Canada is the land of lakes and streams but astonishingly Canadians spend about $2.5 billion on bottled water every year. In 27 hours Americans drink enough bottled water to circle the Earth in empty bottles. And talk about waste! 1.5 million tons of plastic waste is produced annually! As a result, plastic water bottles are the fastest growing form of municipal waste in North America. Canada’s bottled water industry has argued that customers actually drink tap water at home and buy bottles when they’re out as an alternative to other packaged drinks, like pop or juice. You can likely get free tap water at almost any establishment that will sell you bottled water, though they won’t necessarily advertise that fact. But is bottled water better for you? Purified bottled water is almost always acidic. It has been stripped of its healthy, naturally occurring minerals. It’s not healthy mineral water, it’s mineral-free water! It’s harder to absorb. Do you ever feel bloated when you drink it? The majority of bottled water is simply treated and repackaged tap water ... check your labels! Bottled water is less regulated than tap water. A recent study found a flame retardant, disinfectant by-products, chloroform, and a rather notorious plastic additive. Of course, the worst slight against bottled water is that it’s a needless burden on the environment. Nestle, which controls about 30 per cent of Canada’s bottled-water market, says 70 to 75 per cent of Ontario water bottles get recycled. Stewardship Ontario, which helps fund blue box programs across the province, estimates that only 66 per cent of all household plastic beverage containers are recycled. Environmental groups say the figure is much lower. By any measure, though, a significant proportion of our plastic drinking bottles end up in landfills where they will sit for centuries. It’s not healthy for the environment and it’s not healthy for your wallet. Bottled water will always cost you more per gallon than a gasoline. Most of the price goes to bottling, shipping, packaging and marketing. Companies like Nestle, Pepsi (Aquafina) and Coca-Cola (Dasani) and other bottlers love it because it’s great for the bottom line. Bottled water typically costs them almost nothing to make – especially compared to soda, teas, sports drinks or other packaged beverages. Tap water costs a fraction of a penny per gallon. Adding the cost of any Best Water product gives you the cleanest and healthiest water at a bargain! So take back your tap and enjoy the freshest water possible without polluting the environment! It’s good for everybody.
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