Report Asserts Filtered Tap Better Than Bottled Water

First off, I want to give recognition to my good friend Terry Boden owner of Boden Plumbing in Sonoma County for this useful information. He can be reached at 866-663-7477

The Environmental Working Group has released a new report exposing the lack of health and water quality information for bottled water. It’s not a big surprise, but it’s a good reminder that too often we assume that because something comes in a package with a recognized brand name on it, it must be OK.

The report, 2011 Bottled Water Scorecard, surveyed websites and labels of more than 170 bottled waters sold in the U.S. looking for three things:

* Where does the water come from?
* Is it purified? If so, how?
* Have tests found any contaminants?

EWG found that just three — including only one of the top 10 domestic brands — disclose information about the water’s source, the method of purification and any chemical pollutants that remained after the water was treated.

The domestic brand noted is Nestlé’s Pure Life Purified Water, which discloses its water source and treatment methods on the label and offers a toll-free number consumers can call to request a water quality test report.

For a summary of the report, see Report: Filtered Tap Water Better for you than Bottled Water at www.walletpop.com. You can read the report and the EWG summary at Bottled Water 2011.

Of course not knowing the source of the water you’re drinking or its quality is a biggie. On top of that, however, are the alarming number of plastic water bottles thrown away — and the expense of bottled water compared to filtered tap. If you have no idea whether or not the water you’re buying is as good as what you’ve got at home, why pay the extra bucks? Convenience? Really?

Fortunately, point-of-use and whole-house water filtration provide good alternatives. Filter your own tap — if it needs it — and refill BPA-free water bottles for pennies per gallon.

We regularly install point-of-use filters for customers. Give us a call if you would like information on options and choices. We have also installed whole-house filters.

Kevin Shaw is president of Kevin Shaw Plumbing, Inc, serving the San Gabriel Valley since 1982. With over 30 years of In The Field experience, Kevin has the skills and know how to fix most any plumbing, heating, air conditioning and insulation problem and makes it a priority to stay abreast of the latest needs in customer satisfaction as well as technical advances. He has served as the President of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors (PHCC) of the Greater Los Angeles Area, and the California State Board of PHCC. He is also a member of the distinguished organization Nexstar Network and a founding member of Service Roundtable, both of which are trade organizations that train and equip contractors to meet their customer’s plumbing, heating & cooling needs.

For questions, please contact info@kevinshawplumbing.com or call 626-359-1864. You may also visit the company’s website at www.KevinShawPlumbing.com for more helpful tips and homeowner articles and general information. You may also send any questions or comments to: 224 E. Foothill Blvd., Monrovia, CA 91016