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The Health Benefits Of Drinking Water - Is Bottled Drinking Water Healthier Than Filtered Tap Water?
By C.J.Gustafson
Water is a key ingredient in a healthy diet and lifestyle. There are many
health benefits of drinking water. It helps flush impurities and toxins out of
our systems. It aids in the delivery of oxygen and nutrients. In fact, nearly
every system in our bodies relies on water for proper functioning. But what if
your water is unhealthy?
In past decades, concerns about tap water and its impact on overall health led
some people to turn to bottled drinking water instead. In those days, there were
few choices. You could pay to have a company deliver large bulky plastic bottles
of water for the water cooler. Or you could purchase gallon jugs of distilled or
“drinking water” at the grocery store.
In recent years, there has been an explosion in the number of different bottled
waters available, with big distributors such as Coke and Pepsi jumping on the
bandwagon. But are bottled drinking waters like Coke’s Dasani brand, Pepsi’s
Aquafina, or Wal-Mart’s store brand really any healthier than your tap water? Or
would you be better off with a drinking water filtration system?
As we’ve learned more about the water we drink, the technology behind drinking
water filters and purification systems has improved dramatically. There are
filters to remove impurities, chemicals, heavy metals, bacteria and most every
contaminant you can think of. With the right size and filter combination for
your specific home, your water can be exceptionally pure and healthy.
Cost Comparison
Drinking water filtration systems have also become more affordable and easy to
use. Although the initial cost of a whole house system usually runs several
hundred dollars, that cost is often less than $100 each year if spread out over
the life of the system.
There may be additional expenses to replace carbon filters, membranes in reverse
osmosis drinking water filtration system, or lamps in an ultraviolet light water
treatment device. These expenses can add another $100 or so to the annual costs
of operating drinking water filters and purification systems.
While some people may hesitate to spend two or three hundred dollars each year
for clean, safe drinking water, they are probably paying more for bottled
drinking water. Calculations show that at a price of $1 to $4 per gallon,
bottled or delivered water costs an average of $400 each year, especially if you
purchase individual bottles. And that doesn’t take into consideration the gas
needed to drive to the store or the environmental impact of all the empty
plastic bottles.
Health Aspects
Many people who choose bottled drinking water understand that it is more
expensive, but are willing to pay the extra money because they feel bottled
water is safer and healthier than filtered drinking water. After all, bottled
water is often marketed as “natural spring water” or “pure glacier water.”
In reality, few bottled waters come from natural springs, and most of them use
municipal tap water. The companies are able to get away with this false
marketing because the regulations and standards for bottle drinking water are
less stringent than those for residential drinking sources.
Bottled water quality is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
while drinking water systems are typically regulated by State regulations or the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This doesn’t mean that the FDA isn’t
doing their job. It’s just that the rules for bottled water only require it to
be as good as tap water, not better.
In addition, the FDA regulations only apply to bottled drinking water that is
transported across state lines. If a company sells their bottled drinking water
in the same state where it was bottled, the federal regulations don’t apply. The
result is that many bottled waters are not any healthier than filtered water,
and in fact some are less pure.
This was demonstrated in a study conducted in 1999 by the Natural Resources
Defense Council. They tested over 100 brands of bottled drinking water and found
that about 1/3 of the waters contained contamination in the form of chemicals,
bacteria, and arsenic. The study also found that up to 40% of bottled drinking
waters come from a city water system.
How To Tell If Your Water Is Healthy
So how do you tell if the water you’re drinking is healthy? With tap water, it’s
relatively easy. If you water comes from a municipal source, the suppliers are
required by law to provide annual water quality reports. If you have a well, you
can have an authorized lab test your water. It may cost $100 or more, but it’s a
small price to pay for peace of mind. Or you can purchase a kit and test it
yourself, although the results are not as conclusive or reliable.
When it comes to bottled drinking water, it can be more difficult to know what
you’re getting. Start by checking the label or the bottle cap. Some may tell you
that the water comes from a municipal source or “community water system," which
means tap water.
If the label doesn’t give any information, you can call the bottler and ask. But
don’t be surprised if you get the run around and are transferred to several
different departments. Some states have a bottled water program that tracks
bottled drinking water and can tell you the origin of the source water as well
as other information.
Safe and healthy drinking water has become big business. Thousands of companies
are vying for your hard earned cash, and some are not always honest about what
their products offer. The initial investment for a home drinking water
filtration system can seem expensive at first, but over time, it is usually less
expensive than bottled drinking water. And with a water filter, you at least
know where the water you drink came from and how it was treated.
Before going out and spending your hard earned money for bottled drinking water
that may be no better than your own tap water, it’s a good idea to do some
research. You’re likely to decide that a drinking water filtration system and/or
purifier is the healthier choice and provides the best value as well.
About the Author C.J. Gustafson is a successful writer for
http://www.water-filters-n-purifiers.com, providing consumer information on
water purification systems such as whole house and
under sink water filters. She found out about comparing the
health benefits of drinking water years ago when she learned that the
bottled water she was buying came from a municipal system in a nearby city.
Copyright 2005 Water-Filters-N-Purifiers.com
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