Reflections on Water: Bottle or Tap

Hermaphrodite Humor

“Go f’ yourself” says the man to the fish.
“No problem Man”, says the fish.
“And by the way, thanks.” adds the fish.

Pretty funny! What’s not funny is that there is some real truth to that joke. Pharmaceuticals are making their way into our watersheds in a variety of ways. Human and animal excretion of hormone therapies and reckless disposal of medicines are both contributing factors. This is why the swimming dude looks like a lady. Pesticides in our water are another issue. Most, if not all, streams have pesticides and other toxins in them and the known effects to humans are justifiably frightening; cancer, neurological disorders and birth defects. It is no wonder we love bottled water.

Bottled water feels healthy, and it feels safe. But are individuals sacrificing the good of the planet, the good of the masses, for a false sense of security when they indulge in bottled water? Let’s examine the costs to the consumer, the cost to society and the validity of the rationale behind purchasing bottled water while turning a blind eye to the tap source.

From an economics perspective, bottled water can cost as much as $1.99 for a 20 oz. bottle. A thousand gallons of tap water costs about forty cents. So, let’s do the math…it’s very simple. A thousand gallons of bottled water at $1.99/bottle costs about $12,740.00. Conversely, 20 oz. of tap water costs $.0004, or when rounded….nothing!!! In addition to the out-of-pocket cost to the consumer in the actual purchase, is the cost of manufacturing the actual bottle, and in the end, the cost of its disposal.

I would like to take a moment to mention what plastic is. Aside from being melted down and re-formed, plastic is not a renewable resource. Plastic is made from carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen and is the product of major advancements in celluloid technology. The organic compounds I mention are derived from petroleum. Yes, as in black gold, the same bubbling goo that runs our nation. What is most alarming is that the petrochemicals in the bottles themselves contain toxins that can leach into the water they hold. As far as disposal goes, the best case scenario is that the bottle is recycled; melted down and used to produce another bottle just like it. The worst case scenario is that the bottle is disposed of as litter. Or, it is not recycled but instead added to an already busting landfill somewhere. We don’t need to think about where it goes, just so long as it’s not “in my back yard” (now you’re catching on to the American way). Our disposable society throws away about 40 million bottles a day!

Where does the water itself come from? Is it manufactured in the most pristine setting producing the purest form of H2O known to man, never having been tainted by an extraneous element? Or, does it come from the same water supply as our tap water? Water comes in three forms, gas, solid and liquid. It comes from a variety of sources, though all are connected by the water cycle. Water covers 71% of the planet, most of it is in our oceans, about 1% is in our freshwater lakes and rivers. The remainder of the world’s water is in polar ice caps, glaciers, in aquifers under ground, and in the clouds as precipitation. All of the water we have is all of the water we will ever have. It will not be replicated for mass production, and there is no immaculate source.

Water bottling companies are fully regulated at state, federal and industry levels. They operate under the watchful eye of the Food and Drug Act (FDA) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) are enforced. They are subject to the possibility of on-the-spot inspections by the FDA and many states adhere to an annual inspection schedule. Most water bottling companies maintain self-imposed industry standards that exceed state and federal regulatory requirements.

Tap water sent to our homes is strictly regulated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Projection (NJDEP). The NJDEP mandates highly stringent reporting standards and holds operators of public water sources accountable to those standards. The NJDEP also supports home-owners in ensuring the integrity of NJ’s private wells. The NJDEP reports to the Environmental Projection Agency (EPA) via the Consumer Confident Report (CCR). The NJDEP and the EPA work together to protect and educate the public.

The important thing about water is not whether it is from a bottle or a tap; it’s whether it is “clean”. There is no written guarantee of purity on the side of your water bottle, or if there is, it is only as good as the label it is written on. But, the forty cents that buys the thousand gallons of water that flows from your tap, does provide a statement of its condition in the form of the CCR. These reports are mandatory, and they are available to the public. The forty cents goes towards water treatment and regulatory compliance.

Now that we have examined bottled water vs. tap; specifically, the costs to the consumer, the cost to society and the rationale behind purchasing bottled water, I would like to ask you to examine your own decision making process. Why are you buying bottled water? Is it a green decision? Is it blue? Give a little thought to bottle vs. tap, and you may find that your alliance to the bottled water industry is misguided.

“When it comes to water and people's right to water, we have one common humanity and one common survivor. There is no substitute for clean fresh water in local endowments of rivers, streams and ground water. There is no substitute, there is no alternative and that's why water must be protected every where.”
Vandana Shive
Environmentalist and Author


NJDEP’s Source Water Assessment Program:
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/swap/public.htm

EPA Consumer Confidence Report:
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ccr/index.html

International Bottled Water Association
http://www.bottledwater.org/public/BWFactsHome_main.htm