The Great Bottled Water Scam

As a water and sanitation specialist working in rural areas of developing countries, I have seen first-hand how important good clean drinking water is to public health. Untreated water from wells, rivers or run-off causes enormous intestinal and even developmental problems. But, in the US, we enjoy almost universal access to safe, clean, dependable drinking water right from the tap.

Yet Coca-Cola, Nestles and other sellers of bottled water have somehow convinced us that we need to buy their very expensive and environmentally un-friendly bottled water. The industry is enormous - $100 Billion a year, with outrageous profits. A gallon of tap water usually costs about 1 cent, while bottled bulk water goes for $1/gal and up to $25/gal in small bottles.

Study after study has shown that tap water, which seems to have taken on a negative connotation, is every bit as safe as bottled water. Indeed, concerns over chemical leaching from the plastic bottle may be a concern. Blind taste tests indicate that most folks can’t tell the difference. Yet 73 percent of Americans say they have “significant concerns” about the quality of their tap water. The US water supply is the envy of every developing country, yet we shun our own brilliant water supply. How did we come to this?

To be sure, there are some problems with our water supply. Folks who use private wells are not subject to EPA safety standards and some municipalities (most notably Flint, MI) do have quality issues. There is added concern that the Trump administration gutting of the EPA may result in lower water monitoring and safety. But, the vast majority of water systems adhere to very strict and high standards for water quality. An army of municipal water workers deserve our thanks for the outstanding safe and dependable water they provide.

All water systems provide Consumer Confidence Reports. You can ask your local utility for a copy or check this EPA to see if your water utility CCR is posted online.
https://ofmpub.epa.gov/apex/safewater/f?p=136:102::::::

Moreover, these insidious purveyors of bottled water have made it their mission to buy or control water sources all over the world, seeking to control access to water and profit by doing so. 50 BILLION plastic water bottles will be used this year and only 20 percent of those will be recycled.

So, unless you live in the Third World, Flint or have a private well, next time you’re thirsty, please consider some tap water, instead of lining the pockets of Nestles, polluting the environment, and falling for the bottled water scam.