Report Asserts Filtered Tap Better Than Bottled Water

The Environmental Working Group has released a new report exposing the lack of health and water quality information for bottled water. It's not a big surprise, but it's a good reminder that too often we assume that because something comes in a package with a recognized brand name on it, it must be OK.

The report, 2011 Bottled Water Scorecard, surveyed websites and labels of more than 170 bottled waters sold in the U.S. looking for three things:

• Where does the water come from?
• Is it purified? If so, how?
• Have tests found any contaminants?

EWG found that just three -- including only one of the top 10 domestic brands -- disclose information about the water's source, the method of purification and any chemical pollutants that remained after the water was treated.

The domestic brand noted is Nestlé's Pure Life Purified Water, which discloses its water source and treatment methods on the label and offers a toll-free number consumers can call to request a water quality test report.

For a summary of the report, see Report: Filtered Tap Water Better for you than Bottled Water at www.walletpop.com. You can read the report and the EWG summary at Bottled Water 2011.

Of course not knowing the source of the water you're drinking or its quality is a biggie. On top of that, however, are the alarming number of plastic water bottles thrown away -- and the expense of bottled water compared to filtered tap. If you have no idea whether or not the water you're buying is as good as what you've got at home, why pay the extra bucks? Convenience? Really?

Fortunately, point-of-use and whole-house water filtration provide good alternatives. Filter your own tap -- if it needs it -- and refill BPA-free water bottles for pennies per gallon.

We regularly install point-of-use filters for customers. Give us a call if you would like information on options and choices. We have also installed whole-house filters. You can read more about that in our previous post One Stop Peace of Mind...

If you'd like more information, you might be interested in these related posts:
:: Save Money With Filtered Tap
:: Clean Drinking Water a Major Concern
:: Drugs in Your Drinking Water?
:: Tap Into Filtered Water