One of the fast-growing segments that you will find in the beverage industry is water. Yes, you heard it right! Water is after all, the source of all life so it is not surprising that everyone wants water. The demand for bottled water is much more than any other beverage. Most Americans spend approximately $100 on average on bottled water each year, and if statistics are to be believed, Americans generate 50 billion plastic water bottles each year.
Why is Bottled Water So Popular?
Most people prefer bottled water and not tap water because they feel that bottled water is pure and has a great taste. What they do not realize is that it is not necessary that bottled water is better or purer than tap water.
In many places across Sonoma County, homes have access to pure, clean, and good-tasting water from private wells. Then there are homes that have private wells, but they cannot be sure of having safe and clean drinking water. Of course, if homeowners opt for a well test in Sonoma County, they will be able to determine conclusively if their well water is safe for drinking. Otherwise, it is difficult to ascertain this, and they will continue either drinking unsafe well water or spending money on bottled water.
The bottom line is that there is no guarantee that the bottled water you drink is safer than the water coming out from your tap. You can actually improve the taste and quality of tap water by installing a water treatment system. By doing this, not only do you get continuous access to safe drinking water, you also do your bit to minimize the huge environmental danger that discarded plastic water bottles dispense.
Facts About Bottled Water
The myth that bottled water is purer and safer than tap water has been perpetrated by the beverage industry. This industry spends millions of dollars each year to promote bottled water, and convince people about its purity. However, several government and independently sponsored tests have revealed that bottled water does contain contaminants and bacteria, and in some samples, the level of these impurities was higher than what the state mandates or what the industry standards are. So, if you think bottled water is safe for drinking, you might be wrong.
According to government estimates, nearly 20 to 30% of bottled water marketed by well-known brands is nothing but tap water that has been filtered and then bottled. Some of these brands also fool consumers by labeling the bottled tap water as spring water. So, once again, it is just a fallacy to believe that bottled water is purer and better than tap water.
There is one thing that you cannot ignore or push aside when it comes to bottled water, and that is the serious impact it has on the environment. Typically, when the water has to be bottled, it is moved in large volumes from one place to another. Also, the water is refrigerated until the bottles are sold. So, for one, bottled water actually strips one place of its water, then fuel is wasted in shipping the water, and finally energy is consumed to keep the bottled water cooler. When you decide to purchase bottled water, you are playing a role in burdening landfills. After you drink and discard the bottle, it makes its way into the landfills. Or, it can enter water bodies, and cause serious harm and damage to marine life.
When you consider all the ill-effects of bottled water and the cost of bottling the water, you will realize that it costs a lot. It is much cheaper to open your tap, and fill a glass of water.
Drinking Tap Water
Most people avoid tap water as they believe that it is contaminated. However, this is not the case. There are water treatment plants all over the US, and if you get your water through the municipality, in all probability the water comes from one of these plants. So, it is safe for drinking, and does not contain high levels of contaminants, pollutants, and bacteria. You can drink this water without worry.
On the other hand, if your tap water comes from a private well in your property, most probably, it is of high quality. In Sonoma County, the risk of well water contamination arises from biological and chemical sources. So, if you are worried about the purity and quality of your well water, it is prudent to get a well test in Sonoma County. It will enable you to determine the quality of your well water.
The good news is that many of the common problems that homeowners in Sonoma County have with their well water can easily be resolved if they opt for a water treatment system. You may shun this idea as the initial cost may appear high, but opting for a whole house water treatment system is cost-effective in the long run. You will save quite a bit since you will no longer need bottled water.
A water treatment system for the whole house will enable you to save on thousands of bottles of water that you would have otherwise consumed over a period of one year, assuming that there are four members in your family. You will be able to get gallons of great-tasting and pure water for a few pennies on a daily basis to do your cooking, washing, and ablutions. Besides saving your hard-earned money, you will also be saving the environment. Did you know that you require over 17 million barrels of oil each year to make plastic bottles that are used every year in the US? Also, let’s not forget the dangers of plastic in the environment. It does not make sense to opt for bottled water knowing the adverse effects it has on the environment from end to end.
The Verdict
If you want to improve the taste and quality of your well water, and ensure it does not have any biological, chemical or naturally-occurring contaminants, it is best to invest in a whole house water treatment system. It is a much better option compared to bottled water, which is not necessarily purer or better than average tap water. If you are interested in installing a water treatment system for your residential or industrial unit, call our water experts at Weeks Drilling & Pump Co. at707-823-3184 to help you with all of your water needs.