Why Bottled Water is a Huge Rip Off

Bottled water is the biggest rip off in America. Once again for emphasis-bottled water is the biggest rip off in America. The high cost of bottled water does not make it better than tap water, especially when considering that bottled water is not really healthier or better than regular tap water in any way.

First of all, we complain about the rising gas prices, but per gallon, we are paying much more for water. Bottled water costs up to $10 per gallon. Can you say rip off? A five year supply of bottled water costs over $1000, while a five year supply of tap water costs less than $2. What would you do with an extra $1000 every five years? I know that I wouldn’t be purchasing a five year supply of water.

And did you know that the water that you are paying more than gas for, may not be as special as you think. 25% of bottled water is actually tap water that has been purified or has had minerals added to it. One of the biggest water brands in the United States, Aquafina, bottles their water in Fresno, California, just a few hours from my home. Their water is purified water, not natural spring water. So, if I buy a bottle of Aquafina, I am buying virtually the same product that comes through my water filter built into my refrigerator.

There is absolutely no evidence that bottled water is safer than tap water. In fact the contrary is more likely true. The bottled water industry has less regulations concerning quality than tap water does. Since bottled water is not as regulated as tap water, the mineral content of some bottled waters is high enough to be considered unsafe for consumption by babies or toddlers.

Remember when you first noticed regular water being sold alongside sodas for the same price. We all laughed at the thought of someone paying for a bottle of water when water was virtually free at home or from a drinking fountain

Only a small percentage, 14%, of water bottle containers, are recycled, so the environmental impact of discarded water bottles continues to rise. The remaining water bottles which are not recycled will take between 400 and 1000 years to degrade.

And have you noticed that bottled water tastes like the plastic bottle that it is packaged in? I would much rather purchase my own water jug and take the time to refill it. It would take me more time to walk to the nearest beverage vendor and buy a two dollar bottle of water than to wash and fill a container of water in my home before I leave.