Think Your Drink
Which water is best?
Most people have a personal preference about which water they like best. Below are the pros and cons of each type.
Tap water--It's inexpensive, about a penny a gallon. Water from the tap has fluoride which is good for the bones and teeth. It's easy, always available and doesn't involve putting lots of plastic in the land fill. Though some people don't like the taste of tap water, in taste tests across the country people consistently choose tap water over bottled water. If you don't like the taste of tap you can adjust this with filters, lemon, lime and ice. Get a good water bottle and fill it up daily.
Bottled water--Some people prefer bottled waterover tap water, but often times it is tap water! Check the label. If it doesn't mention a source like a spring or a special filtration process, it's probably just plain ole' tap.
Bottled water companies are less regulated that municpal water companies. They don't have to release their water-testing results to the public, whereas municipalities that provide tap water do.
If you drink a lot of bottled water, you may be spending hundreds of dollars unnecessarily each year. Bottled water costs 2000 times more than tap water. It costs more money to drink bottled water than to put gas in your car--up to five times more.
Americans buy 1/2 billion bottles of water a week. Eight of ten water bottles end up in landfills. If you drink bottled water, be sure to recycle. See Go Green for more details about bottled water.
Filtered water--Filter water pitchers, faucet filters and refrigerator filters can enhance the flavor of tap water. You have to change the filters on schedule to avoid contamination but even then, using a filter is cheaper than buying bottled water. Some people prefer the taste of filtered water. Depending on the filter, varying degrees of chemicals are removed. Click here for more reviews of the best water filters.
