Bottled Water Controversy

There is a bottled water controversy that has been brewing for quite some time now, and it revolves around which is better -- tap water or bottled water. One area where some people are mistaken is the safety of tap water. There is a common myth that tap water contains harmful contaminants and bacteria. The truth is that municipally regulated tap water is just as safe to drink as bottled water, and in some cases may be even safer.

The well-respected news program 20/20 did a study where they compared five brands of bottled water to tap water taken from a New York City water fountain. Their findings were that the water from the fountain was equal in quality and purity to the bottled water. There have also been blind taste tests done where people actually preferred the taste of tap water over bottled water. So does that make tap water better than bottled water? It all depends on what you're looking for. The most important thing is hydration, which you get with both tap and bottled water.

Some people find certain brands of bottled water taste better than tap water and prefer them. The mineral content and where the water comes from may play a role in taste. Then there is mineral water, which has a natural concentration of trace minerals that are important for health. If you choose mineral water you will likely get more of those minerals than are in your tap water. Silica is a mineral that imparts a soft taste to the water. Speaking of a soft taste, consumers with hard water may prefer bottled water over tap.

One danger of bottled water that some people are unaware of is the danger of reusing water bottles. Bacteria can grow in water bottles that are left opened for days. In addition, even rinsing the bottles out and refilling them than encourage bacterial growth. By washing the bottle, you run the risk of chemicals leaking into the water when the plastic breaks down. Therefore, water bottles should not be reused but thrown away or preferably recycled. The bottled water controversy will likely always be going on because there will always be both advantages and disadvantages to choosing bottled water over tap water.



Drinking Water Guide




Bottled Water News:
YoUnGeStEr: The facts about bottled water
The facts about bottled water. Posted by V2 at 05:35. Presented by Online Education The Facts About Bottled Water. Labels: interesting facts. The facts about bottled water. 2010-08-28T05:35:00-07:00. V2. interesting facts| ...




Drinking Water Guide


Technorati Tags: , ,