Bottled Water vs Filtered Water

IS DRINKING BOTTLED WATER OR FILTERED WATER BETTER?

Microplastics in Bottled Water vs. Tap Water

Bottled Water vs. Filtered Water

Tap water is known to have a lot of contaminants, but is bottled water any better for you? 

Tap water is subject to more testing than bottled water, and though it often has contaminants, bottled water has something else in it you probably don’t want to be drinking—plastic. In a study by Frontiers in Chemistry, when 259 bottles of water were tested, 93% of them contained microplastics, some large enough to see with the naked eye.

When humans are exposed to microplastics, they pass through protective tissues into the bloodstream and organs. It isn’t yet known what these microplastics will do to your health, but it is thought that they could interfere with hormones and fertility, as well as cause nervous system problems, hearing loss, a weakened immune system, or cancer.

Bottled water is not the only water that contains plastic. Tap water contains many chemicals and other contaminants and can contain microplastics, too. Plastics discarded in landfills or the environment break down into microparticles, which find their way into lakes and rivers, and eventually into our water supply. 

However, bottled water is shown to have twice the amount of microplastics as tap water. And since bottled water is often only tap water in a bottle, you are likely only getting a double dose of microplastics when you consume bottled water. Tap water is generally cleaner, and to make it even more so, you can invest in a home water filtration system that removes both microplastics and other harmful contaminants present in your drinking water.

Which water filters remove microplastics?

To remove microplastics from your drinking water, you will need a water filter with a pore size less than 0.1 micrometers. Reverse osmosis filters are the best filters to remove microplastics from water, because they push water through a membrane with a pore size of 0.0001. 

Carbon filters are the second-best option for removing microplastics. While carbon filters may not remove all traces of plastic, they will vastly reduce the amount of plastic in your water. If you chose to filter your water with carbon filters and are concerned about microplastics, consider a carbon block filter, which has a smaller pore size and is able to filter more from your water than a granular activated carbon filter.

Cost of water filter vs. bottled water

You may drink bottled water because you think it is the more economical option over purchasing a home water filtration system. While a filtration system for your home won’t come cheap, if you compare it to the cost of bottled water over one year, you’ll find that a home water filtration system is actually cheaper. 

Bottled water for a family of four for one year will cost an average of around $2500, while even the most expensive home water filtration systems will cost under $1500. That’s a savings of over $1000 just in your first year of having a water filtration system. Every year after, your cost savings will be over twice as much. 

Plus, with a home water filtration system, you enjoy the advantages of having filtered, safe water not only from your tap, but from everywhere in your home, including on your dishes, in your shower, and in your washing machine. Read more in our Guide to Buying a Home Water Filtration System.

The best and safest solution for clean drinking water in your home is using a home water filter. For help selecting the best home water filter for your home, call AirPlus.

ABC7's Kidd O'Shea Interviews Joe Allen for Talk Live DC!

Attention Northern VA Homeowners: How clean is the air that you breathe at home? What about your city or well water? Is it safe for your family? Watch as Joe Allen explains the AirPlus solutions for purifying polluted indoor air and contaminated city & well water in your home!

The post Bottled Water vs Filtered Water appeared first on HVAC Services Lorton | AirPlus Heating & Cooling.