For the past decade or so, the level of bottled water sales has been steadily growing by 7 – 8% per annum. The level of consumption globally is estimated to have more than doubled between 1997 and 2005.

Approximately 200 billion bottles of water are consumed worldwide per annum. The US market is the biggest by far, accounting for 25% of worldwide sales.

However, there has been a backlash against the use of bottled water. One of the main concerns is the environmental impact of bottled water. The actual bottles are typically made from Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is a recyclable material – but the actual level of recycling is thought to be less than 25%.

The energy used for production, transportation and disposal of the bottles is also a cause for concern among environmentalists. When compared with tap water, bottled water generates carbon emissions which are 5,000 times greater per litre.

In spite of the very effective marketing of the bottled water suppliers, there seems to be no evidence that bottled water is, in developed countries at any rate, any better for your health than plain old tap water. Some bottled waters have been found to contain estrogenic chemicals and even uranium. Most bottled waters have some level of salt present – which is not good for your blood pressure.

In terms of taste there is little firm evidence that bottled water is an improvement on tap water. In a blind tasting in the UK, London tap water came in third place out of a field of 24 different water varieties. In the USA, a 2007 screening of Penn and Teller (which may have been more entertaining than scientific – but is still worth mentioning) demonstrated that diners could not distinguish between bottled water and water drawn from a garden hose.

In terms of cost to the consumer the exact ratio will vary according to the brand of water under consideration, but generally speaking bottled water costs several hundred times more per litre than tap water.

So, considering environmental impact, health, taste and cost, bottled water really doesn’t have a lot going for it. If you really dislike the taste of the water that comes out of your tap then you might be well advised to think about some type of home filtration system. The cost will be higher than tap water, but much less than bottled water. If you opt for a solution such as the Brita water filter jug then you will know that it’s better for the environment as all parts of the filters are recyclable.

Of course, home filtration systems are ideal for when you’re at home – but if you like to carry water with you when you’re out and about then you could use and reuse a bottle which you fill at home, or the office, before you leave. Again, Brita water are a fine example having teamed up with international designer Orla Kelly to produce the Wottle – which claims to be the world’s first designer reusable bottle and is manufactured from 100% recycled material. Or you could just try a bit of recycling of your own and use an old Coke bottle.

Related posts:

  1. Bottled Water - What's The True Cost?
  2. Home Water Purification - Great Overview in Hunting For the Precise Person for Installing it
  3. Alkaline Water Ionizers And Your Health - What They Do and How To Shop For One
  4. Water Filtration System as a Remarkable and Handy Mean to Have

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