The Story of Bottled Water

Best and worst bottled water brands

I'm guessing that a lot of you out there made some new year resolutions regarding your health, and that somewhere in your new "healthier you" clause, there's a commitment to drinking more water...WELL...there's something you might want to know about your favorite brand before jumping in head first. This paragraph sums it up:

"How much do you know about the bottled water you drink? Not nearly enough, according to a new report released today from Environmental Working Group (EWG). "Bottled water companies try hard to hide information you might find troubling," says Jane Houlihan, senior vice president of research for the Washington D.C.-based research and advocacy group."

The Environmental Protection Agency says on its website that consumers have the right to know where their water comes from and what's in it so they can "make informed choices that affect the health of themselves and their families." Tap water is regularly tested and consumers can find their local water info online. That's not necessarily the case with bottled water, which is not required to disclose that information to consumers. "Bottled water is a food product and every one of these companies is complying with federal law," says Tom Lauria, of the International Bottled Water Association.

While I was a bit nervous that my favorite brand would end up on the list...I'm very pleased to see that it didn't make the cut :o) So here's a list of the top 10 that did make the cut:

How does your bottled water brand stack up? Here's a look at the 10 top-selling* U.S. brands:

1. Pure Life Purified Water (Nestle), EWG grade = B

2. Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = C

3. Aquafina Purified Drinking Water (Pepsi), EWG grade = D

4. Dasani Purified Water (Coca-Cola), EWG grade = D

5. Deer Park Natural Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = D

6. Ice Mountain Natural Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = D

7. Ozarka Natural Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = D

8. Poland Spring Natural Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = D

9. Zephyrhills Natural Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = D

10. Crystal Geyser Natural Alpine Spring Water (CG Roxane), EWG grade = F

Filtered tap water received the best grade (an A) from EWG because if you change your filter regularly, EWG says it is purer than bottled water, plus it saves money (bottled water can cost up to 1,900 times more than what flows from your tap).

Drinking tap water also takes less of a toll on the planet. EWG offers plenty of tips for filtering your tap water so that you can drink the healthiest water possible.

Pick 5 for the environment

To help protect the environment, I pledge to:

1. Save energy at home. Choose energy-saving appliances if they’re available. Look for Energy Star!
2. Reduce. Cut back on the amount of 'stuff' that could later end up as waste.
3. Recycle metals, plastics and paper.
4. Don't litter! Properly dispose of trash and waste.
5. When purchasing goods, opt for sustainable, recycled or reused resources. Choose items in less packaging.
6. Talk to a friend about Pick5!
7. Raise Awareness! Talk to others about the state of the environment, locally or globally.

Pledged Saturday, January 1, 2011.