Are you an avid drinker of bottled water? If your answer is yes, it doesn’t come as a surprise because an alarming number of bottled water is consumed worldwide on a daily basis. And for the most part, the reason you’ll probably give for patronizing these packaged bottles of water is that it’s safer and healthier than any other.
In fact, it doesn’t come as a surprise that many of us are under the impression that we are drinking purified water that can’t compare with any other but the truth is, what actually makes water safe to drink is the absence of harmful contaminants which are not found in filtered tap water. Yet, many still stick to the bottle, as it is more convenient.
While bottled water is easy and convenient to lay your hands on, it might be causing you more harm than good. Not only is bottled water more costly in the long run, but you might also be missing out on the wonderful results that come with purifying by yourself. In this article, we will dissect the long running debate of bottled water vs filtered water, to further understand which one is best.
The Difference between Filtered Water and Bottled Water
Bottled water is still derived from the standard tap water but different procedures are used to demineralize it, turning ordinary tap water into something pure to drink. The procedures bottled water pass through before hitting the market helps in removing trace metals, often using two tanks as filters at the molecular level. Furthermore, any offensive odour or colour will also disappear from the water after it has been purified and bottled up for your convenience.
On the other hand, it’s interesting that many people are not aware of the fact that filtered water is also as pure as the one bottled up and just like bottled water and is equally made up of tap water that has been purified to meet the health standards of safe drinking water. Furthermore, you can use different filtration systems to achieve the same result of purified and safe drinking water which attracts most people to the bottled form.
Notwithstanding the filtration system you choose for your home, overall, there is little difference in the quality of water offered by bottled water and the filtered one. On the downside, there are more disadvantages in taking bottled water as found by experts.
Why Do People Prefer Bottled Water?
The most common reason is that bottled water is more convenient; you can just grab a bottle and be on your way. Also, the fact that it has been filtered and purified makes it taste and smell better than tap water, but this doesn’t mean that taste and odour have been added to the features of water. In any case, the chemicals used in purifying tap water come with their own taste and odour which the bottled form gets rid of before it reaches the final consumer.
On top of this, many cities use chlorine to treat their tap water which leaves it with an aftertaste. Even some consume water with a weird taste due to the level of various minerals present in the water source. This doesn’t make the water unsafe to drink in any way. Interestingly, the research found that when placed in identical containers, people can’t tell bottled water and tap water apart.
All in all, most people are under the impression that if you want to drink good and safe water, you go for the one in a plastic bottle but there is a twist to this fact. Bottled water is not entirely safe for human consumption and poses an environmental nightmare in most cases.
The Ethical, Environmental and Financial Impact of Using Bottled Water
It has been established that bottled water offers more purified content and is convenient to use. Nevertheless, selling water has been found to be unethical in different quarters. Water is a natural resource that shouldn’t be sold to make a profit in the first place. By selling water as a commodity, the producer reduces the basic human right of people in a particular place to have access to clean and healthy water free of charge or at a very subsidized rate. Though most consumers of bottled water may not know this, it’s quite unethical to turn water into a product that can be sold to maximise profit.
Again, plastic has a major stake on the list of leading environmental hazards threatening the well being of our planet in these modern times as it causes unimaginable damage to the environment we live in. For instance, plastic is not perishable even after ten years; although findings have revealed that it takes at least 700 years for a plastic water bottle to begin the process of decomposition. Imagine the harm it would have caused on our environment by then?
Even more alarming is the fact that several million, if not billions of plastic water bottles are disposed of every day around the world without any plans for recycling. The landfills and waste bins take the bulk of them. Granted, plastic is recyclable but due to the absence of recycling bins where necessary, these items don’t get the opportunity to be reused.
And talking about the financial downside of drinking water from plastic bottles, did you know that millions of barrels of oil go into the production of plastic water bottles? Imagine the number of cars that can be run with this, in addition to the fuel that goes into transporting the bottled water to different areas for resale.
Overall, if you care less about the impact disposed plastic has on the environment you live in; maybe the effect on your pocket will make you pay more attention. Most people are ignorant of the fact that buying bottled water drills large holes in their pockets because they haven’t really paid any attention to it. Considering the required amount of water the human body needs to stay healthy, you really to fork out a reasonable amount of money just to stay hydrated.
Why You Should Use Filters Instead of Drinking from Plastic Bottles
It is cheaper
In America where the highest number of bottled water is consumed every year, an estimated $100 and a whopping $16 billion can go into buying bottled waters in a year. Thus, it might be expensive to install a filtration system but after the initial expenses have been made, you can save a lot of money subsequently by drinking filtered tap water.
You might be missing out on the fluoride supply
A lot of cities add fluoride to their water to meet up with the recommended amount needed to keep the teeth healthy. According to dental experts, people who don’t get enough fluoride are likely to suffer dental problems in the long run. Thus, if you have been ditching the tap water to drink the fancy bottled one, you might be denying yourself the right amount of minerals to keep your teeth in good shape.
Filtered water is great for more than just drinking
Not just for the sake of drinking, filtering the water you use for washing your food, your body and even your clothes is the best way to stay healthy and safe from contaminants. You can’t imagine all the germs that will find their way into your body if you don’t use a shower with a water filter.
Filtered tap water is as safe and healthy as bottled water, even better
First of all, tap water usually has a funny smell which is just an indication that chlorine was used to purify and get rid of the bacteria in it. However, when the water has been filtered, the odour and any funny taste caused by chlorine would become insignificant.
Furthermore, beyond taking out the chemicals, filtering your water also removes the particles you can see with the naked eye. Filtration gets rid of even the tiniest particles that somehow made their way into the water, making it safe to drink. Besides, it has been revealed that many big brands of bottled water actually use filtered tap water which is available in almost every home.
Filtered water is available on demand
All you need to do is turn the tap on and fill your glass with clean drinkable water. No need to worry about buying water in a plastic bottle with a lot of money. If you have guests over, jugs can help bring the water to them easily and if you need water to take on the go, why not buy some water bottles to take with you? Portable bottles can also be used to store water in the fridge.
You might be consuming small amounts of plastic from bottled water
All those plastic bottles used in storing water for sale stay in jam-packed warehouses before they are transported to different destinations under the strong heat of the sun. Before it gets to the final consumer, small particles of plastic would have found their way into the water, making it very unhealthy.
Overall, installing a good filtration system for your water supply at home or in the office might appear expensive at first but keep in mind that there are cheaper systems to choose from that will also offer the desired result.
After getting your filtration system installed, you will need to change the filters every once in a while to keep enjoying the best quality of water. Changing the filter is not expensive compared to what you will spend on bottled water. The cost, in this case, is determined by your filtration system.