Using tap water helps to reduce your environmental impact, saves you money and is an easily accessible alternative to bottled water. Drinking filtered tap water helps to further protect your health, reducing your exposure to microplastics and harmful bacteria or impurities.
Bottled water has to meet less strict regulations than tap water. This means that it can contain bacterial or chemical contaminants, including carcinogens, that exceed industry standards. A study by the NRDC found in 1999 that two brands were contaminated with phthalates, one exceeded EPA standards for tap water.
In addition to the water sources used for bottled water being cleaner by nature, most bottled water companies will apply additional filtering processes to extract any undesirable elements. This means what ends up in bottled water is extra purified, clean, and fresh.
Cons: Tap water can also pick up pesticides which have been washed into streams and rivers. Chlorine is added to tap water to help disinfect it, but it can react with fallen leaves to form a toxic byproduct. Even your own pipes can contaminate tap water with lead.
While chlorine, limescale, and fluoride are all expected to be in tap water, certain chemicals can appear that have harmful effects when ingested. Although lead is rarely found in water, it can sometimes be absorbed from old pipes and is highly poisonous when ingested.
The EPA regulates over 80 contaminants—including arsenic, e-coli, cryptosporidia, chlorine, and lead—that may be found in drinking water from public water systems. While the EPA says that 90% of US public water systems meet its standards, you may want to use a water filter to further ensure your water's safety.
Conclusion. Bottled water and tap water are both good for your health. However, dentists recommend that you drink tap water because ingredients like fluoride help fight cavities and prevent tooth decay.
In fact, you may be surprised to learn that most tap water has as much chlorine as an average swimming pool. Thus, making your daily shower one of the main sources for dry or itchy skin. Also, anyone who has sensitive skin or skin conditions should be aware that chlorine can further dry out their skin.
About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men. About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women.
Evian Water's unique mineral composition makes it a healthy and refreshing choice. It is sodium-free, has one-tenth the sodium of other leading brands, and is known for its low levels of calcium and magnesium, as well as its high pH level. The water is naturally filtered through glacial rock, which adds to its purity.
On a health level, natural bottled spring water is the best option due to its rich mineral content that is highly absorbed by the body. However, that is not to say that filtered tap water is unhealthy.
Frequently Asked Questions. How long can you keep bottled water? According to the US Food and Drug Administration, bottled drinking water doesn't require an expiration date. We recommend to use the standard best practices and to consume the bottled water within 2 years from the date of manufactured.
Most tap water naturally contains low levels of microorganisms such as bacteria and amoebae, says Shanna Miko, an epidemic intelligence service officer with the waterborne disease prevention branch of the CDC. The water is safe to drink because those pathogens typically get killed by stomach acid, she says.
The water that comes out of your faucet is filtered, disinfected and often contains added fluoride to prevent tooth decay. Safety standards are set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and enforced by the town, city or state where you live. So, in general, tap water is good, cheap and safe to drink.
Make sure to choose water with a PH level over 5 because our enamel starts to erode at a PH level under 5.5. PH can range from 0 to 14. Brands of water that are over 5 include Poland Springs: 7, Fiji: 8, Essentia: 8 and Evian: 8.5. Some of the lower PH brands are Smartwater: 4, Aquafina: 4, Dasani: 4 and Voss: 4.
1. Boil. If you don't have safe bottled water, you should boil your water to make it safe to drink. Boiling is the surest method to kill disease-causing germs, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites.
Tap Water, Brita water filters do not actually kill the microorganisms that may be found in your in-home water supply. In fact, because the filter is not designed to kill bacteria, it becomes a breeding ground for microorganisms, especially if you fail to conduct proper maintenance.
Can you drink tap water in France? Although many French people prefer bottled water, in most places in France, tap water is perfectly okay to drink. Some locales, like Paris, even pride themselves on the quality of their tap water.
Yes, tap water in Paris is perfectly safe to drink and is readily available wherever you go, even at public water fountains. As long as taps aren't labeled eau non potable—meaning “not for drinking” in French—everything else is potable. In fact, drinking water from the fountains of Paris has been encouraged.
Europe's Water Is Generally Safe
Leave the iodine tablets at home! The tap water throughout most of Europe is completely safe to drink. The taps in hotels, homes, restaurants and cafés all run with potable water. Of course, there's always room for common sense.