Bottled Water: The Height of Stupidity

Bottled water is a joke, one of the biggest consumer and taxpayer ripoffs ever. I applaud California's Attorney General Jerry Brown who said recently that he will sue to block a proposed water-bottling operation in Northern California by Nestle.

Next, Attorneys General everywhere should require recycling of all plastic bottles and containers by requiring deposits to be paid to encourage returns, as is the case with aluminum cans. Not only do society and the environment pay an unfair price for this consumer hoax, but consumers are being hoodwinked. They are paying from 300 to 3,000 times more than the cost of tap water without any benefit.
Here's an estimate by a University of Toronto geology professor Andrew Miall who took a picture of a grocery store skid of bottled water and calculated the extent of the ripoff.

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The scam
The water is usually not superior to "city" water or tap water, and is merely a big branding hoax by soda makers. In some cases, this "designer" water is drawn from tap water and labeled for suckers to buy as though it is a superior product.

Dasani in Britain was caught doing this. There are not regulations or proper labeling requirements governing bottled water as there is involving tap water. Some water may be contaminated.

Bottles of water are not fluoridated which has been created tooth decay problems among youngsters and adults who avoid tap water.

There are indications that the plastic may contain harmful carcinogens.

Bottles of water are mini gas guzzlers
One expert estimated that the amount of petroleum -- used to make the bottles, transport, refrigerate, collect and bury them -- would fill one-third of each bottle.

These plastic bottles are creating landfill problems worldwide, and are washing up on beautiful beaches around the planet.

What's wrong with using filters, if people are concerned about local water supplies, and refillable bottles?

Another stupidity
A real estate developer explained the idiocy of ordering bottled water in restaurants. He said bylaws require special water filtration systems be installed so that their "tap water" is safer than any.

Of course, there's always those who want fancy sparkling or soda water, but that's another issue.
About the only justification for bottled water is in developing countries where water supplies are decidedly unsafe or untrustworthy.

Comments

[JaneLazgin]

Contrary to what this post suggests, not all water is created equal. Tap water is delivered in bulk, while bottled water is delivered in smaller amounts with extra filtration before being sealed in hygienic containers. Even when bottled waters come from municipal sources, they receive extra filtration that tap supplies do not. Each serves different needs and has different production costs.
The U.S. currently faces alarming rates of obesity and diabetes. Eliminating bottled water removes an important, healthful, calorie- and sugar-free beverage option for on-the-go consumption. Our research indicates that if bottled water weren’t available, people would drink more soda or other caloric, sweetened beverages.
Nestlé Waters North America realizes that bottled water, like all manufactured goods, has an environmental footprint. We’re working hard to reduce ours through our LEED-certified plants, lightweighted bottles (our Eco-Shape bottle, for example), and investigation of recycled PET and bio-sourced materials. But we know we have more to do.
We agree with Francis’s sentiment that too many plastic bottles end up in landfills. But, it’s a fallacy to think the environmental challenges created by packaging waste can be solved by focusing solely on one product. Less than one-third of 1% of the U.S. municipal waste stream comes from empty water bottles. To truly make a difference, we need to focus on developing comprehensive recycling solutions that keep ALL household containers out of landfills.
Jane Lazgin, Director, Corporate Communications
Nestlé Waters North America

[joebiz]

I agree with the post to a certain extent. Water from particular bottlers just tastes better.

In Califronia, we have what's called a California Refund Value (CRV) for each container of potable water or canned drink. Consumers CRV when they purchase beverages from a retailer, which is refunded when they redeem the containers at a recycling center.

[Diane Francis - Huffpost Blogger]

I suspect some of the distrust of "city" water is an all-govern­ment-is-ev­il, anti-flouridation paranoia? How bad can it be and filters are the answer. Or, hey how about this, lemons and limes?

[NL207]

to paraphrase: 'I suspect some of the distrust of 'big oil' is an all-large-­corporatio­ns-are-evi­l market mamipulation paranoia?'

Isn't it a whole lot more likely that the city water tastes bad out of the tap, and consumers are simply unaware of water filters, too lazy to use them, too lazy to make the water into lemonade or too trend-fashion concious not to use bottled water? Isn't it a strretch to blame anti-government sentiment for what can be readily explained by sloth, ignorance and peer pressure?

[psf]

It's still healthier to buy a bottle of water than to buy a bottle of soda (regular or diet)(i'm convinced diet, with it's artificial sweeteners is worse than regular, but that's a whole 'nother thing).

[EdinNJ]

I used to drink bottled water exclusively. But with two kids now, it would cost a fortune to do that now, without even considering the other issues mentioned here.

Now, after installing an under sink filtration system, along with my refrigerator's filtration system, I bet my cold drinking water from the door of my refrigerator tastes better than the tap water Coke and Pepsi use in Dasani and Aquafina. And I never have to worry about whether I remembered to stock it and I don't have to pile up the empty bottles in my garage to be picked up every two weeks.

[jvarga]

"They are paying from 300 to 3,000 times more than the cost of tap water without any benefit."

Apparently you don't know what the tap water tastes like here.

[fact finder]

Or the fact that many people have to periodically boil their PUBLIC water in order to make it safe. If as she says it is tap water from municipal water suppyes it all ready has been fluoridated. I do how ever agree about the bottles.

[drkazmd65]

And how often does that 'periodically' having to boil tap water to make it safe happen?

I have lived in the good old USA my whole life. I have had to boil my public tap water all of on one occasion (I was in KS at the time, and the local water treatment plant flooded and got shut down for about 1 day). The authorities reccomended we boil our water for drinking and cooking for about 2 days after that.

Red Herring alert. If this has happened to me (as one example) exactly once in my 40+ years of life - how big can the danger be?

For those rare occasions (and they are rare outside of natural disasters like Katrina or other major storms) bottled water would seem the logical choice. There are also rare occasions (while traveling on airlines) where bottled water might make sense.

In all other situations - buying bottled water is simply and absolutely idiotic idea.

[drkazmd65]

Buy a simple, safe Britta pitcher with activated charcoal filters. Better yet - buy one of the many in or under sink water filtration systems.

The place I live in in KY for about a year had tap water with a distinct sulphur smell and taste. The under sink filtration system worked wonders. AND - you don't have to waste money on crappy bottled water.