Bottled Water Containers: How Safe Are They?

The information is unclear about bottled water containers, how safe are they really? Recent information has provided us that they may not be as safe as we once thought. Test has proven that a certain amount of chemicals from plastic is leached into the water from the water bottles. There have also been studies that show the water that comes from the tap is just as safe if not safer to drink than bottled water. In looking at bottled water containers, how safe it really is here is some information that will allow you to make that decision for yourself.

Breaking Down the Bottled Water Dilemma

The first thing to look at is the water that is in the bottles itself. Taking the plastic container out of the equation, the water that you receive from a bottled water maybe the same water that you receive from your tap. Many water-bottling companies receive the water they are selling straight from the local water company. So basically they have a filter on their system much like the ones that can be purchases at your home improvement store for less than $15 and they bottle this water and sell it The water from most bottling companies is no safer or cleaner than the water from your tap. The draw is that it is conveniently packaged for you.

The next thing to look at is whether the packaging of bottle water containers affects the quality of the water. When asking bottled water containers, how safe are they, you should consider the bottles themselves. The bottling companies claim that the amount of potential chemical leakage is in the safe range and have no long term or short-term effects on health. Independent studies though have shown that leakage of chemicals such as BPA a hormone similar to estrogen can effect ones health with exposure over time. This is true not only for the bottles that water are packaged in but also for containers purchased to carry water whether it is store bought water or water from the tap. If you think about you can taste a plastic flavor to water especially if it has been stores in a hot environment.

Replacing the Plastic Bottle

Many people buy these hard, durable containers made from plastic #7, like nalgene bottles to carry water in when they are hiking, in the office and for everyday water consumption. These bottles have been proven to leak a small amount of BPA in to the water or liquid they contain. If you are under the opinion that this small amount won't hurt you like the bottling companies have claimed then by all means continue using them, but if you would rather be safe than sorry later on there are other options. You can switch your plastic bottles to a stainless steel container. Many companies have now started to manufacture stainless steel canteens for this reason. They are still recyclable and environmental friendly and they do not posse the risk of hormone leaching into the liquid they contain.

The general information tells us when asking bottled water containers how safe is that the water they contain is no safer than the water you get from the tap and the containers themselves only pose a risk when leach does occur. The safest bet is to switch to a stainless steel canteen and you can just fill them with water from the tap. It is still safer to drink bottled water though when you are traveling outside of the United States or when possible public water has been contaminated, like during a hurricane, flood or other natural or manmade disaster.