Drinking Water Part 2

Read Drinking Water Part 1 : What’s In Your Drinking Water >

We all know we can’t live without water.  If we’re not getting enough, our bodies will malfunction and begin to send distress signals through headaches, fatigue and even sudden food cravings. We also need to make sure that the quality of the water we are drinking is indeed safe. As discussed in our previous blog, “What’s In Your Drinking Water, Part 1,” there might be more than expected flowing through our taps. Not only have we seen a breakdown in compliance of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act in places like Flint, Michigan, but there are other health concerns in our water like naturally occurring Radon accumulation, plus potentially hazardous by-products remaining from disinfecting with chemicals like chlorine – just to name a few.

With health risks such as these, it’s no wonder why millions of people lean towards purchasing water in plastic bottles to fulfill their basic needs. It has become so convenient and appears to be safe, that global bottled water consumption has been on the rise for the last decade. In 2012, more than 70 billion gallons of bottled water was consumed around the world; that figure was estimated to reach 96 billion gallons in 2017, and the United States alone reached a bottled water consumption of 12.8 billion gallons in 2016.

All In the Words

With words and phrases such as “pure”, “spring water”, “mountain fresh” and “natural” on the labels, who wouldn’t think bottled water is safer? However, the quality of the water in those plastic bottles isn’t always as described. Many major brands use the same tap water we already have as their main source. In a recent study, commissioned by Orb Media in 2017, scientists discovered that 83% of the world’s tap water contained microscopic plastic fibers – adding a bigger concern to those bottles of water. You may be asking, isn’t bottled water regulated? Yes, but those regulations are quite similar to tap water. And, in most cases tap water is tested for its quality more often than bottled water. The FDA regulates bottled water as a food product, preventing the same level of standards as tap water regulated by the EPA.

The last large-scale study of bottled water quality was done 15 years ago. Scientists from three independent labs studied more than 1,000 bottles from 103 brands of water. They found that almost one-third of the bottles tested contained water with significant contamination issues even though most of the bottled water manufacturers put their water through additional treatment. Have you heard about the recent recalls of bottled water for E.Coli contamination? In a more recent study by Orb Media – scientists wrote they had “found roughly twice as many plastic particles within bottled water” compared with their previous study of tap water – believing these additional particles were coming from the bottling process. Learn more about the “words” here >

More In the Plastic

Not only are there concerns about the water inside these convenient plastic bottles, but there are also serious concerns about the bottles themselves. It is important for us to get to know the “chasing arrows” logo with Resin Identification Code number on the sides of our plastic containers. The number, which commonly ranges from one to seven, identifies the type of plastic used for each product. Most plastic bottles used for water are made with #1 PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) and is considered generally safe. It is intended for one-time use only, and repeated use may increase the possibility of leaching antimony trioxide into the liquid. Antimony is also used as a catalyst and flame retardant and has the potential to interfere with estrogen and other reproductive hormones if ingested, just as BPA and phthalates do, The longer a liquid is left in some PET containers the greater the potential for antimony release. The concerns remain unclear, but worth questioning when picking up that convenient 24 pack of water.

Not So Cheap – For Budget & Environment

The bottled water industry is booming despite the possible health risks. Americans spend an estimated $16 billion a year according to the Beverage Marketing Corporation. This is largely due to the illusion that bottled water is so much cheaper than the alternatives. With  an average single bottle costing $1.22 per gallon and tap water costing $0.004 per gallon, bottled water is 300 times more expensive. And once you invest in a Gordon Brothers reverse osmosis drinking water system the average cost is only $0.25 per gallon – still making bottled water significantly more expensive.

Not only is bottled water a financial drain, it is an environmental drain. The production of bottles for water uses over 17 million barrels of oil a year, and it takes double the amount of water to make the bottle as it does to fill it. Plus, only certain types of plastic can be recycled and reused. Most that can, never even make it. More than 60 million plastic water bottles are thrown in the trash every day – overflowing landfills. Each bottle can take up to 1,000 years to decompose. That’s a staggering amount of plastic just in water bottles.

What Are the Alternatives?

There are safe and cost-effective alternatives to plastic bottles for water. Decide what works best for you, your family and business with convenience and budget. Using refillable stainless steel and glass bottles are perfect options. Be sure to fill them with high quality drinking water! You may also have considered pitcher and faucet filters. Many of these products help. Some make promises they cannot live up to, or they may not solve all of your particular water concerns. Do the research first and compare.

At Gordon Brothers Water we offer customizable solutions to give you the best water on tap. Call today (330) 337-8754  or (800) 331-7611 toll free to schedule a free water analysis to understand your specific home or business water concerns. Take advantage of our 30-day free trial offer of a customized water filtration system, specialized drinking water filters, and water softeners, including free installation. If after 30 days you absolutely love it, you can keep it for only $19.99 per month. You can also visit Home Depot and talk with one of our water specialists on site and schedule your appointment in person. For Home Depot locations, dates, and times check our Facebook page www.facebook/gordonbroswater or the website www.gordonbroswater.com/events.  We look forward to meeting you.

Read Drinking Water Part 1 : What’s In Your Drinking Water >