. The most significant difference lies in the chemicals used in the bottles themselves.
Health Benefit, or Detriment?
According to the FDA, the popularity of bottled water still hasn’t declined, despite the fact that scientists have been aware for some time that plastic contains toxins that, when heated, become harmful. In fact, the plastic used for bottled water contains BPA, (Bisphenol A), a chemical, which “disrupts the function of the endocrine system,” and has been linked to cancer. This is why almost all baby bottles are now labeled as BPA-free so milk or formula can be microwaved safely. So now consider that case of water, shipped from who-knows-where, that you’ve got stored in your garage where temperatures can reach above 100 degrees, releasing toxic chemicals from the plastic into the water. Even after the bottle’s cooled in the fridge, the toxins are still there, waiting to enter your body and inflict irreparable damage. So why don’t the FDA or EPA better regulate plastic bottles too? Well, that comes down to the buying-power of the plastic industry.
So unless you live in Flint, Michigan, or are a sommelier of water and can discern the difference between a glass of water from Portland, Oregon and a glass from Portland, Maine– take your health into account, and drink the regulated tap water for pennies on the dollar. Health before convenience– for you and the planet!
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