Is Bottled Water Better?

According to the National Water Quality Association, 56% of all people are worried about the quality of municipally treated tap water. This, along with the desire for better-tasting drinking water, has fueled tremendous growth in the bottled water industry. We can all remember, not too long ago, when the bottled water section at the grocery store consisted of a very small allotment of counter space, primarily devoted to a few gallon jugs of distilled water. Today, bottled water enjoys a major section of the beverage aisle and the prestige of being the fastest-growing segment of the entire beverage industry, not to mention the most profitable.

The bottled water industry has become the target of some of the largest corporations in the world. The Clorox Company, PepsiCo and The Coca-Cola Company are just a few of the recent giants trying to capitalize on this highly lucrative market. PepsiCo's Aquafina and Coca-Cola's Dasani almost instantly became each company's most profitable product! If we just take a commonsense look at the companies controlling this industry, which are certainly not known for their health consciousness, we will begin to understand the misconception that has been created around the quality of bottled water. Millions and millions of dollars are spent each week on advertising campaigns to give the perception that these bottled waters come from some sparkling mountain spring or pristine underground aquifer, when in reality many of them come from a municipal water system just like your tap water does. Both Pepsi's Aquafina and Coke's Dasani are bottled at one of many bottling plants across North America where municipal tap water is used as the source, as is the case with most leading brands.

The reality of bottled water is that people pay from $1 to $4 a gallon for a complete unknown, leaving the quality and purity up to the discretion of corporate executives who have little or no background in water quality. We have no way of knowing the actual quality of bottled water.

Point-of-use water treatment, with a quality in-home water filtration system, is by far the most economical, the most convenient and the most capable way of producing healthy, great-tasting water. Removing the chlorine and other contaminants at the point of use, just prior to consumption, in your own home, with a system that is documented and certified to produce "healthy water," just makes more sense.

With a home water filter you can have guaranteed quality for about 10 cents a gallon vs. $1 to $4 a gallon for bottled water. Like the saying says, "If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself," and that's certainly the case when it comes to something as important as our drinking water.

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