Battle of Bottled and Tap Water

Everyday on our television sets, we are bombarded by water commercial ads from big names, such as Evian and Dasani. These ads are telling the consumers that the water came from the "pure atmosphere," and/or "100% Pure." But in recent months, there has been question about the "purity" of bottled water. What is exactly the debate between bottled water and tap water?

The first criteria to consider with bottled water and tap water is safety. Bottled water and tap water is looked upon as safe to drink. If this type of water is deemed safe, then what is the "real" issue?

Everyone knows that bottled water are distributed and sold in bottles with labels representing the "pure" nature and the "natural springs." But there is no scientific proof that this type of water is safer or "natural" than tap water. According to the San Francisco Department of Public Health Environment Health, the EPA controls municipal water, or tap water; on the other hand, the FDA controls bottled water. Most FDA standards for bottled water imitate EPA standards for tap water.

When we, the consumers, go into a convenient store or a supermarket, we often see bottled water labels that state, "100% Pure," "spring water," or even "from the Earth." With these labels, the thought of many consumers is that this water contains no contaminants. Drinking bottled water does not really mean that the water is healthier than tap water.

Many consumers are not aware of the cost of bottled water. Bottled water can cost anywhere between $1.00 and $4.00 per gallon. The cost that comes along with the bottled water is the time and energy to bring bought water home. In addition to time and energy, if an individual decides to have their water delivered, then he or she will have to take the water delivery, renting, and having a water-cooler into consideration.