The Issues: Water

 

sustainable Table BOTTLED WATER
American consumers are drinking more bottled water every year, in part because they think it is somehow safer than tap water. They collectively spend hundreds or thousands of dollars more per gallon for water in a plastic bottle than they would for the H20 flowing from their taps. Tap water is generally just as safe, clean, and healthy as bottled water—in many cases even more so. By taking back the tap, you can save money, protect your health, and help prevent environmental and social problems as well.

Safety
Despite what many consumers are led to believe, bottled water is no safer or purer than tap water. In fact, some bottled water is simply municipal water that has been wastefully packaged, falsely labeled as pristine spring water, and sold at an exorbitant price. According to the National Resources Defense Council, as much as 40 percent of bottled water is actually from a tap.

What's more, water from the tap may actually be safer than water from bottles. This is partially due to the fact that the federal government requires more rigorous and frequent safety testing and monitoring of municipal drinking water. The Environmental Protection Agency requires utility companies to test municipal water hundreds of times per month, while the Food and Drug Administration requires bottling companies to test their supply only once per week. And due to shortages of funding and staff, FDA regulation of bottled water is even less stringent than these basic guidelines would suggest. The administration has less than one full-time employee in charge of bottled water, and regulations apply only to the 30 to 40 percent of bottled water that is sold across state lines.1

The inadequacy of bottled water regulations was documented by the National Resources Defense Council which tested 1,000 bottles from 103 brands and found bacteria, carcinogens, and other chemicals in a significant number of the products.2 Some of these contaminants can be traced to the water source, others are byproducts of the purification process, and still others leach from the plastic bottle.

Environmental Damage
In addition to avoiding contaminants, giving up bottled water also benefits our environment. Annual production of the plastic (PET or polyethylene) bottles required to meet U.S. consumer demand for bottled water uses the equivalent of about 17.6 million barrels of oil, not including the cost of transporting the product to consumers. That volume of oil more or less equals the amount required to fuel over one million vehicles on U.S. roads each year. Worldwide, bottling of water uses about 2.7 million tons of plastic each year.3

In the end, about 86% of empty plastic water bottles in the United States land in the garbage instead of being recycled.4 This means approximately two million tons of PET plastic bottles pile up in U.S. landfills each year. Single serve water bottles and other beverage containers, often used on the go, are recycled at a lower rate than containers typically used at home. Between 1995 and 2005, the national recycling rate for all PET type #1 plastic fell from 39.7 percent to 23.1 percent.5 Ultimately, many plastic bottles of all types and sizes will be incinerated, which releases toxic byproducts such as chlorine gas and ash laden with heavy metals.6

The production and transport of bottled water products causes pollution and contributes to global warming. In 2005, the journal Nature published a study showing how climate change could diminish both underground and surface (e.g., lakes and rivers) water sources around the world that are dependent on melting snow. With warmer periods, earlier snowmelt could mean that "much of the winter runoff will immediately be lost to the oceans" unless there are adequate water storage systems.7 But this, like protecting water sources from pollution, requires money. It also means halting or severely curbing Nestle, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and other commercial bottlers from taking spring water and municipal water to be bottled into easy profits.

Social Problems
Beverage companies also harm communities with their bottled water operations. The companies extract vast quantities of water that local people need, making huge profits and leaving the locals with depleted resources in addition to economic and environmental problems. Despite promises that bottling operations will bring employment, in reality they create few new jobs, and those few are dangerous and low-paid.

Cost
Turning to tap water will not only benefit communities, the environment, and consumer safety, it could help save money as well. While bottled water can cost between $0.89 and $8.26 per gallon, tap water typically only costs about $0.002 per gallon.8,9,10

Giving Up Bottled Water is Not Enough
Although the majority of U.S. tap water is clean, safe, and healthy, public water systems in some communities fall short of consistently meeting EPA safety standards. These violations likely stem from some combination of pollution of the water source, inadequate water treatment, or deteriorating infrastructure (e.g., pipes that carry water can have lead or be old and falling apart).

