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Is bottled water better than tap water?

Nov. 6, 2004

If you think bottled water is safer than tap water, you need to read the following.

A Dutch study presented at a recent meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Washington, DC. found that 40% of bottled water is contaminated with bacteria and or fungi.

Chemical or biological contamination of bottled water has been already found for many years. Some readers might already have known that some so called spring water is actually tap water without any purification. Many brands of bottled water are indeed inferior to tap water in regard to their safety.

The package per se can be a problem. Years ago when I was in graduate school, we did a sensory evaluation on the odor of the bottled water. We found that the opaque bottles often times carry strong plastic odor.

To avoid intake of pollutants through water, consumers need to use as less water as possible. Drinking 8 cups a day may not always be necessary. Let common sense be your guide. Drinking too much water could get you too much of pollutants.

If you buy and drink bottled water, make sure that the bottle is transparent. I suggest that opaque and colored bottles be avoided. At home, you'd better use a filter for the tap water, particularly when you have a kid or two. Filters need to be certified by a third party for its sound quality. There are some products on the market that just self-claim certain benefits. Do not use such products.