Clean Water vs Tap Water In Pakistan

What Is Bottled Water?

Bottled water is defined by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as “water that is intended for human consumption and sealed in bottles or other containers with no added ingredients, except that it may contain a safe and suitable antimicrobial agent as well as limited levels of fluoride.” Within the European Union, the EU Drinking Water Directive refers to bottled water as “water intended for human consumption put into bottles or containers intended for sale”. Containers can mean nearly any form of packaging including bottles, cans, or cartons.

According to the US FDA, not just any water in a bottle can be called “bottled water”, it must come from a trusted source. The FDA classifies bottled water that is sold or distributed to consumers based on their geological sources and the treatment processes applied. 

The bottled water classifications are artesian water, mineral water, spring water, well water, sparkling mineral or spring water, and purified water.

• Artesian water is collected from wells that tap aquifers. These are underground layers of porous rock or sand that contain water under pressure and when tapped push trapped water above the level of the aquifer, and sometimes even to the surface.
• Mineral water comes from underground sources that are tapped at natural or bore exit points. Mineral water must have a stable concentration of mineral and trace elements at the point of emergence from the source and must contain 250 or more parts per million (ppm) total dissolved solids (TDS). Note that ppm means the same as milligrams per liter, which is the usual way TDS is referred to on labels. It is also important to note that no minerals can be added.
• Spring water refers to water that comes from an underground formation that naturally flows to the surface and is collected or is alternatively tapped. Spring water does not need to have a stable composition of mineral and trace elements which differentiates it from mineral water. Though in practical terms they virtually always do have a stable composition.
• Well water refers to any water that can be extracted from a hole bored or drilled into the ground that taps into an aquifer. This may raise the question of “what is the difference between well and artesian water?” In reality, there is no difference, but some sources attribute the difference to the pressure factor which pushes water to the top in artesian well systems. In any case, bottled water labeling itself as well water is exceedingly rare.
• Sparkling bottled water is water that, after treatment and possible replacement of carbon dioxide that may have been lost during processing, contains the same amount of carbon dioxide that it had at emergence from the source.
• Purified water refers to any water, even municipal tap water, that has been treated by distillation, reverse osmosis, ozonation, deionization, or other suitable processes and meets the definition of “purified water” in the 23rd revision of US Pharmacopeia. Minerals may also be added. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends reverse osmosis or distilled water for those with weakened immune systems. An article by non-profit advocacy group Food & Water Watch claims that as of 2014 more than half (64%) of all US bottled water was purified, meaning that it is derived from tap and is treated.

The fundamental difference between bottled water and tap water lies in packaging (or lack thereof), choice, price, and source, not quality or safety which can vary widely for both. Tap water supplied to a municipality comes from a predetermined surface or groundwater source, and inhabitants of the municipality neither have a choice in the matter nor the benefit of an alternative if desired, regardless of the reason. They do, however, receive abundant clean water at an extremely low price. With bottled water, consumers pay much more but have a wide array of options to choose from based on criteria they may deem important such as source, type, manufacturer, or taste.

The main benefit of bottled water is its essential role in providing access to clean drinking water sources in emergency situations and for low-income urban populations in developing countries that do not have access to safe and readily available sources of water. In this regard, bottled water will play an important interim role in achieving the United Nations sustainable development goal 6.1 (SDG 6.1) which aims to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all. For example, a study that evaluated the role of bottled drinking water in achieving SDG 6.1 in Indonesia found that 71% of Jakarta’s residents relied on some form of bottled water.

The main disadvantage of bottled water is its negative environmental impact. According to Sustainability Harvard, the entire life cycle of bottled water uses fossil fuels, contributes to global warming, and causes pollution. For example, even if the plastic (polyethylene terephthalate PET) which current water bottles are made out of is completely recyclable, 86% of plastic water bottles used in the United States alone are not recycled and become garbage or litter according to the Earth Policy Institute of Rutgers University. Bottled water that comes in plastic containers also may contain obesogens - chemicals in the plastic such as BPA and phthalates that studies indicate can interfere with hormones and be a factor leading to obesity.

What Is Tap Water?

Tap water is water that is supplied through a water dispenser valve and is derived from a public water system. Public water systems (PWSs) are municipal bodies that are responsible for regulating, operating, and maintaining treatment plants or water sources that supply drinking water distribution systems. The development and spread of tap water systems over the past century has transformed the world by making clean water available to billions of people who would otherwise have continued to suffer all the health and development problems caused by clean water scarcity of centuries past.