Water

I have well water that has been tested, so I just refill my plastic water bottles and very seldom purchase them.

I use a 1/2 gallon thermos for water when we go out riding..I have had the same one for 3 years now. I buy about 1 case of bottles every 2 months. I think they need to go back to selling sode in glass bottles with a deposit on them. Sure they are heavier- but they don't end up on landfills.. Maybe they should do that with water also.

Deb - you're lucky to have great water and I bet it tastes good too. You have to be careful to use very hot water on the bottles when washing because they carry alot of bacteria otherwise. Just something I read in the paper recently.

Thanks for the comment.

about bloody time!

biggest con in the world.

best sold!

So is that like 20 oz bottles? What do you do if you are on a long drive and want to stop for a bottle of water? I can't imagine that they are going to ban them. Besides, not ALL water is that great. I mean, just because it's safe to drink doesn't mean that it tastes good. The water out of the tap here tastes like lake water. It's nasty.

Like this is something new people have known that for at least thirty years, Somebody finally woke up!

I have known about it being a scam, but I use them on trips for conveinence- but this trip ...I am going to just reuse the same bottles in disney

I only use bottled water for the convenience of it. The bottles are great because they have a lid that doesn't spill or leak like a cup would.

I already pay $25 a month for the water that comes out of the tap in my home. I refuse to pay over $1 for a liter-sized plastic container of water. The water I keep in my refrigerator is in a half gallon glass milk jug that cost a fifty cent deposit when I bought the milk at the dairy store I live next door to.

I drink a lot of flavored bottle water and will fight to th eend to keep it. The news I had heard was that the state of California had or was about to ban bottled water due to the over abundance of plastic containers. That makes me scratch my head because I thought California was on the leading edge of recycling. I drop off containers weekly at the recycling plant not far from my house. I see no reasonable reason to ban plastic containers though they will not breakdown in our lifetimes in landfills. The more intelligent way to attack the problem is to do the same thing we have done with landfills in Missouri. Ban certain products from being mixed in the same landfills like yard waste and garbage. The yard waste landfills turn out usable mulch for use in our gardens and parks. Plastics are reused in many packages, pallets, plastic lumber, and a host of other situations. The banning of plastic bottles seems a total disconnect from reality to me. Should we ban milk containers, soft drink bottles or all plastic? I suggest putting a deposit on all plastic containers and ban them from landfills thus forcing some sort of recycling of them. They can be ground up and used in asphalt for our roadways.

I've kept a water filter in my refrigerator for years, and have loved it. I keep refilling my water bottles with it. It's cold, clear, and tastes good.

Another problem with plastic containers is that they petroleum to manufacture. I flavor my tap water with 1 tbsp. of Diet 7 Up, cut way down on my consumption of soday. I wish they would bring back glass bottlers with deposits, just makes sense.

Wow you fellow Gatherites are really on top of this subject!!

Thanks Lloyd, Samantha, Joe, Donna, Teresa, Rob, Spencer and Mark!!

All of your comments and ideas will be considered and may we all learn something new from this.

Spencer - I wasn't aware that there were so many things that could be done with recycled plastic water containers. You're right about whether we should just ban the whole kit and caboodle of plastic containers - if one, why not all??

Thanks again for your comments.

Sharon - thats a cool idea and sounds refreshing. I buy bottled mineral water and mix it three to one with cranberry juice cocktail for a great tasting non alcoholic drink. Not only great taste but good for those kidneys!

I too wish that they would bring the glass bottles back, but they won't because they can't make as much money with the glass...

Thanks for your comments!

I'm glad that those bottles are going to be outlawed. Everywhere I go I see them crushed (or not) on people's lawns, hedgerows, floating in the local river or wedged into roots and weeds along the shore.

Part of the problem really is not the bottles per se, but that people are too lazy to dispose of them properly. There are many uses for the recycled plastic including spinning fibres which make a strong canvas like material.

