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Bottled Water vs. Water Filtration Systems - Saving Money, Health & the Planet

Purified Reverse Osmosis Water

Reverse osmosis water is produced by forcing water through a semipermeable membrane that filters out impurities and contaminants. This process can remove up to 99% of dissolved solids, including minerals, and can produce a very pure and clean-tasting water. However, this process also removes some minerals that may be beneficial to health, and the resulting water can be more acidic and less alkaline than other types of drinking water.

Bottled water is also more convenient than a home water filtration system as it can be easily transported and consumed on the go. 

Advantages of Bottled Water

1 - Convenience: Bottled water is readily available at most stores, making it a convenient option for people who are always on the go.

2 - Quality: Bottled water is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is required to meet certain quality standards. This means that you can be confident that the water you are drinking is safe and of high quality.  Altho, documentaries like “tapped” question how rigid these standards actually are.

3 - Portability: Bottled water is easy to transport and can be taken with you wherever you go. This is especially useful if you are traveling or participating in outdoor activities.

However, bottled water is also a major leading source of plastic pollution around the world and increasingly considered as highly devastating to the environment.

Disadvantages of Bottled Water

According to Osmosys.eu “The cons of bottled water heavily outweigh the benefits of convenience and taste. In fact, the EU is fighting to ban bottled water. “

1 - Cost: Bottled water can be expensive, especially if you consume a lot of it. Over time, the cost of buying bottled water can add up. You are essentially paying for something that used to be free and fully trusted (before mass scale advertising programs). 

2 - Quality Control: While bottled water is regulated by the FDA, there have been instances where bottled water has been found to contain contaminants such as bacteria and chemicals. This is because the regulations on bottled water are not as stringent as those for tap water!  Apparently, there is only 1 person at the entire FDA (which if you haven't been to Washington DC is absolutely massive) who oversees bottled water quality and it’s not her only job!  And, actually, most bottled water is just from a tap anyway (not from a filtered or spring fed source). 

3 - Water is a big Corporate business:  A 10 year old documentary called Tapped took a long, hard look into the big business of bottled water including how regulated it is by the USDA and FDA.  This film examined how an industry has worked to privatize and sell us back a resource that should never have become a commodity.  Bottled water can cost more than gasoline or even beer per gallon

4 - Environmental Impact: A major disadvantage to Bottled water is how it contributes to plastic waste and is having a massive negative impact on the environment. The production, transportation, and disposal of plastic water bottles require a significant amount of energy and resources.   29 billion bottles of water are sold in the US each year and it is a major source of environmental pollution worldwide. The number of plastic bottles in the sea is unknown, but over 250 billion bottles are not recycled each year. This amounts to around 8-9 million metric tons of plastic ending up in our oceans every year which is the equivalent of a garbage truck emptying plastic into the ocean every single minute which has led to plastic bottle garbage patches in the ocean the size of Texas! 

Fewer than half of the 500 billion bottles bought in 2016 were collected for recycling and just 7% of those collected were turned into new bottles. Instead most plastic bottles produced end up in landfill or in the ocean.

Between 5m and 13m tonnes of plastic leaks into the world’s oceans each year to be ingested by sea birds, fish and other organisms, and by 2050 the ocean will contain more plastic by weight than fish, according to research by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Experts warn that some of it is already finding its way into the human food chain. 

All of this negative environmental impact is becoming a major hot button political issue especially in Europe.  Eventually, as trends seem to go, this may lead to a complete ban on bottled water.  So, even if you aren’t concerned about the environment, a water filtration system could be a wiser long term investment in your health and savings on water bottle purchases.  So let's take a look at these systems.

Type of Water Filtration Systems

Water filtration systems (like the Halo 5 shown above) are installed directly into a home or office’s plumbing system where they remove impurities and contaminants from tap water providing you with a constant supply of clean and safe drinking water. This water can be drunken from the tap or put into portable reusable water jugs.  However, not all filtration systems are created equal as water filtration systems come in various types: reverse osmosis systems, activated carbon filters, and UV sterilization systems. Based on the chosen technology, the resulting filtered water can show significantly different purity results. 

Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal is highly porous and has the ability to chemically bond with a significant amount of bacteria and chemical contaminants present in drinking water. This property allows it to effectively remove some of the impurities from your water, primarily focusing on filtering out chlorine.  Charcoal does not remove all impurities Additionally, the charcoal must be replaced after a time, as the pores get clogged and don’t bond with any materials when full.

These filters are used often in low end household devices such as water pitchers or tap filters

Reverse Osmosis

A reverse osmosis filter system separates clean water from impure water by passing it under high pressure through a porous membrane. This method reduces close to 100% of harmful bacteria, organic material and dissolved solids in water while using very little energy.

It does, however, take a longer time to complete the process. These systems ore usually quite complex and complicated to maintain

UV Sterilization

UV sterilization purification systems are becoming increasingly popular in both residential and commercial settings because they are a chemical-free and environmentally friendly method of water treatment. UV is an effective way to treat water by using ultraviolet light to kill bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms

UV sterilization works by exposing water to UV light, which disrupts the DNA of microorganisms and renders them unable to reproduce. This process is highly effective at eliminating a wide range of harmful pathogens, including E. coli, giardia, and cryptosporidium, which can cause illness in humans and animals.

One of the benefits of UV sterilization systems is that they do not add any chemicals or byproducts to the water, which can be a concern with other types of water treatment methods. Additionally, UV systems are relatively easy to install and require minimal maintenance, making them a cost-effective option for many households and businesses.  However, it is important to note that UV sterilization systems are not effective at removing dissolved solids or chemicals from water, so they may not be suitable for all types of water treatment applications.

Advantages of Water Filtration Systems:

1 - Cost-Effective: Water filtration systems are cost-effective in the long run. While the initial cost of installing a filtration system may be high, the cost of operating and maintaining the system is relatively low.

2 - Environmental Impact: Water filtration systems help reduce the amount of plastic waste by eliminating the need for bottled water.

3 - Quality Control: Water filtration systems remove contaminants such as bacteria, chemicals, and heavy metals from tap water, ensuring that the water you drink is safe and of high quality.  Herbicides and pesticides that are used in farming make their way into our lakes and rivers when it rains. A reverse osmosis filtration process removes even these tiny particles that are harmful.

4 - Odor-free water:  the odor you usually smell is from chlorine which is removed in the filtration process.

Disadvantages of Water Filtration Systems:

1 - Installation: Water filtration systems require professional installation, which can be expensive. The installation process can also be time-consuming and disruptive.

2 - Maintenance: Water filtration systems require regular maintenance to ensure that they are functioning properly. This includes replacing filters and cleaning the system.

3 - Limited Portability: Water filtration systems are not portable and cannot be easily transported. This means that you may not have access to clean drinking water when you are away from home.

4 - Mineral Content: Natural water does have healthy minerals that are good for us.  Depending on the filtration system some systems (such as the Halo system PlumbSmart typically installs) are able to leave these good minerals in the filtered water or specifically add them back in but you will want to check and make sure you aren’t losing valuable trace minerals. 

In Conclusion

Both bottled water and water filtration systems have their advantages and disadvantages. Not all types of water and filtration systems are created equal. Ultimately, the decision of which option to choose depends on your personal preferences and circumstances and health concerns. If you value convenience and portability, bottled water may still be the best option for you. However, if you are concerned at all about the environment and/or want a long term cost-effective solution for clean drinking water, a water filtration system will be a much better choice. 

Of course, PlumbSmart has over 15 years experience with service plumbing including professionally installing these home filtration systems.  If you’re interested in an estimate give PlumbSmart a Call Today at (828) 974-6147 for a free in-home consultation.

https://osmosys.eu/drugs-on-tap-dangerous-tap-water-contaminants-on-the-rise-2/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzntuXdE8dY (full movie)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72MCumz5lq4 (trailer) 

https://www.jerseyislandholidays.com/plastic-bottle-pollution-statistics/

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/28/a-million-a-minute-worlds-plastic-bottle-binge-as-dangerous-as-climate-change

https://www.statista.com/statistics/183377/per-capita-consumption-of-bottled-water-in-the-us-since-1999/