The Bottled Water Controversy

Americans today drink more bottled water than ever before. The reason for the increased interest in the beverage ranges from health choice to convenience. Despite the reason, the odorless, tasteless, colorless liquid has made its mark on the global economy with in its signature plastic container.

According to the article "Plastic Bottles Pile Up as Mountains of Waste", the popularity of bottled water has not just grown, it has exploded. In 1993, the per capita consumption of bottled water was 10.5 gallons. By 2003, that number had skyrocketed to 22.6 gallons. The growth in consumption naturally translated into a growth in sales. In 1997, 3.3 billion bottles of water were sold in the U.S. By 2002, sales were up to a whopping 15 billion bottles. With these numbers, the beverage industry has good reason to be afraid of water.

The increase in bottled water's popularity also worries the conservationists, who believe that the billion of bottles sold are not being recycled like they should be. The oil used to make the bottles along with the environmentally unfriendly qualities of the plastic are other reasons for the outcry. Environmental lobbyists are trying to get a deposit law in place that covers all bottled water containers. They hope that deposit will be an incentive to boost the recycling rates. Beverage companies, however, see a deposit law as just another hit to their profit margins, because it will make water even more popular.

To the health conscious, bottled water is a godsend. The increase in bottled water consumption means that more Americans are drinking water. The health benefits of water are well known, and doctors across the country see the growth in bottled water sales as a great thing.

Despite the increased popularity of bottled water, health officials are also quick to point out the fact that bottled water has no significant health benefits over its sister tap water. As a matter of fact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's chemist Henry Kim, PhD, says that the standards for bottled water are very similar to those for tap water. In some areas of the country, the tap water may even be better because of the added mineral fluoride. Bottled water usually lacks fluoride, which is a concern for the dental profession. They say that children are affected most, and that parents of a child who drinks primarily bottled water should inform the dentist at every visit.

The cost of bottled water over tap is also a significant issue. According to the New York Times article "A Battle between the Bottle and the Faucet", tap water in New York City costs a meager 49 cents per year for the average resident who drinks his full eight servings daily. The same amount in bottled water costs a New Yorker about $1,400 per year.

The article urges that those who live in areas where the tap water is of good quality (such as New York City) should consider using tap and saving the expense of bottled. The way in which you meet the eight glass quota doesn't matter, so drink it up by the bottle or straight from the tap. Remember to recycle when you're done.