The Problem With Bottled Water
The plastic used to make the bottles contributes to pollution that contaminates our drinking water
Americans drink some 15 billion gallons of bottled water each year—around 45 gallons per person, according to the International Bottled Water Association. While many people may buy bottled water out of convenience when they’re on the go, others may believe it’s safer than tap water. Bottled water often undergoes some kind of filtering before being sold, so it can be a good idea if you know your tap water is contaminated, at least until you have addressed the problem through filters or another solution.
Still, bottled water is not a good long-term solution, for several reasons.
First, there have been periodic reports, including from CR, of some bottled waters testing positive for heavy metals, PFAS, and other contaminants.
If You Drink Bottled Water, There Are Ways to Do It More Safely
Don’t reuse single-use bottles. These break down more quickly than sturdier plastic bottles that are meant to be reused, and studies suggest that this microscopic damage can shed microplastics, says Susan Richardson, chemistry professor at the University of South Carolina.
Don’t let plastic water bottles get too hot. High heat can damage plastic and lead to chemicals leaching into water, especially when exposed for extended periods, Krithivasan says. So Krithivasan recommends that you not store water bottles in vehicles.
Look for purified bottled water, CR’s experts say. That typically indicates that the water has undergone filtration before being bottled.
Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the January 2024 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.
