We often think we are drinking the best water, tested as per government health guidelines, and processed under efficient purification methods. However, we are unaware of where the water we drink originates from, how it is processed, and what contaminants it still contains despite intense purification.

Tap water flows from our taps and is utilized for daily household activities. The pollutants of tap water are checked and controlled by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA). However, tap water cannot be considered a contaminant free and one is recommended to utilize purifiers and filters to decontaminate tap water.

As far as bottled water is concerned, the contaminants are monitored and controlled by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, bottled water comes with its own concerns and contains impurities that may pose serious health risks.

Purified water is another type of water that is processed through different methods like reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, deionization, ultraviolet oxidation, etc.

Let us know some interesting truths and facts of tap water, bottled water, and purified water:

Real truths about bottled water:

According to Nestle, around 70-75% of plastic bottles undergo recycling in Ontario every year. However, according to the Polaris Institute, merely 14% of bottled water goes through recycling in Ontario. Around one billion plastic bottles are dumped every year in Ontario alone.

The energy consumed by bottled water is 2000 times more than that of tap water. The manufacture of bottled water needs 5.6 to 10.2 million joules of energy based on the factors of transportation. On the other hand, tap water utilizes 0.005 million liters of joules for its distribution and purification.

Bottled water holds some contaminants which are permissible by U.S. FDA regulations. Fecal matters such as E. Coli are allowed by the regulatory body to thrive in bottled water. Companies that produce bottled water are also not obliged to alert their consumers about the possible dangers of contaminants.

Bottled water is not always more hygienic than tap water. We think the water in the bottles has the source from the glaciers or icy regions and so it must be pure. However, many times the bottle itself contains tap water, and we unknowingly consume it just going by a huge advertising campaign.

Sometimes, a chemical known as Phthalate is found in plastics of bottled water that might percolate in the bottled water. Phthalate is a chemical that harms testosterone and other sex hormones, causing sexual disorders such as male infertility, early development of breasts, and miscarriages.

Real truths about Tap Water:

For nearly 16 years, around 62 million people in America are susceptible to the dangers of tap water that do not meet health regulations standards of Government. Such water poses threats of cancer and other dangerous diseases.

Studies also found that tap water contains pharmaceuticals, sex hormones, anti-depressants, and seizure pills. Around 40 million Americans receive such elements in their tap water. Water bodies do not consider testing such particles in tap water, and we are still not sure of the effects of their increasing levels.

Tap water contains contaminants such as lead that is the outcome of an old and traditional system of water distribution. Arsenic is also a compound found in tap water which originates from wells, springs, and industrial wastes.
Environment Protection Agency (EPA)’s Safe Drinking Act monitors and controls 91 out of 60,000 contaminants present in tap water in the United States.

Real truths About Purified water:

Purified water has its application in science, engineering, and industrial laboratories for the preparations of pharmaceuticals. It is also used in beverage companies where it is the key ingredient in the trademarked bottling formula.

The threshold of impurities in purified water is high, with the number of contaminants and mixed impurities not exceeding beyond 10 parts per million.

Surprisingly, the origin of purified water is the same as most of the household water.

Purified water is free from substances such as copper and chlorine. Hence, it is utilized for aquariums and fish tanks so that fishes could remain healthy.

Purified water for babies:

Distilled water is the best form of purified water for babies. Feeding your baby with the formula mixed with distilled water nourishes them and promotes their growth and development. Purified water for babies does not contain nutrients and minerals, unlike drinking water that helps maintain a nutrient balance when babies are given it along with baby formula.

Conclusion:

The arena of drinking water is vast, and we can dive into as many facts as we want to. Lastly, but most importantly, apart from the duties of water regulatory government bodies, it is also our onus to safeguard the purity of water in all possible measures.