Is bottled water safer than tap water? Today, we are going to answer this question for you once and for all.
We have over 25 years of experience in the home water services industry, and we'd love to share our expertise with you!
We will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both bottled water and tap water to help you decide which is the best option for your family. So let's jump in!
Is bottled water safer than tap water? Find out
Is Bottled Water Safer Than Tap Water to Drink?
Is bottled water safer than tap water? It depends on where your tap water comes from.
Municipal Tap Water:
If you get your tap water from your local municipality, then the answer is no. Local municipalities in Canada regularly test their water supplies to make sure that they meet the high standards required by the laws outlined by the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks.
Private Wells:
If you get your tap water from a private well then you need to test your water in order to find out if it is safe to drink or not. Your well water could contain harmful bacteria such as E.coli and coliforms as well as nitrates and fluoride.
If your well water has unsafe levels of bacteria, nitrates, or fluoride, then it may be unsafe for you to drink. Public Health Ontario offers free testing for bacteria in well water. If you want to test for nitrates or fluoride, then that test currently costs $17 each.
If you have a private well, you need to test your water yourself to see if it is safe to drink
Is Bottled Water Safer than Tap Water for the Environment?
No. Purchasing bottled water is not safer for the environment than tap water, especially if you purchase individual bottles of water.
Even though plastic water bottles can be recycled, only about 70% of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles - the type that can be recycled - are recycled by Canadians according to the Canadian Beverage Association. The remainder end up in our landfill sites.
It also requires up to 3 litres of water to make 1 litre of bottled water if you take into consideration the amount of water that's needed to make each individual plastic bottle.
But What If My Water Tastes Bad?
If your tap water tastes bad and you prefer the taste of bottled water, but you want to be more environmentally conscious, you could start using large refillable bottles. This is an economical and more environmentally-friendly option to purchasing individual bottles of water.
You can purchase BPA free refillable bottles from WaterSmart so you don't have to worry about harmful chemicals seeping into your water. WaterSmart also has a convenient bottle washer on-site to ensure that your reusable bottles are completely clean before you refill them.
Contact the friendly staff at WaterSmart today to find out about our wide range of bottled water products that are cost-effective and include free delivery.
If you don’t like the taste of tap water you can purchase large, refillable bottles
Is Bottled Water Safer than Tap Water for my bank account?
No. Tap water is by far the cheapest way to get your drinking water costing only a fraction of a penny per litre. Purchasing individual bottles of drinking water is very expensive. Individual bottled water can cost anywhere from 8 cents per 500ml, if purchased in bulk from a large store such as Walmart, to over $2.50 if purchased from a vending machine.
An incredible 90% of the cost of individual bottled water is the packaging, which includes the plastic manufactured to contain the water and the labelling created by the seller to brand it. So if you are concerned about saving money, tap water is your best option.
But What if My Children Hate the Taste?
If you want your children to drink more water and stay away from unhealthy sugary drinks, then an inexpensive compromise would be to purchase large, 18 litre refillable bottles of water that you can attach to a water cooler.
Water coolers are a great way to encourage your children to drink more water, because they are easier to reach than a high kitchen tap and they also have a ready supply of cold, refreshing water.
If you live in the Waterloo region, you can fill your own bottles with great tasting water for as little as 20 cents per litre from WaterSmart. You can save even more money if you sign up for our prepaid water plan.
A water cooler is a great way to get your children to drink more water
Is Bottled Water Better Than Tap Water if You Have Hard Water?
Yes and no. Even though tap water is safe to drink, it does pose some problems if you have hard water.
If you live in the Kitchener-Waterloo region, you probably know how important it is to have a water softener installed in your home as the region has some of the hardest water in Canada. A water softener removes the dissolved minerals found in hard water, that can cause problems around your home such as:
Unsightly Film: You may notice an unsightly white film that forms on your bathroom and kitchen tiles and fixtures and builds up on your water appliances.
Increase in Energy Bills: Over time, hard water will leave a scale build-up in your hot water heater that will cause it to be less efficient, use more energy, and cost you more in energy bills. This is because scale is a poor conductor of heat.
Decrease in Water Pressure: You may also get a build-up of scale in your pipes that will eventually decrease your water pressure, especially in your hot water pipes.
Spotty Dishes: Hard water also affects your glasses and dishes leaving them with a white film or spots after they have been cleaned.
Dry Skin: Hard water will leave behind a soapy film on your skin after showering. It can leave your skin feeling dry.
Limp and Dull Hair: You may find that your shampoo won't rinse out completely so your hair is left looking limp and dull.
Unpleasant Hot Drinks: Some people don't like the taste of tea or coffee made with hard water. In addition, if you have hard water, you may notice a foggy scum at the bottom of your drink that is quite unpleasant.
I need a water softener but i don’t like the taste of softened water
There are mixed opinions regarding the taste of your tap water when you have a water softener.
Some people don’t like the taste of softened water
Some people prefer the taste because the softener removes the taste of the minerals in the water that cause it to be hard.
On the other hand, some people don’t like the taste of their tap water once their water is softened. If this is the case, you may prefer to purchase large, economical re-fillable bottled water for your drinking water.
Trust Watersmart for economical Bottled water
If you prefer to drink bottled water, but you want an economical and environmentally-friendly solution, contact Watersmart.
You can rely on WaterSmart not only for great affordable bottled water services but for all of your home water needs. WaterSmart is a full-service plumbing company that can fix any type of plumbing problem you may have and at a price that you can afford.
Is your water too hard? A water softener can help you solve your hard water problem. The professionals at WaterSmart can also help you choose the most effective water softener for the level of hardness in your particular area.
Contact WaterSmart today for all of you home water services.
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