Tap Water or Bottled?

I hate to see people wasting their money on fancy bottled water that’s probably no better tasting, and almost certainly no healthier, than tap water. The taste is a mater of taste, and may be worth paying for. But with regards to safety, we should realize that both types of water are ‘regulated’, although to a different set of rules; bottled water quality is regulated by the US FDA, while drinking water is regulated by the US EPA. This may explain why the requirements to ‘qualify’ as safe are different:

• Tap water may not contain E.coli or fecal coliforms, while bottled water is allowed a small amount.
• Tap water must be filtered or disinfected, while bottled water has no such requirement.
• Tap water can banned for sale if in violation, while bottle water can still be sold during investigation.
• Tap water results must be reported to authorities – no such requirements for bottlers.
• Tap water system operators must be certified, bottled water plant operators do not have to be.
• Tap water contains essential nutrients (calcium iron), whereas bottle water has many minerals removed by filtration.

These criteria are from the Community Water Company of Green Valley, and may be a little bit biased. But you get the picture. If, after this, you still prefer bottled water, remember that b acteria grow best in warm and moist environments. That means the environment created by an unrefrigerated bottle of water, once the seal has been broken, is the perfect place for bacteria to grow. So here is some advice from the Duke University Chemistry Department:

• Wipe the seal with a clean cloth after each use.
• Avoid any type of buildup in the bottle cap.
• If your bottle is refillable, make sure it is well cleaned and rinsed before refilling.
• If possible, recycle the old bottle and obtain a fresh, sterile, sealed bottle from time to time.