water bottlesExperts tell us that we should be drinking eight to ten glasses of water per day in order to maintain good health, but does maintaining that health also depend on where we are getting our water? As consumers, how do we really know that the bottled water we are drinking is safe and pure? Many people do not trust their municipal water supply and choose bottled water because they believe that they are getting the cleanest and purest water that way. According to WebMD, Americans drank 9 billion gallons of bottled water in 2007, and spent $22 billon dollars on bottled water. Is bottled water really worth all of this effort and expense? The truth is, probably not. According to the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a non-profit environmental action group, at least 25-30% of bottled water is actually municipal tap water, and many bottled water companies don’t even disclose the source of origin of the water they package. In addition to questions about the quality of bottled water, what about the empty plastic bottles that end up in landfills across the country?

Municipal Water vs. Bottled Water

While municipal and bottled water are both regulated, municipal water by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and bottled water by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), municipal water is actually held to a higher standard. Both the EPA and the FDA test the water for physical, chemical, microbial, and radiological contaminants. The EPA does require water suppliers to give their customers an annual water report that discloses the water quality, and also requires the supplier to notify consumers if the water has dangerous levels of any contaminant for which they test. Whereas the FDA does not require any notification to consumers when contaminants are confirmed in bottled water during testing.

Home Water Filtration Systems

If you are concerned about your municipal system, or just want to improve the taste of your tap water, you can purchase a home water filtration system. These systems can be filtration systems that attach to the faucet or under the sink, or even filter pitchers. These systems can range in price anywhere from about $15.00 to $200.00, and will help to improve water taste and usually will reduce many contaminants such as lead, protozoan, and radium, etc. Reverse osmosis systems will actually filter out disease causing organisms and most chemicals. These systems can receive certification from three organizations that are accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). All three use the ANSI/NSF standards to test and certify filtration units. They are NSF International, Underwriters Laboratories, and Water Quality Association.

When Only Bottled Water Will Do

If you are forced to buy bottled water because your municipal system is polluted or you live in a home with old lead pipes, be sure to check the labels to see where the water is from and what type, if any, filtration was used. It is best to purchase water that has been treated with reverse osmosis, distillation, ultraviolet light, or filtration with an absolute one-micron filter according to the FDA. NSF International and Underwriters Laboratories, Incorporated can also certify bottled water. These organizations require that the water meet all FDA requirements. In addition, International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) certifies bottled water and requires that the water meet the “model code” designated by IBWA and submit to annual inspections.

With the current state of our economy, and groceries bills ever increasing, paying an extra $1600 a year for bottled tap water just doesn’t make sense anymore. Check your water quality with your municipal supplier and see if you can cross bottled water off of your grocery list.



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