Bottled water is the new wave of the future. Millions of Americans are buying it. Here are some facts you should know about bottled water before you buy. Of course, when people go to the store to buy water, they think they are getting the freshest most pure water on the earth. Well, even though almost all of the water is safe, the question is where does it come from. When the consumer picks up the bottle from the store, they see mountains. Most bottles contain some comment about clean glacial water, taken from high in the mountains. Most bottled water doesn’t even come from the mountains.
It comes from places like Nebraska, out of 12-inch pipes. One major brand also gets their water in Los Angeles, right next to the freeway. (freep. com, Sept. 28) Even though the water is taken from these places it goes through many cleansing processes. There are a couple of different types of bottled water. One is the 5-gallon returnable jug. These are mainly used in offices and large businesses. The 5-gallon jugs are usually lower in minerals and therefore are good for making coffee, tea, etc. There are also 2 and 1 gallon bottles used mainly for supermarket distribution.
There are also bottles ranging from 6 ounces to 1 liter. These are usually the premium waters like Poland Springs and Avian. These waters are usually an alternative to a soft drink or an alcoholic beverage. (waterweb. com, Sept. 28). Bottled water is extremely safe. It is regulated on the federal and state level. The Federal Trade Commission and the Food and Drug Administration also regulate it. According to the Centers for Disease Control, bottled water has never been responsible for a water born illness (water. org, Sept. 28).
One reason it is safe is because bottled water must come from protected sources such as aquifers and springs. Tap water comes from rivers and lakes. So why do people drink bottled water? It is seen as America’s most affordable status symbol. On the average, bottled water drinkers in the U. S. are richer than tap water drinkers. (freep. com, Sept. 28). They are seen as being well enough off to pay for something they don’t need. The only logical reason for someone to drink bottled water, other than taste, is people in chemotherapy and people with AIDS etc. , which are sensitive to sodium, chlorides, and sulfates.