Tap Water, Bottled Water, Filtered Water? What’s the Safest to Drink, and Why?

“Water, water everywhere, and nary a drop to drink.” You may recognize this quotation from the famous poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” The line refers to being stranded at sea, surrounded by water, yet with no drinkable water left on board the ship. These words have been oft-quoted since the publication of the poem in the late 1790’s, usually to refer to a situation in which clean drinking water has been hard to come by. While in this country we are lucky enough to have ample drinking water, sadly it may not be as clean as we’d expect. I’m not saying that there is “nary a drop to drink” - however accessing clean and safe drinking water is not just as simple as purchasing a bottle of “spring” water from your local convenience store or turning on the faucet at home to fill up your glass. Two questions I am frequently asked by my clients are: “Is bottled water better than tap water?” and “If I’m using tap water, what filter should I use on my tap?” These are great questions, and ones I think I may finally be able to answer with some surety, thanks in a large part to the great investigative work done by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC. EWG’s most recent recommendations around safe drinking water boil down to the following: “Drink filtered tap water.” This may come as a surprise, as bottled water seems to be a better choice, given claims that you read on the bottle, such as: “pure,” “crystal-fresh” or “pristine source.” However, it turns out these claims don’t have any real verification or substantiation, so it is impossible to know if you can trust the claims you read on a bottle of water. While federal law requires that municipal water suppliers identify the source of their water, the FDA does not require that bottled water companies disclose this information. On top of that, suppliers of tap water are required to not only test their water supply, but also share these results with consumers. Bottled water companies don’t have this same requirement. In fact, 4 out of 5 bottled water companies do not publish the results of their water quality testing. One study identified 38 contaminants across 10 popular bottled water brands. Interestingly enough, consumers will spend up to 1,900 times more for a bottle of water, yet cannot be confident that what they are buying is any safer than what might be coming out of their tap. In the bottled water vs tap water health debate, this is not to say that tap water is pure. There are, unfortunately, contaminants in most of the public drinking water supplies, ranging from agricultural fertilizers to lead, to trace amounts of pharmaceutical medications. Since 2004, testing by municipal water facilities in this country has turned up more than 300 contaminants in public drinking water supplies. This is why filtration is so important, rather than drinking unfiltered water from the tap, and it's the top recommendation I can make for ensuring that your drinking water is safe to drink. When choosing a water filter, it is important to do your research, read the fine print, and choose a brand that will actually remove contaminants. Activated carbon filters are good at removing many common water contaminants. A improve osmosis filter costs a little more, but it removes even more, so it may be the better option. To get a full understanding of the variety of different water filtration options and their effectiveness, I’d recommend checking out the in-depth recommendations EWG has made available online: http://www.ewg.org/tap-water/getawaterfilter. There are a wide variety of brands, filtration methods, and prices, and there is no one best choice. It is just important to choose one that will work for your home space and your budget. It may take a little research, but you should be able to find a brand that will work for you. Water is essential to life: clean, pure water. Now that you know that filtering your tap water is the best way to ensure a safe water source, it is just a matter of determining which filter is the best option for you. Enjoy the process of learning more about the variety of options, and make a commitment to investing in a healthier, pollutant-free drinking water supply for you and your family. It’s worth it! Plus, it’ll be a lot cheaper than bottled water in the long run.

Adding Minerals Back to Filtered Water

Here's the trade-off with improve osmosis. It's thorough enough to strip out naturally occurring minerals like calcium and magnesium along with the contaminants. That's why we get questions about mineral drops for filtered water. Trace mineral drops are designed to support your mineral intake when your water no longer supplies much, and we're happy to help you decide if they fit your routine.

Well Water Plays by Different Rules

A note about well water vs. tap water. Because private wells aren’t subject to the regulations that apply to public water systems, they need to be tested by their owners. There’s been research on arsenic in private wells, most notably the Strong Heart Water Study conducted among Great Plains Indian Nations, but there may be plenty of other contaminants present in your specific well. Test before you buy a filter, and make sure that whatever filter you choose addresses the particular issues found in your test results.

How often should you test? The U.S. EPA suggests testing a private well at least once a year for total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids, and pH. Your local health department can usually point you to a certified lab.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is bottled water healthier than tap water?

There's no simple yes. Tap water suppliers have to test their water and share the results, but bottled water companies don't face that same requirement. EWG found 38 contaminants across 10 popular bottled brands. For most people, filtered tap water is the more transparent choice, and it's a lot cheaper.

Can you buy filtered water?

Yes. Many retail outlets carry filtered and purified bottled waters, and some supermarkets have refillable containers. A filter for your tap will typically cost you much less. You can also pick a model designed to remove the contaminants identified in your water report.

What Is Really Inside Bottled Water?

Here's a detail most people don't know. The FDA regulates bottled water as a food, while the EPA sets the standards for public tap water. Only tap water suppliers have to send you a yearly Consumer Confidence Report.

Is bottled water filtered?

Not all bottled waters are spring water; some are just filtered tap water. While some brands do come from a spring or well, you may not know which kind of water you are buying based on the label alone. There’s also the plastic. According to a 2019 critical review, microplastics have been reported in both freshwater and drinking water. The authors also stated that the quality of data can vary greatly between studies.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.