Ahhh … a thirsty glug-glug-glug of cold water on a hot summer day. Many of us turn up our noses at the thought of choosing common tap water over crystal-clear bottled water – but should you worry about the quality and safety of what’s inside? It’s easy to assume bottled water is safer and more pure than what comes out of the lowly tap, but experts remind us that tap water is more highly tested, regulated and must meet higher standards than what’s poured into pricey brand-name bottles.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) recently conducted a four-year review of bottled water standards, including a comparison of national bottled water rules with national tap water rules and independent testing of more than 1,000 bottles of water. “Our conclusion is that there is no assurance that just because water comes out of a bottle it is any cleaner or safer than water from the tap,” noted the NRDC. “And, in fact, an estimated 25 percent or more of bottled water is really just tap water in a bottle –sometimes further treated, sometimes not.”
Drinking bottled water contributes to the glut of plastic that makes its way into landfills every year – 87 percent of all water bottles don’t get recycled. And phthalates, which are sometimes found in water bottles and caps, have come under international scrutiny for their hormone-disrupting qualities.
Just how safe is the tap water in your community? Under new "right-to-know" laws, all tap water suppliers must provide annual water quality reports to their customers. Get a copy by calling your water provider.
