Water Fountain

Bottled Water vs. Tap Water vs. Filtered Tap Water

• Environmental and Human Health Benefits
• Bottled Water
• Filtered Tap Water
• Tap Water
• Vendors and Availability
• Sample of Performance Measures from the GBC Program Checklist
• Resources and websites
• Tips for avoiding plastic water bottles

If you are contemplating one of life’s greatest questions, that is of course choosing whether you should drink Bottled water or Tap water or Filtered Tap Water, then you are not alone in the universe.

All these options have advantages and disadvantages and no single choice is right for everyone. 

Whether at work or home, you can choose the option that meets your personal needs and/or your businesses philosophy.

Environmental and Human Health Benefits

Over the past ten years the bottled water market has tripled in the US and more than 75% of people in the US drink bottled water. Bottled water is so profitable that retail stores that have not traditionally sold food and drinks, such as hardware, office supplies and electronics stores, now sell bottled water.  In 2006 US bottled water revenues were estimated at $15 billion.

Public water supplies in the US deliver clean, safe and affordable drinking water and studies have shown that bottled water is no safer than tap water. In fact bottled water is much less regulated than tap water. 

Estimates indicate that to manufacture plastic water bottles for the US market the equivalent of 17 million barrels of oil was required last year generating 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide.  Each year approximately 4 billion pounds of PET plastic bottles end up in landfills or as liter.

In 2007 40% of the 8.8 billion gallons of bottled water sold in the US came from tap water.  Bottled water is much more expensive than gasoline and can cost 1,000 times more than tap water.

So you may want to start by asking yourself what it is, if anything, you want to change about your tap water.  Often the answer will fall into one of the following categories:

·         Improve the taste

·         Reduce mineral content (water hardness)

·         Make it safer/healthier

Bottled water

One of the primary reasons many people prefer bottled water to tap water is the taste.  Bottled water is also conveniently packaged in lightweight, unbreakable bottles.  However, there is a tremendous amount of waste associated with disposal of plastic water bottles.  When plastic bottles are improperly disposed of, they can end up on our local beaches and even wash up on beaches thousands of miles away.  Even though beverage containers can be recycled, they still represent the fastest growing waste stream being buried or burned.  If you do continue to buy bottled water, be sure to recycle your bottles.

Another thing to consider is the quality of the bottled water.  Due to quality control issues, you may want to consider purchasing bottled water from larger, well known companies.  You may also have read reports suggesting that plastic water bottles leach toxic chemicals.  Check out the links in the Resources section below for additional information on this issue.

Filtered water systems

If you’ve ever thought that having bottled water transported by trucks to your workplace is a waste of resources and money, you might be on to something.  The fact is there is already safe drinking water at your tap, which you can make even safer and tastier by installing a water filtration system.  These systems certainly occupy much less space than the dispensing units and all those 5 gallon bottles lying around the hallways and storage rooms.  These systems are perfect for home or work.

There is an expense associated with filtered water systems and it is important to follow the manufacturer’s instruction for operations and maintenance to ensure a tasty, quality supply of water.  Nevertheless, water filtration systems can deliver cheap, tasty and healthy water right to your tap.  These systems have even been recommended for persons with compromised immune systems.

The most common and low cost water filtration system utilizes activated charcoal filter.  There are reverse osmosis systems and there are systems that can condition the water and remove the salts that cause water spots and hard water deposits.  It is best to educate yourself before purchasing a system to buy the one that’s best for you.  Refer to the Resources section below for plenty of useful information on making this important choice.

Tap water

Although tap water is by far the cheapest, most convenient source of drinking water, some people view it as unsafe and even undrinkable.  Although some people may disagree with the taste, typically associated with added chlorine or mineral content, tap water is safe to drink.  If you want to find out how safe Santa Monica’s drinking water supply is, visit our website to access the most current Annual Water Quality Report.  This water quality report gives an overview of how the Water Division provides your tap water, and will explain the many steps the City takes to ensure that the high quality of our water stays protected.

Vendors and Availability

Check out the phone book for water filtration device suppliers and retailers or call your plumber to inquire.

Sample of Performance Measures from the Green Business Certification Program Checklist

·         Recycle or reuse plastic beverage containers

·         Buy products in bulk

·         Select products with the least packaging and/or which have easily recyclable packaging

Resources and Websites 

To better understand your options and the advantages and disadvantages of the various choices, consumers are encouraged to inform themselves.  The following websites are a great place to start. If you are a resident or work in Santa Monica, you may want to consider contacting the City’s Water Quality Laboratory by emailing a chemist, or calling them at (310) 826-6712. 

Responsible Purchasing Network – check out RPN’s Bottled Water Purchasing Guide for one of the best sources of general and detailed information regarding bottled water and tap water.

http://www.responsiblepurchasing.org/purchasing_guides/bottled_water/index.php

Food and Water Watch – excellent information regarding water supply, including links to the “Take Back the Tap” campaign.

http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/

The National Sanitation Foundation’s website contains useful and comprehensive information on water treatment or filtration devices.

http://www.nsf.org/consumer/drinking_water/dw_treatment.asp?program=WaterTre#devices 

The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s frequently asked questions report is a good place to learn more about ground water and drinking water.

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/faq/faq.html#bw 

This site contains the City of Santa Monica’s most current water quality report, and gives an overview of how the Water Division provides your tap water, and will explain the many steps we take to ensure that the high quality of our water stays protected.

Santa Monica’s Water Quality Website 

Natural Resources Defense Council: “Bottled Water – Pure Drink or Pure Hype?”

http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/exesum.asp

Helpful tips for reusing water and beverage containers 

• Purchase metal water bottles that can be found at outdoor stores such as REI.
• Use durable, reusable cups and mugs for coffee, tea, water and other beverages.
• Reuse your plastic or glass bottles – there are some health risks, so keep them clean and recycle them when scratches appear.
• A drinking fountain (we did once drink out of these wonderful inventions).