To solve these problems, action from federal, state, and local governments must be taken to protect the quality and integrity of our water resources. Part of the solution will require investing in the maintenance and renewal of municipal water and sewage treatment plants, storage, and distribution. Most of the primary water pipes and sewer lines in the United States were built during the late 1800s, the 1920s, and in the years immediately following World War II.11 They are wearing out under the weight of time and increasing demand. Old, corroded water lines can break, not only wasting water but also opening avenues for contamination. Worn out or overburdened sewage systems can overflow into our streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans, creating serious health concerns. The National Research Council recently warned of more water-borne disease outbreaks unless we make "substantial investments" in improving our drinking water and sewage storage and distribution systems.12

Every year, Congress debates proposals for funding clean drinking water. A 2007 bill provided $14 billion in federal loan guarantees over four years for water and sewer improvements. While the bill passed the House of Representatives, it has not yet passed the Senate. Unfortunately, even if it were to become law, it would still be insufficient in meeting our nation's water infrastructure needs.13

Collectively, our communities fall about $22 billion short annually of what they need to maintain and improve public drinking water and sewage systems. Federal dollars are the only way to address this clean water infrastructure funding gap estimated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Government Accountability Office, and the non-profit Water Infrastructure Network at between $300 and $500 billion over 20 years. Much of the funding gap stems from government cuts to clean water programs.

What You Can Do

Did You Know?

  • Plastic bottle production in the United States annually requires about 17.6 million barrels of oil, enough to fuel more than one million cars.14
  • About 86 percent of empty plastic water bottles in the United States land in the garbage instead of being recycled. That amounts to about two million tons of PET plastic bottles piling up in U.S. landfills each year.15
  • Bottled water typically costs more than $1 for eight to 12 ounces, amounting to more than $10 per gallon. Most Americans pay $0.002 per gallon for tap water.16
  • According to a Natural Resources Defense Council study of 103 bottled water brands, about one-quarter of the brands tested contained bacterial or chemical contamination in some samples at levels that violated "enforceable state standards or warning levels."17

For More Information

  • "Take Back the Tap" - This 2007 report by Food & Water Watch explains in more detail the many problems with bottled water and the advantages of tap water. It also includes a useful guide to home tap water filtration to help consumers improve the quality of their tap water.
  • "The Unbottled Truth About Bottled Water Jobs" - This 2008 fact sheet by Food & Water Watch lists the truth about the jobs that bottled water corporations bring to a community.
  • "Clear Waters" - This 2007 report by Food & Water watch examines trends in clean water spending in various states.

Common Questions and Answers About Tap Water

Q: Why should I choose tap water over bottled water?
A: Bottled water costs hundreds or thousands of times more than tap water, and although bottled water companies would like you to believe that their product is somehow better than tap water, most tap water is just as clean and safe as bottled water, and much less expensive.

Q: How do I find out whether my tap water is safe?
A: Locate the contact information of your local water utility on one of your latest bills to request a copy of the Annual Water Quality Report, also referred to as the Consumer Confidence Report. This report is required by law to provide information about contaminant violations in the water system. EPA posts many of these results on its website www.epa.gov/safewater

Local health departments often provide testing services or have lists of accredited laboratories that do the testing. Look in your phone book to find the contact information for your local health department.

Q: What can I do if my water is contaminated?
A: Select a filter that removes the particular contaminants that are present. For tips on how to choose a filter, see http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/take-action/consumer-tools/choosing-a-water-filter

Q: Can a filter remove chlorine and fluoride?
A: When it comes to chlorine, the answer is "yes." Most water filters remove or reduce this chemical disinfectant. On the other hand, fluoride is more of a challenge. Typically, only reverse osmosis filters and distillation units reduce or remove it.

Q: My water tastes funny. What can I do about it?
A: Odd tasting water does not necessarily mean that it is unhealthy or contaminated. The taste could be due to chlorination or to the mineral content in the water, depending on the region of the state or country. A home filtration system is the best solution to this problem.

Q: What kind of reusable bottle should I use to carry tap water?
A: Many people have concerns about plastic food containers and beverage bottles because some chemicals in the plastic can leach into the contents. For this reason, Food & Water Watch recommends either stainless steel or lined aluminum bottles.

Q: Should I reuse disposable plastic bottles?
A: The disposable PET #1 plastic bottles in which many beverages are sold cannot be properly cleaned and, over time, may leach plastic components into the water. Therefore, they should not be reused.

Q: What is a contaminant?
A: Water is very rarely pure H2O. It tends to grab particles from things it passes and brings them along for the ride. Whether flowing in a mountain stream or pouring out of your faucet, water usually contains more than just oxygen and two hydrogen atoms. Some of these piggybackers are harmless, but many are not.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which oversees the safety of tap water, currently regulates 87 different contaminants. The agency recognizes but does not regulate an additional 51 contaminants.

Page last updated September 2009

Related information:
Water pollution

Sources