The Pros and Cons of Bottled Water vs Tap Water

Did you know: up to 60% of the human body is made of water.

Given that the human race could not survive without water, how often do you actually consider what you’re consuming?

In this article, we’ll look at the health benefits of bottled water vs tap water? And are there any other factors you need to be aware of?

Read on for a discussion about the best way to hydrate yourself, and learn is tap water safe to drink.

So Which Is Better: Bottled Water vs Tap Water

Let’s examine, factor by factor, what are the pros and cons of bottled water and tap water. We’ll take a look at health, cost, and the environmental impact as the aspects to consider.

Health

The potential impact on our health is, of course, the driving factor in our choice between bottled water and tap water. Let’s take a look at some of the facts when it comes to which type of water is better for your wellbeing.

Despite common misconceptions, tap water is just as healthy as bottled water. In fact, the source of bottled water is often tap water itself!

Some people suspect bottled water to be the healthier option, however, there is a greater risk of microplastic particle contamination.

The pH of tap water is typically 7.5, while for bottled water it can range from 6.5 to 7.5.

Because tap water is a public utility, the government is required to ensure it is drinkable. That being said, calcium and magnesium scale can form within pipes and home appliances.

Tap water can have the remaining tiny impurities removed with the help of a tap water filter or softener. When thinking about a water softener vs water filter, this depends on a number of considerations, such as if you live in an area with hard or soft water.

Cost

$100 billion is spent on bottled water in the United States every year. This statistic is even more shocking when we consider that many parts of the world don’t have access to clean water at all.

It has been estimated that bottled water is up to 2000 times more expensive than tap water. Of course, buying one bottle from a store does not seem like a huge expense, but these small costs add up and can have a significant impact on your expenditure.

While some people may claim bottled water has a higher quality taste, blind taste tests often prove that we are, in fact, unable to taste the difference between bottled water and tap water.

Environmental Impact

Finally, it is important to consider the impact of bottled water and tap water on the environment. Let’s find out which of these options is the greener choice.

It has been calculated that between 2012 and 2014, 9,000,000,000,000,000 (that’s nine quadrillion!) water bottles were produced worldwide. This has detrimental consequences for the environment, as much of the waste is not recycled and results in the pollution of oceans, rivers and in landfills.

Moreover, a huge amount of oil is required for the production of plastic water bottles, as well as for their distribution.

Filling a reusable bottle with tap water helps the environment as well as saving you money.

Which Is the Best Choice for Me?

Having examined a variety of factors, it’s safe to conclude that between bottled water vs tap water, there can only be one winner. Tap water ticks all the boxes in comparison with bottled water.

Choosing tap water allows significant financial savings, is just as healthy as bottled water, and is by far the greener option.

If you found this post helpful, make sure you check out our other articles!