Comparison Of Tap Water With Bottled Water Essay

Water is considered as one of the basic needs of men and occurs in abundance due to its extensive supply on the planet. The rise of technology, however, caused many known pollutions to environmental elements, such as water. This paved the way for innovation of clean waters to be accessible to most of the world, hence, the advent of bottled waters. Though clean water is deemed a necessity and must be made available to people, Tom Standage’s “Bad to the Last Drop” argues that clean water is more advantageous to be acquired in tap water, especially in developed countries, and bottled water is merely a luxury, while Zak Moore’s “Defying the Nalgene” emphasizes bottled water as a much safer and more agreeable source of clean water and thus, must be considered a necessity.
While its purpose seems innocent and beneficial to the needs of many, the rising demand for bottled waters and the processes, with which such technology is made, suggest that there are environmental and economical consequences to the invention of the commodity in the long run. This is the dilemma with which Tom Standage points out the advantages of using tap water, especially in developed countries like the U.S. However, Zak Moore is ready to contest such arguments claiming the “waste of producing and disposing bottles and inefficiencies in transportation of water bottles unconvincing”. (Moore, paragraph 2-3). There are various factors to be considered when arriving at a stand for this case.
Tap water and bottled water appear to have similar properties. A crude experiment Tom Standage and his friends did showed that it is difficult to identify tap water among different samples of water including that of bottled waters. (Standage, Paragraph 3). Bottled water is also not the higher kind with respect to nutrition as according to a study in University of Geneva, bottled water has no significant nutritional benefits compared to tap water. (Standage, Paragraph 7). To this Moore has argued that, though both may appear to be of similar taste, he considers bottled water as being better and cleaner than tap water, even in thought. (Moore, Paragraph 6).
There is also evidence that use of both tap water and bottled water affects the health. Because of its abundance in developed countries and the technology, tap water is much more monitored and tested in the country than any other bottled water manufacturing system. (Standage, Paragraph 8) Drinking tap water would not be as dangerous as when you drink it in developing countries where clean water is considered a luxury. Standage even claims that about half of people in developing countries are stricken with diseases due to inadequate and unclean water supply. (Standage, 12-13). Moore counteracts by saying that tap water contains chemicals as part of its purifying process. (Moore, Paragraph 6) However, as Standage argues, chemicals are not only in tap water but also in bottled water and any other water supply such as showers and dishwashers. (Standage, Paragraph 9-10)
Various chemicals do not just have health consequences, they also have environmental implications. Standage regarded bottled waters as bad for the environment not only because of the chemicals but also for the huge number of resources required for transportation and disposals. Most plastic bottles are delivered and refrigerated for sale causing electricity usage and because not easily degraded go to landfills. (Standage, 11) But as Moore states, maintenance and production of clean water from tap water also requires the use of resources (drainage, piping, electricity, chemical treatments) which ultimately accounts for increased cost to the environment. (Moore, Paragraph 4) Recycling of such bottled water does not also help or is not cost-effective because even the government has to impose such a scheme in order for companies and people to use it. (Moore, Paragraph 5).
Bottled water, as both Standage and Moore argues, has implications to economy. According to Moore, both developing and developed countries can benefit from bottled waters. As Standage has said clean water can be accessed by everyone on earth at a very low budget of just less than the quarter of the budget spent on bottled water globally per year. (Standage, Paragraph 13). And though Standage claims that developing countries are deprived of such clean waters for now, our buying of a bottle may allow for subsidy of the products to less fortunate people and make them afford such a commodity. (Moore, Paragraph 9)
Developed and developing countries must have equal access to clean water. Standage points out that developing countries should have the greater access to bottled water as this may be their only source of safe and clean water. (Standage, Paragraph 16) However, Moore argues that same comfort and sanctity be not deprived of developing countires as they have as much right to clean water as developing countries do. And we are assured of such cleanliness in respected manufacturing plants because untoward incidents are the responsibility of the company that made them. Their names are on the line as what Moore argues. (Moore, Paragraph 6). If such easiness may be acquired from buying 4-dollar bottled water at a local store then it’s absolutely worth it. (Moore, Paragraph 7) Also, such cost of bottled water does not put much burden to people and thus, they may opt for it if they want to. (Moore, Paragraph 7)
When considering the various factors that affect use of bottled water, one can always opt for alternatives to bottled water. To Standage, it is the use of the tap water in developed countries as they are assured to be safe and clean and does not differ at all with bottled water. While Moore did consider an alternative in the form of Nalgene, a refillable water bottle, he later disapproves use of such saying they are inconvenient and gets dirty and moldy. (Moore, Paragraph 8)
Though there are clearly advantages and disadvantages to the use of tap water and bottled water, one must still measure which is most convenient and apt for them. Whether we see it in the standpoint of environment, health or economy, no one is stopping us from availing such a necessity.