You may want to stop spending so much money on expensive bottled water or fancy filters. It turns out, it’s really no different than tap water. And the bottled water and filters could be harmful to the environment.
After seeing a video for the $400, Mitte filter (which says it allows you to “create your own mineral water, just like nature”), reporters at NPR called some scientists to get their feedback on drinking water quality.
As long as your area meets EPA standards, then you you might as well just drink from the tap. Obviously, there are exceptions in places like Flint, Michigan, where old, deteriorating lead pipes have leached dangerous substances into the water.
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When it comes to health, Tanis Fenton, a registered dietitian and epidemiologist at Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary, says the typical water filter sitting in your fridge won’t really do anything … There’s also no benefit to taking the naturally dissolved minerals out of municipally regulated tap water, Fenton says … At the end of the day, if you are trying to improve your health, help the planet, and save your wallet, filling up a reusable water bottle with tap water is a good way to start.
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Moral of the story: In most cases, bottled water and filters (which must be frequently replaced) aren’t great for the environment and can really just be a waste of money.
