Is It Healthier To Drink Filtered Water Over Bottled Water?

Tap water contamination is a real issue. According to a 2021 news release from the Environmental Working Group, millions of Americans are unknowingly consuming an "invisible toxic cocktail made up of contaminants linked to cancer, brain damage, and serious health harms" when they drink from the tap. This may include arsenic, lead, and "forever chemicals," like PFA plastics.

People looking to avoid these contaminants face 2 main choices: bottled water and filtered water. Which one is best, and which one is cleaner and contains less toxic contamination? Is one healthier overall? Since we need water every day, this may just be one of the most important decisions we make about our daily routine. Choosing between the 2 involves knowing and understanding the key differences between bottled and filtered water. Luckily, some experts have shed light on which one is better in the long run for you and your loved ones.

Bottled water can be found in supermarkets and corner stores all over the country. In fact, Americans drink over 9 million gallons of it a year. But is it really better than tap water? The answer is: it depends. While bottled water is supposed to come from a pure source, in reality, there have been many controversies recently about the quality of the water that ends up bottled. There is also skepticism surrounding where exactly it really comes from.

A 2018 study published in the journal Frontiers of Chemistry, for example, looked at 11 different brands of bottled water that were bought in 9 different countries. About 93% of the water samples contained plastic contamination, and the researchers concluded that most of that was due to the plastic bottles used as containers. However, these plastic bottles are not just contaminating you — they are also adding 2 million tons of plastic to U.S. landfills every year. Many brands of bottled water are made up of tap water anyway, making the case for bottled water being healthier pretty weak.

Staying hydrated is considered one of the keys to optimal health, but concerns over contaminants in tap water have driven millions of Americans to use filtration systems in their homes. Some opt for a simple pitcher filter, while others use one that is installed directly into their plumbing system. No water filtration system can remove 100% of the contaminants in tap water, but many are very effective at removing most of the troubling compounds and toxins.

The key to choosing an effective water filter is looking for one that is certified by the National Sanitation Foundation. This will ensure that it not only filters out the most harmful chemical pollutants but also potential biological contaminants, like bacteria and waste materials. At the end of the day, the Environmental Working Group recommends using filtered water over bottled water for several reasons including cost, waste, and the overall healthier quality of the water itself.