The world's largest consumer of bottled water - the United States. People spend $16 billion a year on bottled water. In this article we'll explore the differences and pros and cons of bottled and filtered water so you can make a smart choice.

What is filtered water?

Filtered water is tap water that has been purified to remove harmful substances and unpleasant odors and is safe to drink.

Common filtration methods include water pipe filters, reverse osmosis filtration systems, distillation, ion exchange and activated carbon filtration. Now refrigerators often include water dispensers, and the filtration of refrigerator water dispensers is activated carbon filtration.

What are the advantages of filtered water?

Filtered water has no odor

There was an unpleasant smell in the tap water, that was chlorine added by the council to the tap water to kill bacteria. Filtered water removes magazines, harmful substances and other contaminants from the water. So the filtered water you drink is free of unpleasant odors.

healthy filtered water

The filter filters out the harmful substances that are not good for people in the tap water, and leaves the beneficial minerals, which makes the water we drink healthier and beneficial to the growth of the body.

Filtered water is affordable in the long run

Purchasing and installing a filtration system can be expensive, and in the long run, the cost of filtered water is far less than the cost of bottled water. Even if a new filter needs to be replaced on time, the cost of a new filter is still less than the cost of buying packaged water.

Nowadays, refrigerators all have water dispensers. The water from the water dispenser in the refrigerator is the water that has passed through the activated carbon filter, and you can drink it with confidence. Buying a refrigerator with water dispenser function can save you money on installing a filter system, such as DA29-00020B, DA29-00003G, LT1000PC, MWF These refrigerators have water dispenser function, even if you need to buy a new filter, but Also a lot less than buying bottled water.

Filtered water is available on demand

One of the greatest advantages of filtered water is getting it exactly when you need it. You don't need to buy in bulk to keep stock, and you won't run out. At the touch of a button or lever, you can get uncontaminated drinking water! Fill the party with water jugs so guests can refill their cups, and keep a portable water bottle with you so you can take filtered water with you wherever you go. Some people even like to fill the refrigerator with reusable bottles. If you like cold water, this is a great way to get it when you want it.

Advantages of bottled water

Now that we've looked at filtered water, let's turn our attention to bottled water. Here are the advantages of buying and drinking bottled water.

Convenience

Bottled water is convenient. It allows you to carry water with you. Upstairs, in the backyard and in your car. You can grab a bottle and hit the road.

Also, if you forget to get one from home, you can easily buy one from any store, restaurant or gas station.

Drink less than tap water

People worry about drinking tap water. Bottled water is a safer option because it is filtered tap water.

Chemicals and contaminants present in tap water have been removed from bottled water.

Tastes better than tap water

Bottled water tastes and smells better than tap water. So is bottled water filtered? Yes.

Bottled water is filtered before being bottled and sold. Filtered water removes chlorine and other chemicals that can cause unpleasant odors and tastes.

With your filtration system, you can enjoy the same taste as bottled water at home.

Disadvantages of drinking bottled water

The disadvantages of bottled water far outweigh the convenience and taste benefits. In fact, the EU is working to ban bottled water.

Why are so many organizations globally fighting bottled water? Please read carefully to find out.

ethical implications

A documentary called Tapped takes a long and in-depth look at the big business of bottled water.

The film explores how an industry struggles to privatize and sell back a resource that shouldn't be a commodity.

Converting water into a commodity for profit affects the people who live in the area. It reduces their access to basic human rights.

impact on the environment

Plastic is one of the major environmental hazards on the planet. Although plastic is recyclable, sadly 80% of water bottles are not recycled.

The world buys one million bottles of water every minute, and that number is growing. Most end up in landfills, and millions end up as garbage. It takes 700 years for a water bottle to start to decompose.

All of this plastic comes back to us in the form of microplastics, the equivalent of a credit card every two weeks by bottled water drinkers.

In addition, we must also consider the carbon footprint of producing and transporting water from the bottling plant to the resale store.

All this comes at a price

We have already discussed this issue in the filtered water section. Even if you don't care at all about the ethical and environmental impact of bottled water, this should make you sit up and pay attention.

Even if you don't realize that the average Spanish family of 3 spends over 500 euros per year on bottled water.

However, which is better? Filtered or bottled?

Often, both options have advantages, but the winner is clear: filtered water beats bottled water on nearly every measure. suspicious? continue reading.

Bottled Water: Convenience and Availability

To be fair, we'll start with the advantages of bottled water.

The main thing is convenience: it's so readily available, it's been conveniently packaged in a (hopefully) hygienic container; the bottle is lightweight and disposable. These advantages mainly apply to mobile hydration.

When purchased for outdoor drinking, bottled water is usually easy to cool, and if you want a bit of flavor or some bubbles, these options will suffice as well. Carry a bottle of water with you!

Filtered water is more like tap water in this regard: you need to pour it into a suitable container (requiring regular washing, especially if you flavor the water with a slice of lemon or a drop of dilutable squash), you actually need to remember to bring It, you might have to carry it with you for a while to get that drink.

Filtered Water: As Good - Or Better - As Bottled Water

Filtered water is just as good for you as bottled water, and may be better in some cases.

Many (especially cheaper) bottled water brands are just tap water, filtered or/or otherwise purified, then packaged in convenient plastic bottles and sold to us from every supermarket and convenience store. In fact, unless the origin of the bottled water is stated on the bottle (the water is often sold as "mineral water"), it's likely that the water has been filtered using the exact same techniques used in household water filtration.

Surprisingly, in the UK, the rules for tap water suppliers are stricter than those for bottled water producers - for example, tap water must be tested at the source more often than bottled water!

Tap water comes in plastic bottles, and there is evidence that harmful bisphenol A (BPA) can leach into the water from plastic under the influence of sunlight.

Filtered water is cheaper

Prices vary, but estimates suggest that bottled water can be 250 to 10,000 times more expensive than filtered water. We pay for convenience and packaging, but we also pay for massive marketing efforts designed to convince us to buy water at a 500% premium. Did you know that the cost of actual water is only 10% of the price of bottled water?

Filtered water is much better for the environment

This is the biggest advantage of filtering tap water. The bottled water industry is in many ways very wasteful, irresponsible and bad for the environment.

Bottles first: the production of plastic and the massive amount of plastic waste that disposes of single-use bottles is a major strain on the world's resources - and in most cases, completely unnecessary. Most bottles end up in landfill or incineration (burning plastic is also not ideal).

Second, bottled water is transported using fossil fuels, sometimes over long distances. Even though this is slightly more reasonable for mineral waters with special ingredients, it often happens not unlike pure tap water from a public supply for corporate logistics reasons. Recycled empty bottles are often transported to great distances, even as far away as China. No wonder it's so expensive!

Glass bottles do not generate a lot of waste, but glass production also has an environmental impact, and transporting heavier bottles consumes more fuel.

Finally, extracting bottled water damages the local environment, depriving local people and entire ecosystems of the water they need to thrive.

Comparing the pros and cons of filtered versus bottled water, the choice is clear: For use at home, filtered tap water is popular and, if possible, should be used on the go.

Installing a water filtration system in your home, a refrigerator with a filter, or even purchasing a simple kettle filter will provide you with a cheaper and more environmentally friendly way to replenish water at home. A little thought (basically, fill up your bottle and don't forget to take it with you) will help you avoid expense and waste when you're out and about.