Tap water vs. bottled water 

Why is bottled water bad for the environment?

The process of making bottled water has a great cost.  According to the Earth Policy Institute, $100 billion is spent on bottled water annually, but this money could be spent on water treatment and sanitation systems, in addition to other projects geared towards conserving and making the best use of our water supply.  Beyond monetary costs, producing and packaging and shipping bottled water also hurt the environment. 

Packaging bottled water is not resource-effective, nor is it environmentally friendly.  Most bottled water uses polyethylene terephthalate - PET plastic.  PET plastic is "derived from crude oil," and making these plastic water bottles "requires more than 17 million barrels of oil annually, enough to fuel more than 1 million U.S. cars for a year" [Arnold and Larsen].

Transporting bottled water also burns large amounts of fossil fuels, whereas tap water is energy-efficient.  According to the Earth Policy Institute, "nearly a quarter of all bottled water crosses national borders to reach consumers, transported by boat, train, and truck."  The energy that it takes for bottled water to travel from one nation to another adds to the resources that each bottle of water spends, and these resources can be allocated elsewhere.  

Moreover, although PET plastic is recyclable, consumers purchase and drink bottled water but do not recycle the bottles.  According to the Container Recycling Institute, 86% of plastic water bottles used in the United States become garbage or litter.  The US alone sends 2 million tons of PET plastic from bottled water to landfills each year [Reynolds].  Once it reaches the landfill, this plastic creates "toxic byproducts such as chlorine gas and ash containing heavy metals," and a bottle can take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade [Arnold and Larsen].  In 2005, according to Worldwatch, the recycling rate for PET was only 23.1% in the US, compared to 80% in Switzerland.  This recycling rate can and should be 100%.

Bottled water is also contributing to water shortages because the rapid growth in the bottled water industry is resulting in concentrated water extraction.  Communities with bottling plants, such as Texas and the Great Lakes region, are experiencing water shortage [Arnold and Larsen].  The ecosystems in these areas are damaged, and people like farmers and fishers are negatively impacted by the consequent water shortage. 

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The difference between tap and bottled water

Many people believe that bottled water is cleaner, safer, and healthier than tap water.  However, this is not necessarily true.  In fact, tap water is probably the cleaner, safer, and healthier choice.  Tap water is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and bottled water is regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  According to the New York Times, tap water is more strictly monitored and regulated, and in 2004, tap water in New York City was tested 430,600 times.  Furthermore, bottled water is much more expensive, as it can be 240 to 10,000 times more costly than tap water [Reynolds].  Also, in developed countries, bottled water is regulated with lower standards than tap water.  Below is a table outlining the differences between the two:

Tap Water (Regulated by the EPA)	Bottled Water (Regulated by the FDA)
Cannot have confirmed E. coli or fecal Coliform bacteria	A certain amount of any bacteria is allowed
Filtered and/or disinfected	No federal filtration or disinfection requirements
Violation of drinking water standards are grounds for enforcement	Bottled water in violation of standards can still be sold
Utilities must have their water tested by certified labs	Testing is not required for bottlers
Tap water results must be reported to state or federal officials	There are no reporting requirements for bottlers
Water system operators must be certified	Bottled water plant operators do not have to be certified
Water suppliers must issue consumer confidence reports annually	There are no public right-to-know requirements for bottlers
Costs pennies per day	Costs $0.80 to $4.00 per gallon
Contains essential nutrients for the body, like calcium and iron	Natural minerals are removed by filtration
Chlorine residual in water prevents bacteria growth	There are no disinfectants to kill bacteria in bottles

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3 reasons why tap water is better:

1. Tap water is tested daily
   Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, water suppliers must provide an annual report on the quality of your local water, and they have to test tap water daily.  On the other hand, the FDA examines bottled water only weekly, and consumers cannot see the agency’s results.  If you want to see your state’s drinking water quality, you can go to the EPA website.  
2. Tap water costs less
   According to National Geographic News, bottled water costs as much as $2.50 per liter, which is $10 per gallon.  That makes it way more expensive than gasoline.  On the other hand, tap water costs "slightly more than $2.00 per 1,000 gallons" [United States EPA].  You do the math. 
3. Tap water is a tooth saver
   Tap water has more fluoride than bottled water, and fluoride helps prevent tooth decay. 

