Is Tap Water Cleaner Than Bottled Water? Why You Need to Know

Municipal Sources

Publicly treated or “municipal” sources are used by 25% of the bottling companies in the US.  Sometimes the companies take additional steps, to insure quality or taste, but in other cases, no other steps are taken.

A municipal source may be surface or groundwater.  In some areas, it’s a river.  In others, there are deep-water wells that require little pre-treatment before being delivered to a home or an industry.

So, is tap water cleaner than bottled water sold at stores in your neighborhood?  It might be just as clean.  It might be the same thing

Springs & Mineral Wells

Springs are points where groundwater flows onto the surface.  But, in many cases, bottling companies collect the waters by means of a well.  In the United States, bottling companies are required to list the name and location of the spring that is the source.

For example, Poland Spring, a Nestle brand, may come from a variety of sources in Maine or Massachusetts.  The company settled a class action lawsuit in 2003 for alleging that their products contain “spring” water, when they actually contain “heavily treated common groundwater”.  The case was settled without Nestle admitting to any wrong doing, but agreeing to make $10 million dollars worth of charitable donations and offering discounts for their products.

If you live in Fryeburg, Maine, you are actually paying Nestle to bottle the water that flows out of your tap.  There are numerous other areas in similar situations.  So, when it comes to “spring-water” bottled in the United States, the answer to “is tap water cleaner than bottled water sold at stores in the neighborhood” is “it is just as clean”.

When it comes to bottled mineral waters, regulations around the world vary.  In the EU, disinfection of natural mineral water is prohibited.  In the US, the waters must contain at least 250 parts per billion of total dissolved solids or TDS. The average TDS content of tap-water is between 42 and 62.

The higher the mineral content, the lower the clarity, sometimes considered a part of “cleanliness”.  So, is tap water cleaner than bottled water sold at stores and labeled “mineral water”?  Yes, in a way tap-water is cleaner.

Tap water around the world contains numerous chemical contaminants, including chlorine, which affects the taste and odor.  Some of the chemicals, both synthetic and naturally occurring, increase our risk of cancers and other chronic diseases.

Public facilities cannot remove all traces of these contaminants.  Reverse osmosis, the choice for treatment used by most bottlers will not remove them.  Parasitic cysts are not removed by public means of disinfection.  They cause illness that can kill the elderly and those already in pore health.  Bottles may also be contaminated with cysts.

A Better Choice - Wisest Option

The best and safest choice is home filtration, using a multi-stage selective device to remove harmful chemicals, while improving taste.  Is tap water cleaner than bottled water sold at stores, when the homeowner has a filter on their tap?

 The answer is “yes”, as long as they chose a high quality product. Since my research compared many brands, I recommend only one.  This is because of not just the price but more importantly it proved to be the best at removing dangerous contaminants.  Advice: Buy no bottled water. Filter your own tap water at home.