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Monday, August 20, 2007
Parting of the Waters
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Water, water everywhere and ….it’s hard to choose. Recently, folks have been musing about major companies selling bottled water that is no more than purified tap water. Well, what’s wrong with that as long as they tell us on the label?
Actually “tap water” is really not a specific enough term. Water that comes out of a tap can be from a well in your backyard, from rusty or lead-lined pipes in an old house, a fresh mountain spring or from a municipal source which is closely monitored for safety.
Purified water, by the way, is a good thing. If it wasn’t for water purification in developing nations more children would die of diarrhea causing diseases and more adults would be sickened.
Water purification is a public health miracle. So, buying bottled water that is purified helps ensure its safety. By the way, if you carry bottled waters in your car and you drink a little and put the cap back on and then keep it in your car (and it’s hot as Hades these days) you are potentially polluting your own water with saliva and germs. So, drink it all or keep it cold.
Another thing: if you think that looking for water fresh from a mountain spring is the key to finding the best- think again. Most camping manuals warn against drinking from mountain springs when you’re hiking because they may be contaminated with all sorts of naturally occurring bad bugs or environmental pollutants. SO, even companies that bottle spring water have to consistently test their source for safety.
The bottom line on choosing a bottled water: You stay hydrated on the go. Buy the ones you for like the taste of ( yes they do differ- just like wines from different regions). Then recycle the plastic bottles. If purified waters from a municipal source are less expensive then that’s good for your body and your budget.
If you like more expensive mineral waters from Fiji or France, that’s OK too. They do provide extra minerals for good health; but in very small amounts. It’s the actual H2O that helps your health the most.
What’s your preference — bottled or faucet, spring or purified?
