EcoLiving Ideas

By Chryso D'Angelo on Nov 20, 2008

16 reviews |

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Bottled water seems like the obvious choice for those on the go. It contains no caffeine, no calories and no sugar. But it could carry fertilizer residue, pain medication, bacteria, disinfection byproducts, and cancer-causing chemicals. Gulp! According to laboratory tests conducted in October by the Environmental Working Group, 38 chemical pollutants were found in 10 popular brands of bottled water. Two of the ten—Walmart’s Sam Choice and Giant Supermarket’s Acadia store brands—contained the same chemical properties as tap water.

That may come as a surprise to the 54 percent of American consumers who are buying into the myth that bottled water is better than tap, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Not only is bottled water 1,900 times more expensive than tap water, according to EWG, the bottled water industry is not required to disclose test results for contaminants, treatment methods or the source of the water. Conversely, municipalities are required, under The Safe Drinking Water Act, to divulge a Water Quality Report on a yearly basis. In addition, municipalities must adhere to drinking water standards for all public water systems as determined by the Environmental Protection Agency. The annual report includes information about the source of drinking water (river, lake, stream, well), a list of all detected contaminants and their levels, and a summary of the state’s water assessment.

You can contact EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline toll-free at 1-800-426-4791. EWG is calling for full disclosure by the bottled water industry. The group is also lobbying for stronger protection of rivers, lakes, and streams so that confidence around municipal drinking water may be restored. If you’re not sold on the cleanliness of your tap water, use a carbon filter so you can chug-a-lug with confidence. It will still be better than what's in the bottle.

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Reviews

By Koula Christodoulou on Jul 12, 2009

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Comments: Thank you for a good and sensible article.

By Ann Marie Rubin on Feb 5, 2009

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Comments: or submit your own.

www.takebackthetap.org/campuses/video-contest

By Ann Marie Rubin on Feb 5, 2009

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Comments: Check out the I "Heart" Tap Water video contest hosted by TAKEBACKTHETAP.ORG

www.takebackthetap.org/

By Alexia M. Kartis on Jan 2, 2009

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Comments: This is a well-written informative piece that offers a persuasive argument for the use of tap water rather than bottled water. I hope that the author has the opportunity to inform EcoPlum readers about the ravages of plastic, especially plastic water bottles, on ocean life. An article on the Great Pacific Plastic Patch would be very enlightening to your readers! Thank you for your this wonderful service.

By Maria D'Angelo on Nov 28, 2008

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Comments: This article is very informative; I won't feel guilty about not buying bottled water.

By Theresa Castillo on Nov 28, 2008

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Comments: Very informative writing. I guess I will have to let my kids drink the tap in school and stop cringing when they do!

By thomas d'angelo on Nov 28, 2008

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Comments: This is a good article we live in a world today in which people believe the more you pay for something the better it is. Who knows what goes on and where the water comes from. What does evian spell backwards?

By Angela Czarnecki on Nov 27, 2008

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Comments: Very informative article. It makes me scared to think of not only the amount of money we have spent on bottled water, but all the chemicals we may have ingested all these years.

By julie jockel on Nov 26, 2008

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Comments: So glad I found this site! I've been trying to replace my plastic bottle for the greener but now I'm thinking twice about the water! I love EWG! This article is well written, maybe Chryso can help find me a chemical free water bottle next.

By linda viv on Nov 26, 2008

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Comments: very well written and very useful information....i have been trying to use less bottled water and taking more from the tap... i just have to remember to bring my water botes back in the house to refill

By nicole perrone on Nov 26, 2008

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Comments: Wow all these years of me thinking that I was drinking good healthy water fromt he bottles....I guess I am going back to tap.

By Dulcinee Camie on Nov 26, 2008

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Comments: This is a great article! I am accustomed to drinking tap water as I am from a developing country. And my friends often find it "gross" or unhealthy. I will certainly share this great piece of information with them. This was an interesting and healthy read of the day!

By Jeannie Kartis on Nov 26, 2008

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Comments: wow I had no idea that bottled water could contain chemical pollutants. Great, informative article. btw, the water here in Virginia Beach is great and I usually drink that vice bottled.

By Ciro Monaco Jr. on Nov 26, 2008

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Comments: Great article. It's mind-blowing how much money is spent on bottled water each year when it isn't any safer (and sometimes even worse) than what comes out of the faucet.

By jennifer poole on Nov 26, 2008

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Comments: Tap water gets such a bad rap, but it actually has flouride in it and can help prevent teeth decay. Not to mention that every plastic bottle all of us have ever sipped from is still sitting in a landfill.

By cheryl vigo on Nov 26, 2008

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Comments: Very informative...I've always thought that bottled water was the best bet. This article and the links provided are interesting.

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