Save Money, Support a Healthier Environment, and Enjoy the Safest Water
Bottled water is exponentially more expensive than tap water, yet research shows it is often no better for you than what comes straight from your faucet. In fact, studies from organizations like the Environmental Working Group (EWG) show that as much as 64% of bottled water is actually municipal tap water that has been repackaged—costing you as much as 2,000 times more than the original source.
Consider the math:
The Tap Way: If you refill a 16.9-ounce reusable bottle with tap water every day for a year, your total cost is less than $0.50.
The Bottled Way: If you buy a single $2.00 bottle of water every day, you’ll pay over $730 a year.
Hidden Health Risks
Beyond the cost, bottled water can contain surprising contaminants. When the City of Cleveland famously tested Fiji Water, they discovered it contained 6.31 micrograms of arsenic per liter—a level that was not present in the city’s own tap water. While this was within legal limits, it proved that “expensive” doesn’t always mean “cleaner.”
Even more concerning is the impact of the plastic itself. Recent 2026 research has found that a single liter of bottled water can contain an average of 240,000 microplastic and nanoplastic particles. These tiny fragments, along with chemicals used to manufacture the bottles, can leach into your water and disrupt the body’s endocrine system. The World Health Organization (WHO) has linked these endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) to hormonal imbalances, nervous system problems in children, and reproductive health issues.
Get the Best Taste & Purest Water
The evidence suggests that buying bottled water primarily benefits those who sell it. If you think giving up bottled water means sacrificing taste, there are simple ways to achieve that crisp, clean flavor without the financial and environmental risks.
Refrigerate Your Tap Water: Many people are bothered by the taste or smell of chlorine used in municipal treatment. Simply filling a pitcher and letting it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours (or overnight) allows the chlorine to dissipate naturally, significantly improving the flavor for free.
Use a Filtered Pitcher or Water Bottle: Popular options like Brita or PUR use activated carbon filters. These are highly effective at removing chlorine and can also reduce heavy metals like lead. This is the most cost-effective way to get “bottled” taste at home.
Install a Faucet or Under-Sink System: According to the Good Housekeeping Institute, faucet-mounted or under-sink filters provide a more robust defense. To remove more serious unregulated contaminants like Arsenic or Nitrates—which are common concerns for Vermont well owners—look specifically for a Reverse Osmosis (RO) system certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 58.
The “Lead Safety” Flush: If you live in an older home, lead can leach from your plumbing into your water. To ensure the highest quality, always run your cold water tap for 30–60 seconds if it hasn’t been used for several hours (like first thing in the morning).
Consider a 5-Gallon Water Dispenser: If you prefer the convenience of a dispenser, using a delivery service for 5-gallon jugs is far less expensive than buying individual bottles. Best of all, these jugs are professionally cleaned and reused dozens of times before being recycled.
If You Buy Bottled Water, Know Your Labels.
If you plan to continue buying bottled water, it is important to understand what the FDA-regulated terms on the label actually mean:
Purified Water: Water that has been treated by distillation, deionization, or reverse osmosis. This can come from any source, including a city tap of water treatment facilities.
Spring Water: Must be collected from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface.
Artesian Water: Water from a well that taps a confined aquifer in which the water level stands at some height above the top of the aquifer.
Distilled Water: Water that has been turned into vapor to leave minerals and impurities behind, then condensed back into liquid.