Is drinking bottled water better than tap water?

It is important to drink water so the body remains hydrated, especially when you exercise.  The quality of bottled water is regulated by the FDA.  The quality of tap water from municipal systems is regulated by the EPA. The EPA standards for water are higher than the standards for water under the FDA.

Please see the table below:

Tap Water Regulated by EPA	Bottled Water Regulated by FDA
Cannot have confirmed E. coli or fecal Coliform bacteria.	A certain amount of any bacteria is allowed.
Filtered and/or disinfected	No federal filtration or disinfection requirements.
Violation of drinking water standards are grounds for notification & enforcement.	Bottled water in violation of standards can still be sold & without notice.
Utilities are required to have their water tested by certified labs.	Such testing is not required for bottlers.
Tap water results must be reported to state or federal officials.	There are no reporting requirements for bottlers.
Water system operators must be certified.	Bottled water plant operators do not have to be certified.
Water suppliers must issue consumer confidence reports annually.	There are no public right-to-know requirements for bottlers.
Costs: pennies a day	Costs: $.80 to $4.00/gal.
Contains essential nutrients for the body such as calcium and iron.	Filtration removes natural minerals.
Chlorine residual is in water to prevent bacteria growth.	Disinfectant is not present to kill bacteria in bottles.

You can see that tap water has to meet much more stringent requirements.

Buying bottled water is sometimes more convenient when we are on the go or need to have water in a portable format.  However, for general consumption, you can clearly see that tap water is healthier and cheaper.  Keep an empty water bottle in your workout bag and rinse it thoroughly before filling it with tap water. If the taste of chlorine bothers you, keep a bottle in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours and that will dissipate the chlorine taste.

Comments

[Ben]

Most of the bottled water out there is filtered tap water with a large purchase price slapped on it. Tap water also provides you with fluoride, essential for your teeth, as well as other electrolytes, such as magnesium and iron. If you must have the "bottled water experience", it's much cheaper in the long run to get a faucet filter for your tap, or a filtered pitcher, instead of continually buying bottled water.