Is Bottled Water Better Than Tap Water?

As more studies come to light that bring the long-term safety of tap water into question, many people find themselves wondering if bottled water is the better choice for consumption, cooking, tooth brushing and more. When the facts about bottled water and tap water are presented, many people make the decision to go bottled. While tap water can and often is technically safe according to government standards, the trace substances found within can be of grave concern.

Concerns About Tap Water

The safety of tap water has long been a major concern for government agencies and the general public, as well. The potential pollutants that can find their way into the public water supply are quite extensive.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires public water suppliers to test for more than 90 different types of contaminants. Despite the rigorous testing procedures that are in place in most jurisdictions, many public water supplies fail - in some cases, multiple times.

The Hillsborough County Water Department, since renamed Water Resource Services, suffered from multiple system failures in the early 2000s. This seemingly well regulated water supplier, serving the Tampa Bay area, suffered from repeated coliform contaminations and even an e. coli scare. This system is not alone in its failure to meet federal regulations despite the use of chloramines and other chemicals that are designed to remove potential hazards from potable water.

While the EPA does require extensive testing and requires each public water supplier to provide full disclosure in the form of an annual report to water users, government regulations do not cover every eventuality. This was made quite evident thanks to a recent Associated Press study that revealed the presence of pharmaceuticals in the public water supply in jurisdictions all over the United States. The investigation turned up evidence that shows some 41 million Americans might be impacted by medications found within their water.

The five-month study focused on water systems throughout the United States and found contamination - including antibiotics, anticonvulsants and more - in some 24 different metro areas. While the medications were found in trace amounts, the long-term impacts of consuming the water are unclear, the AP reported.

The medications themselves are thought to enter into the public water supplies via natural human elimination. Toilet water, which would contain traces of medication, is flushed and sent to wastewater treatment facilities. From here, treated wastewater is released back into the environment. Eventually, that same water ends up back in rivers, reservoirs, lakes and aquifers, which are the sources of public drinking water.

While the public water supply is well regulated and the water does undergo a great deal of treatment, systems are subject to failure. The long-term impacts of such failures remain unclear.

The Bottled Water Difference

Bottled water offers a distinct difference over tap water in a number of cases. While it's true that some bottled waters do come from the public water supply, many factors can make it distinctly unique and even a great deal safer.

According to the International Bottled Water Association, there are a number of things that make bottled water the better choice. Even in regard to the trace medicines found in tap water, Dr. Stephen Edberg of Yale's School of Medicine says that bottled water undergoes processes that are quite effective in protecting against the substances the AP reported finding in tap water.

Some of the measures that can help make bottled water stand out above tap include:

Regulations - Just like tap water, bottled water is regulated by government agencies. While tap is overseen by the EPA, bottled water is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This organization requires that bottled water manufacturers adhere to the FDA's inspection, labeling, safety and quality requirements.

Extra treatment - Most bottled water products undergo further treatments beyond what the public water supply is subjected to. Treatment can include reverse osmosis, filtration, distillation and more, depending on the particular supplier and the type of water in question.

Labeling laws - Companies that do not choose to further treat their bottled water beyond what public water suppliers perform are required by the FDA to clearly say so in their labels.

IBWA standards - Companies that belong to the International Bottled Water Association must adhere to strict standards that go beyond what the federal government requires. Members are subjected to plant inspections once a year that help insure that standards are being met.
While bottled water can start out the same as tap, it often undergoes further treatment that is designed to make it the safer choice.

Purified Is Often The Best

If concerns about contaminants in the public water supply are high, purified bottled water is often one of the best choices to make for drinking and more. This type of bottled water is more heavily treated. The distillation process that is required to create distilled oxygenated water, for example, is designed to remove impurities and create a cleaner, safer source of drinking water.

Answering the question of which is better bottled or tap often comes down to personal choice in regard to taste. If cleaner, safer water is desired, however, the facts about bottled make the answer quite clear. Thanks to the extra treatments many bottled waters are subjected to, this option stands out against the competition.

Jon M. Stout is Chairman of the Board of Element H2O an Ultra Pure bottled water company located in Chantilly, Virginia. For more information about bottled water, private label bottled water [http://www.elementh2o.com/Store] and bottled water delivery [http://www.elementh2o.com/local] go to the Element H2O website.