To Tap or Not to Tap

HOW HEALTHY IS YOUR DRINKING WATER?

By Dylan Roche

More than three-quarters of the American population over the age of two has at least one glass of plain water to drink on any given day, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Among those water drinkers, the numbers are split evenly between those who consume bottled water and those who hydrate themselves straight from the tap. So, is the bottled H2O any safer, healthier, or just plain better than what comes out of the faucet?

Well, it depends.

For most people in most municipalities, drinking tap water is a perfectly fine option. Even bottled water manufacturers will admit that there’s very little difference between their product and tap water (more info on that to come!). However, tap water isn’t always the most convenient—and unfortunately, it’s not always an option for some communities. In these situations, bottled water meets an important need in helping people stay hydrated.

Water, of course, plays a crucial role in many of your body’s vital functions. When you’re well hydrated, your body is better able to regulate its temperature, keep up its energy levels, and flush waste from its system. Water helps your digestive system function, and many nutrients from food are absorbed into your body via water. Proper hydration also improves your mental function and clarity, so you’re able to think better and avoid headaches.

Now, when it comes to hydration via tap versus hydration via bottle, here’s what you need to know:

Water on Tap

In a developed country like the United States, and with very few exceptions, tap water is as safe and clean as what you could get from a store-bought bottle. Even the International Bottled Water Association states that the bottled water industry favors seeing the public water system serve people’s water needs.

Public water makes hydration available to a much wider population—no need to pay a larger sum for the bottled stuff when they can pay their water bill to have water available on tap. From a health perspective, no evidence shows bottled water is healthier or safer than tap water. On the contrary, stricter regulations and monitoring are applied to tap water than to bottled water, as tap water is regularly tested by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which sets limits on more than 90 types of contaminants.

When tap water goes through processing for consumption, it starts with the addition of aluminum sulfate and polymers, which cause microscopic impurities and other particles to clump together so they can be removed. Water is then filtered several times and ultimately disinfected using chloramine and chlorine to kill any remaining bacteria, viruses, and pathogens. The final step is adjusting the water’s pH to make it less corrosive to pipes and more palatable for anyone drinking it, before the treated water is then distributed through a public water system—in other words, those pipes leading to your home.

Problems can occur when a public water system is compromised, leading to the distribution of contaminated water. This is often the result of a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, flood, or tornado. In these instances, tap water might be deemed unsafe, and bottled water (if available) becomes the clear solution.

Bottled Up

Even if bottled water isn’t a necessity, such as it would be in the case of a natural disaster, some people simply prefer it—they find that it tastes better, plus it’s easier to grab a water bottle on the go instead of filling up their Yeti or Stanley. A storebought bottled water is a safe, healthy option just as much as tap water is. In some cases, bottled water actually is tap water, safely sealed in sanitized plastic bottles and tested for quality control to ensure it meets its manufacturer’s standard. Some bottled water companies opt to add electrolytes, minerals, or flavorings, which enhance the taste or health profile. Because this water is sold as a food product from grocers and other retailers, it must meet standards set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

It’s worth noting that there may be some health concerns when drinking water from plastic bottles, such as the presence of the chemicals bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, which leach into the water from the plastic, particularly if the bottle is exposed to high temperatures or extended sunlight. As BPA and phthalates are endocrine disruptors, they can increase risk of reproductive issues, developmental problems, and even cancer. This is why many health experts recommend relying on bottled water only when safe tap water is unavailable, such as in the aftermath of a disaster, or choosing water packaged in stainless steel cans or cardboard cartons.

A last consideration is the amount of plastic pollution created by the use of disposable plastic bottles. The proliferation of plastics and microplastics in the environment has become a very real problem worldwide. By filling up your reusable bottles with tap water, you’re giving Mother Nature a nod of concern and help.