Bottled Water vs. Tap Water
In the modern age, hygiene and sanitation have become very important, leading people to make choices they believe will be more hygienic or sanitary. Bottled water vs. tap water has been one of the choices people make, thinking one is better than the other. A lot of people believe that bottled water is better or safer than tap water. However, this is usually not the case. The components of tap water, including its minerals and calcium, can be compared to bottled water. The environmental benefits or consequences can also distinguish tap water and bottled water, rendering one better than the other.
Companies often attempt to teach their customers that bottled water has more benefits and is cleaner than tap water, but that is usually not the case. While it is true that tap water may be contaminated in some counties or cities, leading citizens in those areas to turn to bottled water, most American cities and areas often have clean tap water that can be consumed with no consequences. In fact, tap water has industry regulations in place that prevent the water supply from being contaminated, and nonprofit organization Food & Water Watch says that tap water in the U.S. is subject to testing more often than bottled water. In these cases with clean and good tap water available, one should choose tap water for its cleanliness as well as mineral and calcium content.
Tap water’s content, such as the minerals, also make it a great source of maintaining good health. Since the water travels through rock formations, it contains minerals like calcium and magnesium. Calcium and magnesium improve bone strength, mood, immunity, blood sugar regulation, and sleep quality. Also, the tap water has fluoride added to it. Fluoride is a mineral that is not found in many food sources. However, fluoride is essential for healthy teeth and bones, making the fact that tap water has it very beneficial. Contrastingly, bottled water does not contain added nutrients like these that are found in tap water.
In regards to the environmental and cost benefits, it is better for one to drink tap water than bottled water. Tap water is cheap given that one can just turn on the faucet to obtain it as well as not have to worry about going to the grocery store to buy it for a significantly higher price. Also, there is no packaging involved with tap water, while with bottled water there is a significant amount of plastic involved. These plastic bottles often end up at the landfill and take hundreds of years to decompose. Even though tap water undergoes an intense process to filter, one that involves chemicals and a significant amount of energy that impacts the environment negatively, the negative environmental impact is much less than of bottled water.
Given its relative safety, health benefits, cost efficiency, and environmental benefits, tap water is significantly better than bottled water. It is better for one to drink tap water than bottled water for these reasons if one has the option to. However, in areas where tap water is contaminated like Flint, Michigan, bottled water is a significantly better option. Contaminated water leads to significant risks and problems, so one must consider the safety of the tap water in one's city or county before making a choice between bottled water or tap water.
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Sources:
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https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327395.
Still, J. 2019 Jan 29. Types of water: 9 different sources and brands, plus benefits & risks.
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