Drinking Bottled Water Is Not As Safe As You Think

Americans drink an estimated 3.4 billion gallons of bottled water annually, and that work out to be about 12.7 gallons per person. It has become a convenient lifestyle of most people in the other parts of the world as well due to the convenience and it easily available anywhere. The numbers have been increasing nearly 10 percent a year, base on the industry finding. Bottled water includes mineral water, spring water or distilled water, RO water and plain tap water which has been filtered . Some brands even are selling it more expensive than gasoline or petrol and that make us wonder, what is the difference between bottled water and tap water?

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In a quest to find out what is the difference between bottled water and tap water, a four-year test of 103 brands of bottled water, were being carried out by the environmental advocacy group Natural Resources Defense Council. One third of the tested brands contained bacteria or other chemicals exceeding the industry's own guidelines or the most stringent state purity standards. How devastating is that? You are drinking bottled water that is not purer nor cleaner than the normal tap water! How much is the cost of processed or filtered water and the bottle?

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Besides of the weak federal and state enforcement, that's no dedicated institution or law which is empowered to monitor these industry. It is largely leaving the industry to self monitored and when it comes to this, easy profit will blur the eyes of most bottled water producers. So, what is the difference between bottled water and tap water, will inevitably lead to what's the difference between responsible and irresponsible manufacturers. I am not saying that all bottled water are not safe to drink, the fact is at least 33% of the bottled water is not. It could be the irresponsible conduct of some ill-hearted manufactures, or it could be the contaminations in the production line by negligence, the iron clad truth is that some of the bottled water are no difference from the tap water. Some might be cleaner than tap water and some that's dirtier, but now we as consumers, how are we going to tell what is the difference between bottled water and tap water?

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Unlike tap water suppliers, bottlers need not disclose to consumers the known contaminants in their products. The printed label only tell you what they want you to know, and there is no law stating that they must tell you everything in their bottled water.

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Out of the 103 brands, 1,000 of bottled water were purchased from various outlet randomly from Califo ia, Florida, Illinois, New York, Texas and the District of Columbia. The good news; in the category of chemical or bacterial contaminant, one-third of the samples have exceeded the Califo ia standard or the industry's own purity guidelines. So, it is clean bottled water and it is a good industry standard adherence and you must be pleased to know what is the difference between bottled water and tap water.

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Well just don't get too excited yet, here come the sad news..................

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- 1 out of 4 samples is found that the levels of cancer-causing synthetic compounds such as arsenic has exceeded the Califo ia limit, which is the most stringent.

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- 1 out of 5 samples failed because the levels of bacteria is higher than the voluntary industry guidelines.

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- 1 out of 5 samples contained industrial chemicals, and some samples contained arsenic, nitrates or other inorganic contaminants. Even the levels generally were below state or federal standards, I seriously do not want those harmful substances to be taken into my body!

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According to the current monitoring bodies, bottled water is not required to be tested so frequently for bacteria and chemical contaminants; more worryingly, it has no requirement to be disinfected or tested for parasites!

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Having to know the unfavorable facts about what is the difference between bottled water and tap water, would you rather pay for the installation of a good water purification system and be assured of the quality of the water you are drinking, or you rather continuing drinking the bottled water?

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