Water Bottles: Handy or Harmful?

Guess how many bottles of water Americans buy every year?

Nearly 100 billion.

Stack those up, and you could make a tower that stretches from Earth to the moon—60 times!

Why do we love bottled water so much? It’s so easy. You just grab it and go. Then you toss the bottle when you’re done. And it’s healthy, compared with sugary sodas and sports drinks.

But there’s more to the story. Let’s soak it all in.

Guess how many bottles of water Americans buy every year?

Almost 100 billion.

Stack those up, and you could make a tower that stretches from Earth to the moon—60 times!

Why do we love bottled water so much? It’s so easy. You just grab it and go. Then you throw out the bottle when you’re done. And it’s healthier than sugary sodas and sports drinks.

But there’s more to the story.

The truth is, bottled water often isn’t any better than the water many people can get from a tap.

In fact, more than half of all bottled water is tap water. This includes popular brands like Dasani. It sells tap water that has been run through a filter.

And chances are that the water from your faucet has been tested more thoroughly than what you’re guzzling from a bottle. That’s because most cities check tap water. They make sure it doesn’t contain dangerous germs or chemicals. Bottled-water companies do not have to test as strictly.

Water bottles create a ton of trash. Most of them do not get recycled. They go from garbage cans to landfills. There, they turn into mountains of bottles. It could take hundreds of years for the bottles to break down. Or they become litter in our streets and parks. They can end up in the oceans too. Sea animals can eat them and get sick or die.

The truth is, bottled water is just as good as the water many people can get from a tap.

Lots of bottled water is tap water. This includes popular brands like Dasani. It sells tap water that has been run through a filter.

Often, tap water is tested more carefully than bottled water. That’s because most cities check tap water. They make sure it doesn’t carry dangerous germs or chemicals. Bottled-water companies do not have to test as strictly.

Water bottles create a lot of trash. Most water bottles do not get recycled. They go from garbage cans to landfills. There, they turn into mountains of plastic bottles. It can take hundreds of years for those bottles to break down. Or they are left as trash in our streets and parks. They can end up in oceans too. Sea animals can eat them and die.

Not everyone can stay away from bottled water. Around the world, more than 2 billion people have water that contains harmful germs or chemicals. If they were to drink this water, they could get very sick or even die. So for them, bottled water isn’t just an easy choice. They need it.

Some bottled water contains fluoride. This chemical helps protect your teeth from cavities. If your tap water doesn’t contain fluoride, bottled water could be a healthy choice for you.

Another reason to consider bottled water: If it weren’t available, you might drink a sugary beverage, like lemonade, soda, or a sports drink. And those drinks are a big part of why so many Americans are overweight.

So what’s your opinion? Should bottled water get the boot? 

Some people need to drink bottled water. More than 2 billion people have water that contains germs or chemicals. If they were to drink this water, they could get sick or die. So for them, bottled water isn’t just an easy choice. They need it.

Some bottled water contains fluoride. Fluoride is a chemical that protects your teeth from cavities.
Not all tap water contains fluoride. Bottled water could be a healthy choice for you.

There is another reason to consider bottled water. If it weren’t available, you might drink a sugary beverage. You might drink lemonade, soda, or a sports drink. And those drinks are a big part of why so many Americans are overweight.

So what’s your opinion? Should we keep drinking bottled water?