Are All Waters Created Equal?

Everyone knows that water is necessary for human life. Water transports nutrients to our cells, lubricates our joints, maintains our body temperature and serves as a medium for thousands of chemical reactions that occur in our bodies.
Bringing safe, potable water into the American home should have provided us with all the convenience anyone would need. So why are we quenching our thirst for water with so much of the bottled kind?

Water is the fastest growing major US beverage category, second only in volume to soft drinks. And while the soft drink market is on a down turn, the market for water is still growing. Americans spend $11 billion each year for non-sparkling bottled water. Is it money well spent or are we just pouring our money down the drain?

Tap water costs about half a cent per gallon in most places. That’s about one three-hundredth the cost of bottled water. And public water supplies are far more strictly regulated and tested than bottled water plants.
Given that profits are so attractive, it’s no surprise that the two companies dominating the bottled water market are Pepsi with Aquafina and Coke with Dasani. And guess what - those bottles are filled with filtered tap water – not spring water, not flavored water, not water from the far off lands of Tahiti. 

For those people on the go, a bottle of water seems like the right choice, but for those who just assume bottled water is better, there are good reasons to think again.
One good reason to use tap water is to avail oneself of the fluoride – an important element in dental health. Some dentists worry that an increase in early childhood tooth decay might be linked to less tap water consumption.
Many of the new waters on the market also contain flavorings, sugar and unnecessary calories. And unfortunately, many of these waters are attracting the attention of our children.
For those who are environmentally concerned, here are a few facts about bottled water:
- Full bottles of water, whether bottled in plastic or glass, are very heavy. This costs a fortune in oil to ship around the country and around the world
- Petroleum is also a key ingredient in the manufacturing of plastic.
- 30 million bottles a day get thrown out in America, and even when recycling, the process entails using fuel to haul them to recycling plants.

So the next time you thirst for some water, start a new trend. Reach for the sink tap, or the water in your fridge.