Tap or Bottled Water?
By sadgirl_1958
@sadgirl_1958 (1088)
United States
February 26, 2007 11:20pm CST
The water in my city is contaminated from a host of chemicals - including radiation. Despite heavy taxation, the city is fighting a federal order to clean up the water - arguing that it is perfectly safe to drink. I bought a distiller and we distill our drinking water and for use in preparing food. It is a bit time consuming, further the problem with distillation is the loss of important minerals in the water - hence I also "re-mineralize" the water. We do drink bottled spring water - but there is so much out there that indicates this isn't safe either and since the processing isn't government controlled - you may be drinking straight tap water anyway.
I was wondering what other people are doing. Do you drink water straight from your kitchen tap or do you process it with a filteration system or drink bottled water?
3 people like this
15 responses
@comedyaddict (772)
• Canada
27 Feb 07
Most of my water is free too. There is a guy a couple miles away that has a spring in his front yard, and he lets everyone fill up. Gotta love Canadians for giving away something like that in their front yard! ;)
2 people like this
@sadgirl_1958 (1088)
• United States
27 Feb 07
That sounds absolutely heavenly! I wish we had access to spring water. There used to be a brewery not to far from us that gave free spring water. But they closed down as so many small breweries do. If I am ever up your way, I'll make sure to drink my fill of the water! :p
1 person likes this
@Only1Andrea (796)
• United States
27 Feb 07
I hate water period. I think it has a funny taste and from the tap is horrible. If I do drink water it is usually bottled water and it usually has a flavor to it.
2 people like this
@comedyaddict (772)
• Canada
27 Feb 07
I second SadGirls comments on this. Water is something we all need in fairly large quantities..
2 people like this
@sadgirl_1958 (1088)
• United States
27 Feb 07
Water is so important to health! The average adult should drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day. To not drink the minimum of water can result in dehydration at the cellular level - causing a host of health problems. Read the book, "The Body's Many Cries for Water." It will change your whole outlook on the importance of drinking water.
1 person likes this
@sudhir4441 (668)
• India
27 Feb 07
tap water is much better than bottle water. for me first priority will always be tap water.
@sadgirl_1958 (1088)
• United States
27 Feb 07
You are fortunate to live some where that the tap water is secure - I don't feel so safe with my water.
1 person likes this
@cherriemae (3370)
• Philippines
22 Apr 07
your unfortunate having a contaminated water in your city..here in our country the Philippines, specially in Davao City, we are sure that the water that is coming from the faucet is clean and safe..we directly drink tap water, also we used it for cooking too..were not much drinking bottled water coz it's expensive for us..
2 people like this
@sadgirl_1958 (1088)
• United States
23 Apr 07
This is a luxury for so many - to have safe and reliable sources of drinking water.
1 person likes this
@jyotirmoy1982 (45)
• India
27 Feb 07
Now this is so true for my present city Noida! The water out here is very very bad for drinking, so we have to buy packaged and processed water for drinking purpose. On the contrary when I used to be in Calcutta the tap water out there was pure enough for drinking purpose. So I have sen both sides of the coin, drinking straight form the tap and buying packaged water for drinlink purpose.
@sadgirl_1958 (1088)
• United States
28 Feb 07
I am surprised a city as large as Calcutta would have safe tap water for drinking. That is impressive. I have lived in several metropolitan areas and wouldn't think to drink the water. Sorry to hear about Noida. It seems we take for granted that we should have access to drinking water.
1 person likes this
@PurpleTeddyBear (6685)
• Canada
22 Apr 07
I live in canada and the tap water here is fine, it's not contaminated or anything at all. To me tap water just tastes funky though, so we always get bottled water!
2 people like this
@sadgirl_1958 (1088)
• United States
23 Apr 07
It is unfortunate that so many people in the world don't have safe drinking water and we take this important life source for granted.
1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28955)
• Canada
27 Feb 07
Tap water is cheaper (free!!) and very good, where I live.
2 people like this
@sadgirl_1958 (1088)
• United States
27 Feb 07
You are very lucky. Many parts of the world - the water just isn't safe. When I go to Bangladesh - the tap water is boiled for a long time to make it safe for drinking - but the taste isn't very good.
1 person likes this
@Jemina (5770)
•
21 Jun 07
One of the things that I miss in Lucban, Quezon is that I can drink the water from the tap. It's seldom even in the Philippines to find a place where tap water is still safe for drinking.
Here in Thailand we drink distilled, filtered, mineral and all sorts of purified water. Don't really know where the water is coming from but they are all in a bottle or you can buy them at a water vending machine like the one in the picture.
@sadgirl_1958 (1088)
• United States
26 Jun 07
I have been to Thailand so I am aware of the water situation. I think many people take for granted that drinking and washing water should be readily available and free for all. Sadly, this is not the case as safe, fresh water supplies diminish on the earth.
@sadgirl_1958 (1088)
• United States
24 Apr 07
It is fortunate indeed - I wonder how many people have their water tested to ensure that it is safe or if they just assume it is safe...or it tastes okay - so they think it is safe?
@tacoman25 (233)
• United States
27 Feb 07
I've never had a bad experience with tap water. I just can't stand to pay for something I can get for free - so I never get bottled water, unless I'm on a trip or something. At work, I use the drinking fountains all the time.
@sadgirl_1958 (1088)
• United States
28 Feb 07
I understand how you wouldn't want to pay for water - but as water sources increasingly become unsafe - you may find yourself with little choice in the matter.
1 person likes this
@pacific_pa (230)
• India
27 Feb 07
i think u should use bottled water only if u r sure the water in ur city is contamitnated..
@sadgirl_1958 (1088)
• United States
28 Feb 07
Oh I am sure of it - the federal government has ordered our city government to clean it up!
1 person likes this
@sadgirl_1958 (1088)
• United States
19 May 07
I have distilled my tap water and now I have a water filter installed. I don't trust tap at all. I think that you are right - the U.S. probably drinks more bottled water than anywhere else.
@sadgirl_1958 (1088)
• United States
19 May 07
Our natural resources are already polluted. We have dwindling access to fresh clean water - it is just that the governments tend to keep this hush hush. Have your water tested - you may be surprised.
