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Why you need to read the label on your bottled water

By Theo Thimou
By Theo Thimou

If you’ve made the decision to drink bottled water over tap water, you need to be sure you’re getting what you’re paying for.

Read more: Several national parks ban sale of bottled water

Don’t pay for bottled tap water!

Bottled water is everywhere these days. Americans bought 11.7 billion gallons of the stuff in 2015, according to Business Insider. That's up almost three times over from the 4.7 billion gallons we bought in 2000.

Even Chuck Norris is getting in on the action with the launch of his signature bottled water brand!

We've all heard the reasons why you shouldn't drink bottled water — everything from environmental concerns about the packaging to the outrageous cost of bottled water. One new estimate suggests a $1 bottle of water is being sold at an average markup of 2,279 times what the same amount of municipal tap water would cost you.

If you are concerned about the cost, try filtering the water that comes out of your tap at home. Filters can vary in price from less than $20 to hundreds of dollars. Check out Consumer Reports' guide to buying water filters here. Once you have your filtered water, you can take it on the go with a reusable bottle of your own.

But we’re not here to judge you if you still want to drink bottled water for either convenience or health reasons. Really, we’re not!

It’s just that if you’re going to pay for bottled water instead of drinking free tap water, you have to know what you’re buying.

The International Bottled Water Association says that you should check for the 'Standard of Identity' to indicate what kind of water you're getting.

These words on the label that mean your water is basically repackaged tap water

  • distillation
  • reverse osmosis
  • ozonation
  • deionization
  • filtration

If you want to avoid the repackaged tap water, look for these terms on the label

  • Artesian water/Artesian well water
  • Well water
  • Spring water

Read more: This is the healthiest way to drink water

A look at bottled water labels

Source: Why you need to read the label on your bottled water by Clark on Rumble

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