In the past two decades public concerns about tap water safety and persistent bottled water advertising campaigns have led to an increase in bottled water consumption in the U.S. This fact sheet summarizes safety, costs, and benefits of bottled and tap waters. San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) water meets all EPA water quality standards. However, if you are concerned about water quality because of a weakened immune system, you should seek advice from your health care provider.

Safety

Both tap (or municipal) water and bottled water in the United States are considered safe. Bottled water is often sold in containers with labels depicting pristine mountains and "natural" springs. However, there is no research that has shown that bottled water is safer or more "natural" than tap water. Individual brands of bottled water may have more or less of certain contaminants than tap water from individual municipalities. Because there are differences in quality among different brands of bottled water, and differences in quality of tap water among different municipalities, it is very hard to generalize about the merits of one over the other. The EPA regulates municipal water; bottled water is regulated by the FDA. Most FDA standards for bottled water mimic EPA standards for tap water. SFPUC water meets all EPA mandated quality standards.

If you choose to drink bottled water over tap water because you are concerned about a specific contaminant, it is important to look beyond the images on the label and to understand the type of treatment and the type of water source used by the bottler. The treatment method used in processing the water may not be effective at removing the material that concerns you. Furthermore, the water source may have lower or higher amounts of the specific material than tap water. Bottled water labels reading "well water", "artesian well water", "spring water", or "mineral water" do not necessarily mean that the water is any more pure or healthy than your tap water. Additionally, many brands of bottled water are nothing more than municipal water packaged in plastic bottles. For more information about which water treatment methods remove which contaminants see the NSF web site.

Costs to the individual

In San Francisco, bottled water is at least 300 times more expensive than tap water. SFPUC sells water for around $.003 per gallon. Bottled water costs between $1.00 and $4.00 per gallon. Additional costs associated with bottled water are the time and energy required to bring purchased water home. If water is delivered, then costs associated with delivery and renting and maintaining a water-cooler also need to be considered.

Costs to the environment

Often bottled water is shipped from distant sources, or imported from foreign countries, thus, bottled water increases fossil fuel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and air pollution. Car trips taken to the store to purchase bottled water also increase use of fossil fuels and decrease local air quality. Use of bottled water also increases solid waste due to discarded plastic containers. Although most water is sold in recyclable plastic containers, not all of the containers are recycled and a portion inevitably end up in the landfill. Another environmental consideration is the fact that the EPA mandates that municipal water treatment facilities manage and protect the watersheds from which they draw their water. FDA only mandates that the source of the bottled water be protected but says nothing about the watershed as a whole.

Water treatment plants also create waste and use energy and resources to obtain chemicals used for treatment, to power the plant, and to treat and filter the water. SFPUC obtains 85% of its water from the Hetch Hetchy reservoir. This is high quality water that does not require filtration and is treated with chloramine before being released as drinking water.

Keeping water a public good

Access to clean and affordable water is a basic necessity and a public good. When clean drinking becomes a commodity, it can be bought and sold like any other product. The increasing popularity of bottled water is a trend with implications that reach beyond personal safety and environmental pollution. Public perceptions of water as a commodity can lead to changes in policy that lessen current water quality standards, may promote the privatization of public water systems, and increase environmental degradation of watersheds. A public that values safe and reliable tap water can have a beneficial impact on their environment by ensuring that public agencies take measures to increase protection for their watersheds.

Benefits of bottled water

Some people find the taste of tap water objectionable and choose bottled water for improved taste. Often, home use water filters can remove material from tap water that gives it an unpleasant taste. For more information, see our fact sheet on home water filters. Bottled water is also convenient and portable. Many people feel that bottled water is a healthy alternative to canned soda or bottled fruit juice. Finally, many perceive that bottled water is fashionable and therefore desirable.

Summary

Bottled water is at least 300 times more expensive than tap water; often bottled water is simply municipal water sold at a higher price;

FDA and EPA use similar criteria for regulation of bottled and tap waters;

Relative to tap water, bottled water uses more resources and produces more waste;

The packaging, taste, perceived health benefits, and marketing of bottled waters make them appealing to some consumers.

Hetch Hetchy reservoir in Yosemite National Park supplies 85% of SFPUC tap water. This water source is a highly protected, high quality, mountain reservoir that meets all regulatory requirements.

 

Tap or bottled water: Summary

Bottled water Tap water
Cost to consumers
Delivered: About $1.50 per gallon

Purchased: About $1.00 -$4.00 per gallon .

 About $0.003 per gallon
Cost to the environment
Increased fossil fuel consumption

Increased greenhouse gases and air pollution

Increased waste due to discarded plastic water bottles

 Drinking tap water does not add additional environmental costs to those of maintaining the public water systems.

Public agencies regulate the management of watersheds and water treatment plants.

Safety
Bottled water is generally safe

Some bottled water is not tested for biological, chemical, or radioactive contaminants

Bottled water sold across state lines is regulated by the FDA

Bottled water not sold across state lines is regulated by state and local guidelines

 Municipal water is regulated by EPA, state, and local regulations

EPA guidelines require SFPUC to provide the public with water quality reports and to notify the public if the water quality is outside established bounds.

Benefits to consumers
The packaging of bottled water may make it more convenient than tap water

Bottled water may taste better than tap water

 Tap water is available at the faucet.

Tap water often contains fluoride, which helps to prevent tooth decay
Monitoring and additional notes
FDA guidelines only require that the source of bottled water be protected

Bottled water is often marketed using images and words that imply a purity of product

Some bottled water is nothing more than tap water in containers, sold at a inflated prices.

EPA guidelines provide regulations for managing watersheds and water treatment plants

SFPUC water meets all guidelines.

Key Points

Bottled water is at least 300 times more expensive than tap water and is not any safer.

The different packaging and taste of bottled water may make it more appealing to consumers.

Using bottled water may cause increased resource use, pollution, and waste when compared with tap water.

FDA regulates bottled water sold across state lines.

However, bottled water sold within state boundaries is not regulated at the federal level.

 

For more information

FDA bottled water information

EPA bottled water information

American Water Works Association

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission

Natural Resource Defense Council Report on Bottled Water

World Wildlife Foundation Report on Bottled Water

International Bottled Water Association

World Health Organization Report: The Right to Water

 

This fact sheet was originally created in April 2004 by the San Francisco Department of Public Health Environmental Health Section in partnership with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. For more information, please visit our web page at: http://dphwww.sfdph.org/phes/water

Click for printable pdf version of this Bottled Water Fact Sheet