THE BOTTLED WATER HOAX (3-2003)

There is a product on the market today, in every grocery 
story, convenience store, and drug store, that has to 
produce burning envy in everyone who has ever dreamed of 
coming up with a get-rich-quick scheme.

Pepsi Cola started it, but hundreds of other companies, big 
and small, have jumped on the bandwagon – and for good 
reason. This stuff sells like crazy and the profit margin 
is huge.  I'm talking about bottled water.

So why would anyone want to spend a dollar or more on a 
small bottle of water when you can get the same stuff from 
your tap for less than a penny?  For most people, the 
answer is probably either for taste or health reasons, or 
both.

But does it really taste better? And is it really healthier 
than tap water?

A recent TV episode hosted by comedian magicians Penn and 
Teller debunks both these claims. The real reason people 
pay big bucks for bottled water is due to effective 
marketing strategies – nothing else.

The show’s hosts set up an unscientific test in a fancy 
restaurant where a “water steward” brought out a bottled 
water list, similar to a wine list, to show customers. The 
water sold for $4.50 to $6.50 per bottle and sported the 
fanciest of names. 

Customers raved over the taste of these specialty waters. 
But each and every bottle was actually filled from a water 
hose out in back of the restaurant. 

Another test conducted in New York City showed that 
passers-by who were tapped to do a blind taste test 
actually preferred the city’s faucet water over bottled 
water.

Of course, taste is a personal thing.  You either like the 
way something tastes or you don't.  Personally, I don't 
think tap water tastes much different than bottled water, 
but others may disagree.  But is any perceived improvement 
in taste really worth paying over 1000 times more than the 
alternative?

As for health benefits, a study conducted by the World 
Wildlife Fund shows there are none.  The study showed that 
bottled water is not healthier than plain old tap water in 
most countries of the world.

"Bottled water may be no safer or healthier than tap water 
while selling for up to 1000 times the price," the study 
found.  It also found that most people who buy bottled 
water do so because they believe it is safer than municipal 
water supplies.

Tap water is under the scrutiny of the Environmental 
Protection Agency and must meet exacting safety standards. 
Bottled water, on the other hand, is under the jurisdiction 
of the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA has only one 
person assigned to the task of insuring bottled water’s 
safety. And if the water is bottled in one’s own state, 
there is no regulation at all that guarantees its safety.

Recently, a national study showed that one-third of all 
bottled water contains bacteria and heavy metals. So in 
many cases, bottled water may actually be less safe than 
tap water.

Bottled water might also be detrimental to your dental 
health.  One benefit of tap water in many communities is 
fluoridation.  Municipal water is better for your teeth 
than bottled water.

Bottled water sells for anywhere between about thirty-five 
cents per gallon at some grocery stores up to about two 
dollars per 20-ounce bottle at concession stands.  But 
given its popularity - a $22 billion-a-year business - it 
probably won't be long until someone gets the notion to 
bottle fresh air. 

One thing is certain: there will be people willing to shell 
out big bucks to buy it.