While the idea of bottled water has existed for centuries, it really wasn’t until the 1970s and 1980s that it became a household product. Over the past 50 years, people have become increasingly hooked on bottled water as many argue that it’s now cleaner and safer than tap water.
However, a recent study revealed that an almost unbelievable 64% of all bottled water in the United States is actually just tap water. That means millions of Americans are paying billions of dollars a year and wreaking havoc on the environment for water they could get for free.
The Bottled Water Industry
The manufacturing and sale of bottled water are among the largest industries in the United States. In fact, Americans spend a whopping $16 billion on bottled water every year.
While a gallon of bottled water typically costs about $9.50, smaller bottles with just 16 ounces can cost anywhere between $1.60 and $2.19. But what’s interesting is that almost all Americans have access to drinking water from their taps.
Do Americans Pay for Tap Water?
There is no law guaranteeing water access for American citizens. However, the vast majority of Americans have drinkable water flowing from their taps at home. The average home in America spends between $400 and $1,000 per year on water, depending on where they live. But that includes their showers, sprinkler systems, laundry, pools and anything else they use tap water for.
Clearly, tap water is far cheaper than bottled water. So, how has the bottled water industry convinced Americans to constantly spend their hard-earned money on their water instead?
Bottled Water Companies Market Their Product as Safer Than Tap Water
Most Americans are willing to pay the exorbitant price for bottled water because the bottled water industry has promised them the water is much safer and healthier than that which comes out of their tap.
Companies like Poland Springs, Nestle, Aquafina and Mountain Valley have spent millions of dollars on promotional content as well as lobbying to convince Americans that their filtration systems ensure much cleaner water than the U.S. government’s.
Bottled Water Companies Target the Underprivileged
In fact, some companies, such as Nestle, famously target their advertisements to low-income earners as they assume they are the most likely to believe that bottled water is far superior to tap water.
In 2014, Nestle spent more than $5 billion on advertising for its Pure Life water, $3.8 billion of which was spent on Spanish-language TV commercials to appeal to the nation’s international migrants.
64% of Bottled Water Is Just Tap Water
However, thanks to a recent study, it has become glaringly obvious that several of these companies have been lying to the American public: Their water isn’t any safer or cleaner than tap water because it literally is tap water.
A study conducted by the Environmental Working Group showed that 64% of all bottled water in the United States is just municipal drinking water.
Is Municipal Tap Water Safe to Drink?
While it is frustrating that bottled water companies claim their product is superior to tap water when, in fact, it is the exact same, it doesn’t mean bottled water is dangerous.
The U.S. government has very specific requirements and rigorous safety procedures to ensure all municipal water is safe to drink. Therefore, all the bottled water in the U.S. is technically safe — it’s just not worth paying for.
Bottled Water Is a Blight on the Environment
In addition to being a complete scam, bottled water is also extremely detrimental to the environment.
Companies overuse the nation’s ever-decreasing aquifers and reservoirs, use excessive amounts of fossil fuels to make the plastic bottles and, of course, the bottles themselves cause extreme plastic pollution.
Bottled Water Companies Are Draining the Nation’s Natural Resources
The giant bottled water companies that sell billions of units every year need to get their water from somewhere. The study explained, “When bottlers are not selling municipal water, they are pumping and selling common water resources that belong to the public, harming the environment, and depleting community water supplies.”
Nestle famously almost depleted California’s already scarce water supply during a drought last year, collecting 58 million gallons of water. That’s more water than 2,000 Golden State homes could use in a year.
How Much Oil Does the Bottled Water Industry Use?
The bottled water industry also produces an obscene amount of greenhouse gases into the air through the use of fossil fuels, specifically oil.
Over 50 billion plastic water bottles are made and sold in the U.S. alone every year. Companies collectively produce four billion pounds of plastic to make those 50 billion bottles, using at least 45 million barrels of oil annually.
Plastic Pollution Is Out of Control
Not to mention that even after plastic bottles are manufactured with the use of fossil fuels, filled with tap water and sold at a premium, they’re still wildly dangerous for the environment.
It’s no secret that the plastic pollution on Earth is out of control. It damages the soil, poisons groundwater, kills marine life and contributes to climate change. And plastic water bottles are a huge part of the plastic problem.
Some Americans Do Not Have Clean Drinking Water at Home
It is important to note that some Americans are forced to purchase bottled water because they either don’t have running water in their home or their municipal supply is not considered safe to drink.
However, for those who do have clean drinking water, it may be time to finally ditch bottled water. It’s no cleaner than the water flowing from your tap, and it’s undoubtedly worse for the environment.
