Bottled Water Facts

You may be aware that plastic water bottle contamination is a huge problem. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to severe pollution, plastic bottled water has many other effects to consider. We’ve researched journals, studies, and scientific data to bring you the bottled water facts. Filtered water straight from your home is the way to go, but don’t take our word for it: Consider these facts about bottled water before you make your next trip to the store.

Plastic water bottle pollution

A single-use plastic bottle takes about 450 years to decompose.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shared the data with the Wood Holes Sea Grant to come up with this surprising number. Of course, that’s just an estimate – bottled water hasn’t been around for 450 years, so no one really knows how long it lasts.

Only 29% of PET plastic water bottles are recycled in the United States.

PET is a lightweight plastic used to package items such as soft drinks, water, shampoo, peanut butter, cooking oils, and other products, according to the PET Resin Association.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 3 out of 10 PET plastic bottles were recycled in 2018, leaving the rest to decompose, albeit very slowly, in landfills, ditches, lakes, and wherever else someone might throw them.

The production of bottled water uses up to 2,000 times more energy than the production of tap water

A study published in Environmental Research Letters reveals this striking fact: producing bottled water uses a huge amount of energy. The companies supply water, manufacture bottles, and then ship their brand to large scale on trucks, trains, and boats.

Some bottled water may contain contaminants

A comprehensive study by the NRDC found that 33% of tested bottled water brands either contained chemicals above state health limits or violated microbial purity guidelines. Meaning that the quality of bottled water is not a guarantee.

You don’t know where this water comes from

Many bottle brands use images of pristine lakes, snow-capped mountains, and scattered streams to paint a picture of pure water from natural sources. 64% of bottled water is tap water in a bottle, according to a comprehensive report by Food and Water Watch.

Bottled water is thousands of times more expensive than tap water

The Food and Water Watch also determined that bottles can be about 2,000 times more expensive than tap water. A gallon of single-use mineral water can cost a total of $9.50. compared to less than half a cent per gallon of tap water.

Getting rid of mineral water can save you hundreds to thousands of dollars a year.

Using filtered tap water isn’t just a win for the environment – it’s a win for your wallet. Depending on the size of your family and your daily water consumption, you are looking for a lot of savings.

If you’ve been drinking 64 fluid ounces of water per day for a year, that’s roughly 175 gallons of water. At the above rate, you’ll save more than $1,600 annually if you switch from drinking mineral water to drinking only tap water.

Control the water you drink, cook, eat, and more. At CareWater, we offer tailored solutions to give you better, fresher water from the comfort of your own home. Whereas, you can reduce chemicals, improve the smell and taste of your water, and save money in the long run. Reduce your plastic bottle waste and start your journey to better water by ordering a water filter service.