Did you know that the bottled your water you’re drinking might not be as clean as you think it is? The National Resource Defense Council conducted a 4-year-study and independent testing of over 1,000 bottles of water and found that are no assurances that bottled water is any cleaner than tap water. They also found that at least 25% of bottled water is believed to be bottled tap water. What?!

A 2010 Environmental Working Group study found that among the 10 best-selling brands including Aquafinia, Dasani, Crystal Geyser, and 6 of 7 Nestle branded water could not answer the following questions: Where does the water come from? Is it purified? How is it purified? And have tests found any contaminants?

The average cost of a 16.9-ounce water bottle is about $1.20. Compare that to homeowners who on average pay $5.34 per 1,000 gallons of water. Just in case you’re wondering 1,000 gallons of water is the equivalent of 128,000-ounces. That means you are paying $.071 for each ounce of water in a bottle, versus $.00004171875 from the tap (that is 1,800 times less). To fill a 16.9-ounce bottle with tap water it would cost $.000705046875. We are talking about numbers that are a fraction of a penny.

So why are you paying upwards of 1,800 times more per ounce over the water you get from your tap? For a lot of us it’s the taste. Drinking water that comes directly out of our faucet might not give us the greatest confidence. Unpleasant odors and taste are rarely an accurate indication that something is wrong. Bottled water can often be described as tasting “fresh”.

If you are connected to a public utility, your drinking water might not seem very fresh because it has undertaken a long journey from the time it was taken from a source to reaching your tap. The most common complaints about taste are almost guaranteed to be the result of the chlorine that is being used to disinfect water. Chlorine diluted in water supplies has few health risks, however, there can be unpleasant side effects. An earthy or musty smell is likely the result of bacteria or algae likely growing on the inside of taps or around rubber washers.  Bitter metallic tastes can be a sign that old fixtures might need to be replaced.

While bottled water might be a more convenient option for you, it does not help the environment at all. Did you know that 75% of plastic water bottles are not recycled? Not only is buying bottled water expensive, wasteful and damaging to the environment it is also not guaranteed that the water that you are drinking is any better than tap water.

Think of it this way: You can buy a 5-pack of Brita filters that use carbon filtration to absorb the unpleasant tastes and odors, copper, cadmium and mercury at a cost of $6.75 per filter. One thing you should remember: Buying filters in bulk can save you a lot as opposed to buying single packs.

Here’s what you need to know about in-home water filtration: A Brita filter has a recommended capacity of 40 gallons, that converts to 5,120 ounces. That means running regular old tap water through a Brita can fill a 16.9-ounce water bottle for about $.022 (nearly 54 times less expensive than buying a bottle of water.)

Have a refrigerator with a water dispenser? Even better! Here’s a look at the numbers. We looked at the Whirlpool EDR3RXD1 and found it is designed to filter 200 gallons or 256,00 ounces of water. At a cost of $42.90 per filter, you can fill a 16.9-ounce water bottle for $.028 (nearly 43 times less expensive than a bottle of water). The comparable Water Sentinel WSW-5 costs $29.90 and also filters 200 gallons at a cost of $.019 to fill a 16.9-ounce bottle of water.

Just for kicks and giggles, let’s look at how much a family of 4 would spend if they each consumed the recommended 64-ounces of fluids per day for a whole year from the following sources, assuming a cost of $5.34 per 1,000 gallons of water from the tap and $1.20 for a 16.9 ounce bottle of water:

• Bottled Water: $6,632 (you would have to buy and throw out the equivalent of 5,528 bottles!)
• Tap Water: $3.88
• Brita Filter: $120.32
• Whirlpool Filter: $155.84

What does all of this tell us? Filters not only reduce or remove bad tastes and odors, they are better for the environment because they last longer and use less plastic, and they can save you thousands of dollars.

Will you join us in ditching plastic and invest in filters for your home? Don’t wait, order your water filters today!