The Value of Tap Water

Tap water costs less than a fraction of penny per gallon and using it can save you money and help protect the environment at the same time. There are numerous reasons to choose tap water instead of bottled water. Here are a few of them:

  • Tap water is inexpensive. Tap water is typically hands down one of the cheapest utilities, and is the only one required for life on earth.
    • National Averages per month for household (Source: move.org)
    • Water = $40
    • Natural Gas = $82
    • Electricity = $183
    • Trash/Sewer = $12 - $20
    • Phone = $60 +
    • Internet + Cable = $147
  • Tap water is regulated for safety. Tap water is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Kentucky Division of Water, and must meet stringent quality standards. Water treatment plants that provide drinking water must test for these requirements multiple times per day, and every water provider in the country is required to provide consumers with detailed water quality reports to assure its compliance with EPA standards. Customers are required to be notified within a timely manner of any changes to water quality that would affect public health.
  • Water is the best choice for hydration. It is recommended that you consume at least eight glasses of water each day, depending on individual needs and conditions, such as activity.  Even in winter months it is important to maintain hydration.   
  • Most plastic disposable bottles are never recycled. According to the Container Recycling Institute, 85% of plastic water bottles end up in the trash even though they are made of recyclable materials. Americans throw away an average of 38 billion water bottles a year, which won't biodegrade for 1,000 years.  Plastic is also one of the top sources of trash impairing watersheds and waterways because of its ability to float.
  • The Value of Water. Use of refillable stainless and plastic bottles, stainless steel or plastic, will be a valuable "lesson" for kids and set them on a path towards responsible environmental practices. You'll be putting more than a reusable bottle in their backpack - you'll be inspiring the next generation of environmentally conscious consumers.
  • The taste of tap water can depend on a variety of things and varies from the source to the consumer.  Tastes may depend on the type of pipes in the distribution system, the type of plumbing in homes and the minerals present in water that give it a distinctly different taste than bottled water.   Often a bitter metallic taste may be from corrosion of copper plumbing or zinc from galvanized plumbing or fixtures inside the home.  A chlorine taste is due to the disinfection of water at the treatment facility, and is safe to drink at low levels.  


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