Is Bottled Water Just Tap Water?
Forget seeing the glass half full or half empty. The best test of your drinking water outlook on life is whether you are shocked to learn that bottled water is just tap water, or if you are so cynical you will be shocked to learn that some none of them. In fact, the truth is somewhere in between.
Even before the bottled water explosion that happened sometime in the 90s, the only reason to pour water into the bottle was that there was something special about the water. Some of these special types of water are:
- Spring water obtained from a specific location on earth, where water flows from underground to an accessible location on the surface.
- Mineral water is usually spring water from places with a large amount of minerals dissolved in the water.
- Sparkling water with bubbles (which in some cases is also mineral water).
- Distilled water that can be taken from anywhere, but the important thing is that minerals are removed from it.
However, at some point, companies that dispense soda and other drinks thought: “Hey, why not just pour the water from the tap?”
So they did, and it sold great. Because they were right to point out that most of the time someone drinks a bottle of spring water, it’s not because they want to taste that particular spring . They are just thirsty and thirsty for water.
How to know where the bottled water comes from
There is an easy way to find out where the bottled water comes from: by reading the fine print on the label. Somewhere, usually on the back in small print, the water will tell you where it comes from. If it comes from a particular bizarre source, rest assured that it will give the name to the source.
Water that starts out as tap water will say it comes from a “municipal water source” or “local water source” and may give the name of the water company. This does not necessarily mean that the water is just tap water, just tap water was the original ingredient. Many brands, such as Dasani and Aquafina, try to point out that they purify the water and can add minerals for flavor. The exact process will vary from brand to brand.
After all, water is more than just water. Tap water, spring water, well water and any other drinking water in this world contains minerals dissolved in them, and sometimes many other chemicals: some of them are unintentional pollutants (for example, lead), some are added on purpose (such as fluoride and chlorine), and some of them are found in nature and are mostly harmless (for example, magnesium and calcium).
Tap water and bottled water are regulated differently; both are supposed to be safe to drink, but laws differ in the details of how they are tested and for what. The FDA regulates the safety and labeling of bottled water , and the EPA sets safety standards for tap water . Both are drinkable, so honestly I would choose the water based on its price, taste, and environmental impact (bottles are trash after all) and not any concerns about what is in the water.