Bottled Water vs Tap Water

With current global demand reaching $60 billion is sales, it actually wasn't until the last several decades that bottled water became a hit in the US. However, its wide use has been much more the norm Internationally for a much longer period. This is probably due to the fact that so many countries still haven't quite gotten the knack of providing potable water to their masses.  

Projected to become the #1 drink by 2016, the average US consumption per capita reached 34 gallons last year, as opposed to a mere 1.6 gallons per capita in 1976.  So, one would assume that bottled water is a naturally healthy alternative to that nasty-tasting tap water, right?  Well... Not so quick.

Drinking a cool bottle of water (in of course a plastic bottle, which is fodder for a whole other conversation), gives us images of fresh mountain springs, natural runoffs from the snow-capped Alps, etc.  Unfortunately for our health, we don't always get such "pure" water in our plastic bottles. Yet, some of the labeling would have us believe that we are drinking pure, liquid glaciers. We have become conditioned (thanks to effective marketing) to think that this pristine bottled water has to be better than our dirty old tap water.  Such a notion could actually be quite far from reality.

In fact, not all bottled water is the same.  And, with the lack of mandatory, precise labeling, we're often times not sure where our selected H2O in effect comes from - regardless of the mountain images and marketing campaigns.  Thankfully, people are starting to question how healthy bottled water really is, as well as the environmental impact of the packaging it comes in.  

While some bottled water does come from streams and are supposedly "treated", others come from regular municipal water supplies.  Other brands purify their water through distillation or reverse osmosis.  Regardless, we can't deny the convenience of carrying a bottle of H2O in our cars, in our office, or at the gym.  "But no one should think that bottled water is better regulated, better protected or safer than tap,” says Eric Goldstein, co-director of the urban program at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which is a nonprofit organization whose mission is toward protecting community health and the environment.

Surprisingly, more than 25 percent of bottled water comes from a municipal supply. The water is treated, purified to some degree, and sold to us with a thousand-fold increase in price.  So what are we paying for - more healthy, purified water or simply glorified tap water? 

Three of the biggest sellers of bottled water are coming clean.  This year Nestlé Pure Life bottles will indicate whether their water comes from private, public, or deep well sources.  Aquafina will begin labeling that its contents come from public water sources.  Dasani states on its website that its water is sourced from local water, but not on the label itself.  For a health review of some of the major brands, visit http://www.cleanairpurewater.com/best_bottled_water.html.

The inconsistencies with the actual sourcing and purification processes of so many bottled water providers makes choosing a good brand that much more difficult for all of us.  Plus, there is little imperial data available on the purity of one brand vs. another vs. simple tap water.  In fact, there have been reports showing that tap water along with a good home filter can actually be one of the best solutions available.  And, if you want a bottle for the road, go for it.  Just make sure it's environmentally friendly and health-wise.

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Disclaimer:  This information has been provided by Dr. Kevin Crawford, Lubbock Sports Medicine as general information only. It is not intended for any patient or specific situation.  Exercise with care and under a doctor's supervision.

Lubbock Sports Medicine

Dr. Kevin Crawford, MD

4110 22nd Place Lubbock, TX 79409

(806) 792-4329