Tap or Bottle?

From your sink since 1900

Most people think that water bottles have cleaner water than what you would get from tap water, but is this really true? 

Tap water is definitely not the safest choice due to possible contaminants such as various microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, and parasites); disinfectants; inorganic chemicals such as heavy metals, asbestos, nitrates, and nitrites; organic chemicals such as pesticides and plastic; and radionucleotides, such as radium and uranium. Even though tap water is being watched for these contaminants, many cities and communities have been tested for their water safety and tests came back with scary results. Thus, it's understandable why people are choosing to drink non-tap water. But before running to the store and buying enough water bottles to last a lifetime, it's important to know more about water bottles.

Water in plastic bottles is not necessarily pure, as advertised. "The Natural Resources Defense Council recently tested 1,000 bottles of water and discovered that about 22 percent of the brands in the study contained chemical contaminants at levels above state health limits. And in 2011, California State University researchers tested six brands of bottled water and found that while none contained more than the legal level of contaminates, all six exceeded California public health goals for arsenic. There’s also substantial research showing that when certain plastic bottles are heated at high temperatures, chemicals from the plastic can leach into a container’s contents" (read the full article here).

Not to mention that these plastic bottles are not very "environmentally friendly" for a few reasons, but mainly that most of us don't actually recycle them so they end up in the trash and the plastic used to make these bottles (PET) requires 400-1000 years to decompose!

Maybe it's best to buy a filter for your home and fill reusable bottles with free clean water! (Although, it's best to do some research before buying a filter to decide what's best for you and your home).

Whatever you choose, water is still far healthier for you than soda or sugary drinks. Make sure you drink 6-8 cups of water a day to keep hydrated and healthy!

Soon to come a post about the health benefits of water, so keep reading!