According to an article in the February, 2008 Reader’s Digest, the purity of bottled water is in question. “Mountain Fresh” water may actually come from someone’s faucet. As much as 25% of bottled water does. The multibillion dollar industry is not regulated unless the water crosses state borders so such dishonesty gets by. People are beginning to realize that the clear liquid in the bottle may not be as pure as they once thought.

The leaching of chemicals from the plastic container is another problem with bottled water. Contaminants such as phthalates used to make the plastic can taint the water, especially in hot climates where bottled water is especially popular.

Tons of fossil fuels are needed to make the containers, which have given environmentalists reason for concern. The article further states that it might take as much as two liters of water to make a liter of bottled water. And what happens to the millions of non- biodegradable bottles when they are discarded?

Many are rethinking the use of bottled water and opting for home filtering systems like the Berkey Water Filter. Filtering systems vary greatly but generally, the more one spends on the system, the less will be the overall cost per gallon of water. Advantages of home systems over bottled water are a greater control on what is in the water, greater convenience, and freedom from being forced to drink water stored in plastic containers. In the long run, filtering it yourself also costs much less.

The lack of fluoride compared to what is found in many city water systems is one concern many bottled and filtered water users consider. Fluoride has been shown to give a significant advantage to children’s dental health. If this is a concern, check to see if the filtering system you are considering removes the city fluoride from the tap water. This lack can be compensated by using fluoride toothpastes and with fluoride treatment during regular dental visits.

For those households concerned that their tap water is not safe to drink, home water filter systems like the Crown Berkey are more economical and reliable than bottled water. While the initial purchase of the filter is higher, knowing what is really in (or out) of your water is well worth it.

This entry was posted on Sunday, February 24th, 2008 at 11:16 pm and is filed under Nutrition And Healthy Living. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.