Is bottled water really better than tap?

[CMF Newsman]

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Bottled water is not necessarily healthier or safer than tap water, Tampa, Florida-based sports nutritionist Cynthia Sass told the American College of Sports Medicine 11th annual Health & Fitness Summit in Dallas.

Twenty-five percent of all bottled water is actually repackaged tap water, according to Sass.

"Bottled water doesn't deserve the nutritional halo that most people give it for being pure," she says. "If you're not an exclusive bottled water drinker, you may find it worthwhile to check into filtering your tap water to save money."

In a recent Gallop survey, most consumers said they drink bottled water because they perceive it to be purer than tap water. Taste and convenience are also factors.

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[one]

It's better than what comes out of TAWC.

[bluckarma]

I buy bottled water now and then because it is convenient. I think most water bottlers dechlorinate the water. Also if you are willing to look in the convenience store you can usually find local spring water or at least some kind of spring water. As for municipal water I find the water in Dalton smells terribly of chlorine. I use a brita at home and I fill my nalgene bottle with water and use that to drink out of more than I drink bottled water.

[Homebrew Dave]

TAWC may have a decent product. We really have no way of knowing because most of the water mains in this county are over a hundred years old and are in serious need of replacement.

I buy bottled water for the taste. I don't like the taste of our tap water. And if I don't like the taste of whatever brand of water I've purchased, I don't buy that water ever again, either. I also buy it for the convienience. I go on a lot of road trips and I always bring along a cooler with soft drinks and bottled water on ice.

Dave

[Warkitty]

I think Penn & Teller pretty soundly debunked the taste test of bottled water

[alphacelt]

I buy bottled water so that, when waking up after a night of drinking I can safely drink water first thing. That way I don't run the risk of chipping teeth on the water faucet in the rush to rehydrate.

[Homebrew Dave]

Penn & Teller debunked the taste test for the area in which they conducted the test. Dissolved minerals in water do affect the taste of the water. Different mineral combinations and concentrations impart different subtleties in the flavor of the water. In general, Penn & Teller are probably correct: the standards for purity of drinking water in this country are such that there are no significant differences in taste between bottled drinking water and tap water. I would, however, like to point out that tap water is tested at the water purification plant and not at the taps of city and county residents. The testing does not take into affect impurities introduced by our degrading water main system.

Dave

[Jay]

The Earth is like 75% water....I can't bring myself to buy bottled water, heh Not that I really drink water at home anyway,

[Warkitty]

You don't use bottled water to make your ice though, do you?

[Jay]

Nope, though I don't quite get the connection (if you were referring to my post, heh

[Warkitty]

Sorry Jay, I was referring to Dave, who seems concerned about impurities entering the water on its way to the tap.

[Homebrew Dave]

I wouldn't say it's a concern so much as a preference. I'll drink tap water if I have no viable alternative. Indeed, when my finances are tight, I've been known to reuse empty water bottles by filling them with tap water and refrigerating them. Nearly ice cold tap water doesn't taste so bad because taste buds aren't as sensitive to subtle flavors in chilled liquids as they are to those in liquids closer to body temperature. Still and all, I prefer to drink chilled bottled water when I can afford to do so. As far as ice is concerned, I don't normally make use of ice unless it's to chill tap water.

Dave

[Warkitty]

Ah, so I *imagined* those midnight sneak runs to get ice in the kitchen....

[ScarlettP]

I only buy bottled water when we're working on the haunt and the taps don't work. (Long frelling story and DON'T ask about the toilet!) When I get it, I buy the el-cheepo brand from Save-a-Lot. Funny thing - it tastes about the same and quenches thurst just as well as any other kind.

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The only GOOD thing that Bottled Water has done is make drinking water instead of soda 'cool'.

My neice Amie (my biological link to JoeDog) used to get ONE bottle of the expencive stuff, then refill it out of her tap to make people THINK she only drank the 'good stuff.' Funny how younger people figure this stuff out faster than some of the older ones.

[luvtoclimb]

I have heard that there is a rise in small kids are having more cavities because mom gives them the bottled water.

No Flourite in the bottled water like in the tap water.

[halk3]

When I think of bottoled water it reminds me of Chevy Chase in CADDYSHACK, when re refills bottles of PERRIE (?sp) from the tap.

[gridbug]

My favorite bottled water is Evian, not to drink but to spell backwards

[Homebrew Dave]

No, WK...you didn't imagine those midnight runs to the kitchen. I was getting iced tap water. As I said above, if I'm forced by neccesity to drink tap water, I prefer it be iced or otherwise chilled. Again, it's not about any perceived harm being caused by the impurities...it's about taste and personal preference.

Dave

[Jay]

gridbug said:

My favorite bottled water is Evian, not to drink but to spell backwards

*Grin* As in...people are naive to think bottled water is any better than tap water

[RuneDeer]

Bottled water is not as good as tap...

...but it's much better than ballet.

I just had to.

[Jay]

*grin* Had to read that a couple of times before I got ya.....