Tap or Bottled Water: A first world quandary~priddymomma

As parents, we like to always make the best choices with our children, especially where health matters are concerned.  Many worry about what the safest way to give drinking water would be.  Can I give her water right out of the tap?  How clean is that really?  There's a lot of hype about phthalates.  Are bottles safe?  I consider myself lucky to live in a country where I have daily (heck hourly!) access to clean water, but I still wrestled a bit with the decision.  Some people feel very strongly about bottled water.  Some people are huge proponents of tap water.  I’m sort of on the side of tasty water.  If it tastes good and it’s clean, great!  

I have nothing against bottled water.  I’ve heard people go on and on about the dangers of BPA in the bottles, the battles to the environment, etc.  I carry an extra bottle of bottled water in the diaper bag, just in case I run out on a hot day.  I don’t think it’s a crime to keep my kids hydrated.  And what kid doesn’t love to play with a reused plastic water bottle?  I like to add a few drops of food coloring (tighten the lid Hercules-style or glue it even) to some water in the bottle.  It will keep young kids busy for ages.  In fact, that’s how my oldest learned his colors!

I also have naught against tap water.  Except that sometimes it sucks.  It really depends on a lot of factors.  For us, it’s older pipes.  More elements are creeping into our tap water because of erosion in the pipes, and it makes for water with almost a dry taste.  Our solution is a Pur water filter.  It filters out the nasty, keeps in the good.  Again, there are arguments about fluoride levels and such, but it doesn’t rank in my top fears.  You can’t worry about everything. 

Now what I do worry about is well water.  I am not a well water supporter.  And yes, I know some people prefer the taste of well water.  When I was pregnant with Cheerio Champ, I happened upon a really dark article about bacteria and parasites in well water (the wells in question were not maintained and cleaned as they should have been) causing the deaths of infants.  Their mothers used the well water to mix up bottles of formula.  That article scarred me for life.  I know it’s a minority risk and that most wells are perfectly safe, but I avoid letting my kids drink well water like I avoid the plague. 

Whatever you decide, know that you and your kiddos will most likely be just dandy.  

Tap or Bottled Water?

Sure tap water will save you tons of money, but is that the safer choice?
This week we will be discussing tap water vs. bottled water.

• Quick Fact: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees bottled water, while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates tap water. However, they use similar standards for ensuring safety.

• The FDA requires bottled water producers to:

1. Process, bottle, hold and transport bottled water under sanitary conditions
2. Protect water sources from bacteria, chemicals and other contaminants
3. Use quality control processes to ensure the bacteriological and chemical safety of the water
4. Sample and test both source water and the final product for contaminants

• The EPA mandates that water utilities provide annual quality reports to customers. These customer confidence reports provide information such as source (river, lake, aquifer), contaminant levels and potential health effects. However, the EPA doesn't regulate private wells. So if your tap water comes from a private well you should test your water every year for contaminants, more frequently if needed.

In our household we mainly drink bottled water. However I do not use bottled water for cooking, certain treats (like kool-aid), etc. For that we use tap water. Generally I will boil the water before use whether it be for cooking or drinking. But when it comes to water consumption to hydrate we drink bottled 98% of the time.

In my opinion bottled water vs. tap water comes down to matter of preference. Bottled water is usually cleaner, tastes better, and there are many kinds to choose from. Tap water unseen contaminants that can pose health risks to children, the elderly, or those with weakened immune systems. For that reason I try to use as little tap water as possible unless I boil it first just as a safety precaution.

Tap water travels miles underground in pipe lines that can leak or burst thus contaminating our drinking water and result in a boiling ban. Bottled water is packaged in sanitary sealed containers under usually strict sanitary conditions. And when you think about it how many bottled water recalls have you heard of compared to how often you've heard of a town under a boiling ban?

On the other side water bottles are a huge concern for our environment. Too many people do not recycle or dispose of their empty bottles properly. This results in major littering and causes harm to our environment. So if you do drink bottled water please dispose of properly because if you do your bottles can be recycled into more bottles.

I'm not downing either one but at least while my children are younger I stick to bottled water for hydrating purposes. I use tap with cooking and when needed to use tap for drinking I typically always boil it first. You can also buy brita water filters or pitchers as an extra piece of mind if you use tap water for cost related purposes. You will be amazed at how much particals actually filter out of the water.