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What can I do?

How do I conserve water at college?

• Do laundry only when you have a full load
• Go trayless in the dining hall
  
• Shorten your shower by a minute or two
• Drink tap water instead of bottled water
• Turn off the faucet tightly
• Turn off the faucet when you brush your teeth or shave
  
• Drop your tissue in the trash instead of flushing it

I want to buy a water bottle to fill with tap water!

Top 5 Eco-Friendly Water Bottles (rated by TIME Magazine):

1. Nalgene
2. Camelbak
3. Sigg Traveler
4. Klean Kanteen
5. Platypus Platy Bottle

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Sources used for the information presented on this page:

1. American Water & Energy Savers. "Save Water 49 Ways." American Water & Energy Savers. 29 May 2009 <http://www.americanwater.com/49ways.htm>.
2. Arnold, Emily, and Janet Larsen. "Bottled Water: Pouring Resources Down the Drain." Earth Policy Institute. 2 Feb. 2006. 29 May 2009 <http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/2006/Update51.htm>. 
3. Community Water Company of Green Valley. "Tap Water vs Bottled Water." Community Water Company of Green Valley. 29 May 2009 <http://www.communitywater.com/core/content_tapvsbottled.htm>. 
4. Global Stewards. "Eco Tips: Conserve Water, Water Conservation Tips." Environmental Tips, Sustainable Solutions. 29 May 2009 <http://www.globalstewards.org/conserve-water.htm>. 
5. Goldsmith, Sheherazade. A Slice of Organic Life. New York : Dk Publishing, 2007.
6. Hylton, Hilary. "Top 5 Eco-Friendly Water Bottles." TIME. 11 Dec. 2008. 29 May 2009 <http://www.time.com/time/travel/article/0,31542,1865754,00.html>. 
7. Jemmott, Janet Majeski. "Rethink What You Drink: Growing Thirst | Environment | Reader's Digest." Reader's Digest. 29 May 2009 <http://www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring-people-and-stories/rethink-what-you-drink/article51807.html>. 
8. Owen, James. "Bottled Water Isn't Healthier Than Tap, Report Reveals." National Geographic News. 24 Feb. 2006. 29 May 2009 <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/02/0224_060224_bottled_water.html>. 
9. Reynolds, George. "Bottled Water Bad for Environment, Says Report." Food Production Daily. 14 May 2007. 29 May 2009 <http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Packaging/Bottled-water-bad-for-environment-says-report>. 
10. Standage, Tom. "Bad to the Last Drop." The New York Times. 1 Aug. 2005. 29 May 2009 <http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/01/opinion/01standage.html?pagewanted=all>.
11. The University of Arizona. "Global Water Shortage Looms In New Century." College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. 29 May 2009 <http://ag.arizona.edu/AZWATER/awr/dec99/Feature2.htm>. 
12. United States Environmental Protection Agency. "Drinking Water Costs & Federal Funding." United States Environmental Protection Agency. 29 May 2009 <www.epa.gov/ogwdw/sdwa/30th/factsheets/pdfs/fs_30ann_dwsrf_web.pdf>. 
13. Water - Use It Wisely. "100 Ways To Conserve." Water - Use It Wisely. 29 May 2009 <http://wateruseitwisely.com/100-ways-to-conserve/index.php>. 
14. Yahoo!. "Tap vs. Bottled–What Should You Drink? - Beauty Eats on Yahoo! Food." Yahoo! Food. 7 Jan. 2009. 29 May 2009 <http://food.yahoo.com/blog/beautyeats/22317/tap-vs-bottled-what-should-you-drink>.