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Drinking water of millions of Americans contaminated with ‘forever chemicals’
(www.theguardian.com)
this post was submitted on 17 Aug 2023
314 points (97.3% liked)
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Everyone for years - "Why do you waste money on bottled water" (the big 5 gallon kind on a dispenser)
Me - Uh, have you ever had tap water?
Isn't most bottled water just tap water packaged in landfill fodder?
Yep most people have no clue that your bottle water is tap water filter but as all the same chemicals in them.
If they didn't the water turn green or brown in a month.
Grew up on well water you can't keep it for months on end and if you don't use the line for awhile there is a smell.
That's... Not at all right. Pour that bottled water into your well and see what happens.
Putting purified water in a bottle seals it off from contamination. Your well doesn't have that.
It's like sterile and sealed medical equipment vs something left out on the table for weeks on end.
I'm no bottled water fanatic, but it's not magical chemicals keeping the bottled water from growing bacteria.
Damn sure is it fucking tap water that been flitered. Worked 20 years in the water industry don't talk to me like I don't know.
So whatever in your tap water in your bottle water. No magic chemicals just good fashion chlorine same shit put in bleach.
Hell some small water departments actually put bleach in the water I know been there when they did it.
https://waterdefense.org/water/bottled/bottled-water-brands-without-chlorine/
The point is the water stays clear (i.e. does not turn brown within a month) not because of chemicals but because it's been sterilized (and then put in a sealed bottle). If it sterilization didn't work, distilled water would have some serious issues.
The water stays clean because it is free of bacteria (and also potentially free of the nutrients bacteria need to grow) ... unlike well water which is often pulling from shallow wells which are not close to sterile.
Sparkletts has a filter option which iirc they call primo and a spring water option. I get the spring water, so unless they are flat out lying, no it’s not in my case.
You're right. No one in the bottled water industry would lie. What possible motive would they have?
I understand that, but I can’t do anymore due diligence than I have done.
I’ve also had to switch water companies 3 or 4 times now because fucking nestle keeps buying the small local companies. Fuck nestle.
Good on you for avoiding Nestle, but you'd be way better off with refilling a good steel or glass bottle.
I do use reusable steel and glass bottles.
Awesome, buying bottled water is a ripoff and an environmental disaster.
I think spring water can technically count as tap water.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/spring-water-vs-purified-water#spring-water
Underground aquifers are definitely used as the tap water source in some areas.
The main difference between spring water and tap, is likely that your tap has fluoride and chlorine to A) help with dental health and B) keep the water safe if there's some kind of contamination on its way to your home.
If you own your home or can install one... I highly recommend just installing a reverse osmosis system for your drinking water. It needs annual service, but it's a heck of a lot easier and cheaper than buying all your drinking water in bottles.
I rent so I’m stuck with that I’ve got. As I’ve said, I can’t do anymore due diligence here.
I've also had to switch water companies 4 or 5 times now because nestle keeps buying up the little local companies. I also use stainless or glass bottles for drinking out of.
Nestle claims they still used the same spring as the last company (which had the best tasting water) but as soon as nestle took over it tasted exactly like the rest of the arrowhead shit. Plus the service went to hell. So I switched to sparkletts.
Okay. Just as a friendly option you possibly haven't considered, I used ZeroWater for a while before I bought a home and could install a reverse osmosis system; it might be a good value for you, and it does a really good job of cleaning up tap.
I’ve tried multiple variations of those, and they all end up smelling/tasting horrible anyhow. Thanks though. What we are doing works well for us.