Many people wonder whether tap water is cleaner than the bottled water sold in stores. This is a very good question but a hard one to answer. This is because bottled water can come from different sources and may be subject to different standards based on how it is labeled and where it is sold. Generally speaking, however, a good deal of bottled water is simply tap water in disguise. Additionally, bottled water that doesn’t come from the tap may have pathogens in it that are normally regulated in tap water. Here are some things to consider when comparing tap water to bottled water:
Many bottled water companies simply bottle municipal water. This can come as a shock to consumers who believe bottled water is somehow cleaner than the water they get from their tap. Some companies appear to deliberately mislead consumers into believing they are getting superior water from their bottles. Others, however, may simply fail to actively work to publicize where their water comes from. Unfortunately, most consumers don’t notice and end up paying for something they could get just by turning on their own taps.
Is Tap Water Cleaner Than Bottled Water Sold at Stores–the Law and Drinking Water
Consider the law when you contemplate the safety of tap water versus bottled water. Tap water is heavily regulated and tested for a wide variety of pathogens. Before it reaches your tap, it is usually filtered and subjected to disinfecting processes. For example, tap water is tested for such things as giardia and cryptosporidium, both of which are capable of producing gastrointestinal illness. The same isn’t necessarily true of bottled water. A certain amount of fecal coliform bacteria may be allowed in bottled water. In fact, a bottled water manufacturer may escape federal regulation by simply shipping its water across state lines. This fact makes many people far less comfortable picking up a bottle as opposed to turning on the tap.
Cancer is another issue people may consider when determining whether tap water is cleaner than bottled water sold at stores. Essentially, tap water is supposed to be tested for cancer-causing agents. Without question, regulations regarding carcinogens in tap water have room for improvement, but matters may be even worse for bottled water. Bottled water may escape much of the testing and regulation you can expect with tap water, and the phthalates that leach into water from plastic bottles may only heighten cancer risk.
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