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Due
to the large difference in price between tap and bottled water,
most people want to know what the difference is between tap
and bottled water.
Just
how much are Americans willing to pay for bottled water? In
1990, the average cost of bottled water and vended water in
the U.S. was $0.90 per gallon. This may not seem like a lot
to you, but it does when you compare it to the average cost
of tap water in California: $0.80 per 500 gallons!
Is
bottled water really healthier than tap water?
No!
If you choose to drink bottled water, why not fill up a reusable
water bottle of fresh Helix tap water. With this, you get
the convenience of bottled water and the safe, fresh, pure,
cost-effective healthy drinking water all from your very own
tap.
Bottled
water can come from wells, springs, artesian wells, or the
municipal water supply. It is regulated as a food product
by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is important
to note that the FDA’s standards are essentially the
same as those set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), which regulates public water supplies.
Tap
water can come from surface water (lakes or streams) or groundwater.
Unlike bottled water distributors, public water suppliers
usually track cases of water-borne illness. Furthermore, if
a contaminant exceeds EPA standards, public water suppliers
are required to notify citizens of the contaminant, its level
in the water supply, its health effects, and measures that
can be taken to prevent illness. Helix Water District has
never violated any EPA primary standards.
Helix
Water District employs ozonation as its primary disinfectant
and adds chloramines as the water leaves the treatment plant
to ensure that there is a disinfectant residual when the water
arrives to your home. This residual guards against bacterial
formation and is an added safeguard to your tap water. Bottled
water, on the other hand, also usually utilizes ozone disinfection
as its primary disinfectant. However, there is no disinfectant
residual remaining in the bottles, leaving bottled water vulnerable
to potential bacterial contamination.
How
is bottled water regulated?
Some
bottled water standards included:
- Bottled
water from municipal supplies must be clearly labeled as
such, unless it is processed sufficiently to be labeled
as "distilled" or "purified" water.
- Bottled
water must be processed, packaged, shipped, and stored in
a safe and sanitary manner and be truthfully and accurately
labeled.
- Bottled
water must also meet specific FDA quality standards for
contaminants.
Bottle
Maintenance
"What
is bottle maintenance?," you ask. After all that you
know about tap and bottled water now, if you still think you
prefer bottled water, it is important for you to take good
care of the bottle from which you drink. Huh? Bacteria grow
best in warm and moist environments. That means the environment
created by an unrefrigerated bottle of water, once the seal
has been broken, is the perfect place for bacteria to grow.
This produces a plethora of unwanted health risks.
Here
are some tips for bottle maintenance. Don’t forget to
share them with your friends!
- Wipe
the seal with a clean cloth after each use.
- Avoid
any type of buildup in the bottle cap.
- If
your bottle is refillable, make sure it is well cleaned
and rinsed before refilling.
-
If possible,
recycle the old bottle and obtain a fresh, sterile, sealed
bottle.
Informational
Water Articles
The real cost of bottled water
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2007/02/18/EDG56N6OA41.DTL
Tap vs. Bottled Water
http://www.communitywater.com/core/content_tapvsbottled.htm
Bottled water quality standards (editorial)
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2007/08/bottled_water_s.html
Rising Demand for Bottled Water Attributed
to a Desire for Convenience
http://www.kpbs.org/radio/these_days;id=9188
Bottled water: buy the bottle, skip
the water
buybottle.doc (Word document)
Informational
Water Videos
Message in a bottle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6aD9zMeSwc
Tap Water
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLq_qnWcGZs
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