Before you pick up those attractive bottles of bottled drinking water on a daily basis, you should be aware of some of the differences between tap water and bottled water. You should learn about benefits of tap water versus bottled water so as to make an educated choice that could make an impact on the environment for future generations.
In most developed countries tap water is strictly monitored and is definitely safe for drinking purposes, among others. Tap water is usually taken from lakes and passed through an intense purification process to remove all harmful contaminants before it is supplied through pipes to individual households. Most countries also add fluoride to the water depending on the geographical location of that country or state, the condition of the water and the requirements of the public to whom the water has to be supplied. Most families are perfectly happy with the tap water supplied to their homes and do not use any additional method of filtration before using it for drinking purposes.
However, if you feel that you require additional filtration then you can use a full-size or countertop 5 gallon bottle or bottle-less model of a dispenser that connects directly to your municipal tap. These dispensers have filters fitted inside the unit and you can get water that is filtered again, so as to provide you with totally pure drinking water and also give you peace of mind that you are indeed drinking safe drinking water. You could also fill up bottles of this filtered water and cool them in your fridge or buy a dispenser with an inbuilt cooler. There are many reputed manufacturers of such dispensers-cum-filters such as vitapur that could solve your filtration problems, especially if your tap water is of suspect quality. But if you compare tap water vs. bottled water then tap water certainly has an edge over bottled water.
While tap water passes through various filtration processes for removal of contaminants and is delivered right to your home through pipes, bottled water sold in stores offers convenience when you are on the move. However, bottled water that is available in many different brands requires a lot of energy to produce and transport, and also consumes a large amount of oil to produce the bottles. Bottles used for bottled water pose an environmental nightmare since the bottles are very difficult to dispose. Since regulations are quite hazy, you might simply be drinking tap water that is bottled instead of actual spring water or mineral water that actually has health benefits. You will also have to carry bottles of bottled water to your home and then haul the empty bottles back for disposal in landfills where it will linger for thousands of years or burn them and produce toxic smoke. However, if you are traveling to places where there is no guaranteed source of safe drinking water then carrying bottled water with you would be a safer alternative. A sensible idea would be to stick to drinking tap water or water filtered from dispensers while buying bottled water only when it is necessary. This will help you to preserve the environment, save a lot of money and ensure good health for your loved ones and yourself too.
There are many benefits of tap water versus bottled water but ultimately you will have to decide as to which drinking water most suits your purpose. Tap water does have many advantages including environmental ones and you can still buy bottled water only when you actually need it.