Why Should You Choose Tap Water over Bottled Water

Bottle water drains the environment. The U.S public uses about 50 billion water bottles per annum, with most of it going unrecycled.

Transporting and keeping water bottles cold burns fossil fuels, giving off greenhouse gases. Furthermore, bottled water companies pump groundwater, drawing heavily on underground aquifers and harming watersheds. Also, it is estimated that one liter of bottled water requires three liters of water for production.

Yet, over $100 billion is the global spend on bottled water annually. Many cities in developing countries without a safe tap water source rely on bottled water as a safer option.

In the U.S, tap water is federally regulated and screened frequently for dangerous pollutants. However, the public consumes 21 gallons (79 liters) of bottled water per capita annually. The bottled water industry is very thriving; the number of gallons sold outpaces milk, juice, and coffee. However, it is still behind soda and beer.

Reasons why people choose to drink bottled water, include purity, convenience, safety, and taste. Some people consider bottled water to be more premium than tap water which begs the question – is tap water worse than bottled water? Afraid not

Drinking tap water instead of bottled water does not generate waste, and it is single-use, plastic-free. In contrast, the Australian landfill has about 373 million plastic bottles annually. Regarding waste, it takes 3 liters of water to produce 1 liter of bottled water. Although it sounds outrageous, it is the truth. Therefore, it is advisable to drink tap water to prevent creating plastic waste and wasting water in the process.

Another outrageous fact about bottled water is that it costs 2000 times more than tap water. Let’s demonstrate an equation about how expensive bottled water is in comparison to tap water. Buying 2 liters of bottled water every day will cost you about $2600 at the end of the year. In contrast, drinking 2 liters of tap water every day will cost you about $1.50 in total at the end of the year. Well, it is pretty shocking.

Tap water is more eco-friendly than bottled water in so many ways. First, bottled water requires between 1 and 2000 times the energy consumption for producing tap water. The energy goes into bottle manufacturing, filling shipping, and chilling water in a fridge. Secondly, the plastic water manufacturing industry has over a 2.5million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in a year. On the other hand, there are no emissions with tap water.

It is common knowledge that eating local is better, so it shouldn’t be different for drinking. Most people do not consider that bottled water comes from all over the world. On the other hand, tap water is from local sources. Therefore, the tap water supply is safe, reliable, and sustainable.

Another reason to choose tap water over bottled water is safety. Tap water is safer and healthier for drinking. There are stringent regulations and safety standards regulating tap water. The standards identify and limit water contaminants, including chemicals and microorganisms present in tap water. Furthermore, there is regular testing of tap water than bottled water, making it a safer option.

A myth about bottled water is that it tastes better than tap water. Well, research says otherwise. From several blind taste tests, tap water tasted better than bottled water. Several bodies carried out the taste tests.

Tap water is more eco-friendly than bottled water, and this is true from a sustainability perspective. Many bottled water companies have water sources in countries with depleted water resources—for instance, Fiji water, Aquafina, and Dasani source water from the drought-ridden areas of California.

You can purchase a water filter to purify your tap water if you are concerned about water quality. In contrast, it is pretty unlikely that you will filter water from a plastic bottle. Therefore, you can only trust the acclaimed purity of the water

It is best to stick to tap water if you like chemical-free water. Plastic water bottles are from polyethylene terephthalate or PET, and this material leaches chemicals over time into the water, especially when reusing the bottle. Furthermore, due to the toxic chemicals released in its manufacturing process, PET is an environmental hazard

Taking tap water is much more convenient than bottled water; you only need to turn on the tap. Also, tap water is readily available; there’s no need to walk to a shop to purchase the water before unscrewing the lid. With the numerous benefits discussed, tap water is the clear winner of the bottled water vs. tap water comparison.

Contrary to popular opinion, bottled water is not safer than tap water. After considering safety, convenience, the presence of chemicals, and many factors, it is clear that tap water is eco-friendly, affordable, sustainable, and has a better taste.