You will find important reasons to skip bottled water and opt for filtered tap water instead.
1 Plastic Chemical
The FDA has disclosed which chemicals can be used to make PET plastic, the plastic used in bottled water. But does anyone know how many of those chemicals are leaching into your bottled water and, more importantly, if they could affect your health.
Shoppers who seek the convenience and ready availability of bottled water may believe that the plastic bottle itself is inert, completely safe packaging. That’s probably not true. An Environmental Working Group investigation found that PET plastics, the type used to make plastic water bottles and marked with a #1 code on the bottom; contain dozens of chemical additives, manufacturing impurities and breakdown by-products – a total of more than 80 potential contaminants that can leach into the water
2 Toxic water
Contrary to the image of purity advertised by the bottled water industry, bottled water may contain a lot more than simply H2O. Testing commissioned by Environmental Working Group in 2008 has found 38 pollutants in 10 brands of bottled water, including disinfection byproducts, industrial chemicals, radioactivity and bacteria. Some of the chemicals detected have been linked to health effects, including cancer and methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome). Two of the brands tested even bore the chemical signature of municipal tap water, meaning that they were chemically indistinguishable from what comes from the faucet.
3 Be Part of the Plastics Pollution Solution
According to the International Bottled Water Association, consumption of bottled water in the US continues to rise – from 9.1 billion gallons in 2011 to 9.67 billion in 2012. Americans drink more than 73 billion half-liter bottles of water a year. That’s enough to circle the globe more than 370 times! Where do all these bottles end up?
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only 29 percent of PET bottles and jars were recycled in 2011. This means that 71 percent contributed to the glut of plastic trash that clogs landfills and pollutes waterways. Oceana, an international organization focused on ocean conservation, has calculated that as much as 1.6 billion pounds of plastic ends up in the seas every year, posing a threat to marine life. The Plastic Pollution Coalition has been raising awareness about the disgusting Great Pacific Garbage Patch, but the problem continues to grow – thanks in part to the continuing popularity of bottled water.
4 Filter water good Idea
Filter your tap water and use a reusable bottle. Drinking plenty of clean water is good for your health, but both tap and bottled water can contain contaminants that may be harmful. The best bet for getting the safest water possible is to filter your tap water. While more expensive filters generally remove more pollutants, even an inexpensive pitcher filter can significantly cut down on some key contaminants. But the effectiveness of filters varies widely, so do your research
5 Your Wallet Will Thank You
Retail prices for bottled water vary widely depending on location and whether you buy it in bulk or one bottle at a time. At convenience stores, consumers typically pay about a dollar a liter. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that tap water costs about $0.002 a gallon – that’s two-tenths of a penny – so the cost of bottled water stacks up to be 1,900 times more than tap water. At that price, bottled water consumers should at least get a guarantee of purity, but that’s not the case. Scientific testing by EWG and others has found a slew of contaminants in bottled waters, including disinfection byproducts, industrial chemicals and bacteria.
According to the EPA, “bottled water is not necessarily safer than tap water,” so EWG recommends that consumers save their money and drink filtered tap water instead.
(Source- Environmental Working Group)
