Myth vs. Fact: Is Bottled Water Safer Than Tap Water?

Myth: Bottled water is safer and cleaner than tap water.

Fact: Your tap water is tested more frequently and held to stricter standards than bottled water.

Many people assume bottled water must be the healthier choice because it comes in a sealed bottle. In reality, drinking water providers, like Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District, are required to perform regular testing for a wide range of contaminants and comply with strict federal and state drinking water regulations, while bottled water is regulated under a different set of standards and generally is not subject to the same level of routine testing and continuous monitoring required of public water systems.

In addition to different regulations, bottled water often travels long distances before reaching store shelves and is stored in plastic containers that may be exposed to heat during transportation and storage.

Your tap water, on the other hand, is delivered directly to your home through a monitored distribution system and is monitored and tested throughout the year to ensure it continues to meet or exceed state and federal drinking water standards.

Other benefits of drinking tap water include helping reduce plastic waste, lessening the environmental impacts associated with manufacturing and transporting bottled water, and saving money. One unit of water (748 gallons) can fill nearly 6,000 16-ounce water bottles, all for less than $5.

At BCVWD, we’re proud to provide safe, reliable drinking water that our community can trust every day. To learn more about your water quality, read our annual Consumer Confidence Report at https://bcvwd.gov.

#BCVWD #DrinkingWater #MythVsFact #TapWater #WaterQuality #EveryDropCounts