Here is one solution for tap water which tastes awful and I learned this some years ago at an open house day at the local university. Most of the bad taste comes from the pipes within your own house. If you run the water for about two minutes this is usually enough to get rid of what has been sitting in the pipes and get to the fresher water from the mains. With a little forethought you can use the first two minutes of water to water plants or other purpose so it isn't wasted and I draw off two carafes regularly which you can keep either on the counter or in the refrigerator.

If you don't absolutely need to don't use water filters. They are so effective that they often remove beneficial minerals from the water.

If your water is truly disgusting buy it bottled in large quantities and draw off what you need to take for a walk or a trip. Read the labels carefully because not only is some of the bottled water no better than the tapwater from your city, it often actually _is_ the tap water from your city or some other unappealing location.

Good topic Esther.

Does anyone know that that bottled water, any bottled water is unregulated and most of it is nothing more than tap water!!!

I like the convenience of the bottles but if they are going to be outlawed we'll just have to find another way.

Thank you Jann, Joe C. and Joe T. for your informed comments!!

Kathy - You've suddenly made me verrrrrrrry thirsty. Why don't you send over some of that ice tea er I meant lemonade...yummy! Great for hot days in Dallas, Texas! Your idea is good, hadn't thought of it! I have a five gallon water dispenser that we go to the water store and buy distilled water for. It seems to be cleaner and crisper and doesn't have an odd smell to it like in some cities that I have visited.

Thanks for the comments.

I don't use them. I carry my own water from well. I don't like them and I don't know how true it is but got an email from my cousin about two weeks ago that allegedly tests have shown water warmed up in plastic bottle containers have been traced to being one of the causes of breast cancer and should not be drunk.

Bottled water is such a scam! They've made billions off of us, and, yes, all the plastic bottle go right to the dump! Or, the few that are recycled.....

Besides....the outgassing problem of plastic, especially when heated...

I think a regularly tested well, or a home filtration system is MUCH more viable!

I heard this also, but I think it's a California law. Try to ban anything in Oklahoma and we'll fight. Maybe if this happens there will be a alternative. I use bottled water in my house. Not every city has good drinking water. How about this: What if the city's water is poisoned? Like a terrorist attack. the Government should stay out of our lives. That's why I vote Republican.

Thank you to Jen, Sherry, Maywood and Carol for your great comments!!

Thats all my wife will drink. She calls tap water "fake water' :) I'm not so picky but they are a handy and light weight container. I'll have to drive to Nevada and smuggle them in.

I don't like our tap water, but we got a filter and now it's fine. And I refill plastic bottles.

I live in an old building, not sure what's in the pipes. And, yes, I've heard re-using those plastic bottles can create health problems.
Sometimes when I am out, I get thirsty, so is the suggestion not to buy water, but go back to soda and juice which are laden with sugar and additives?

Thanks to Bret, Sheryl, James, Sheila and Leslie for all of your comments.

Have a nice day!

pet rock, bottled water, hmmm

Heather - you're so funny!!

Thanks for posting!

Somehow I doubt that law will make it very far. It'll get voted down or if it goes thru then a lawsuit will happen.

I have drank from taps with filters and let the water run until its clear ... I still buy bottled water ... no matter what I do i can not stand the taste of the water here.

I only get it occasioanl To go to fests and driving and stuff. I refill or take a themos cup it keeps it a little colder.

I'm guilty. I read that it isn't healthy to reuse the plastic bottles too many times, so I don't. I have to say, that the water tastes better to me than our tap water and I love the convenience of bottled water.I think that people are drinking more water today than they used to because it is so much more convenient.

Hi,
Was recently struck by a bolt of innovation. This bolt directed me to purchase the water and then send the empty bottle to California and I would receive $.25 in redemption of said bottle.
I went out of business though, as it was costing me .$38 postage each time I sent in a used bottle.
Seriously , I think that bottled water is an indication of the detioration of America.
Sure it's convenient, but not one bit better than tap.
If convenience is what we're seeking-why not put tap water in a used water bottle?
I'll bet you would not be able to tell the difference unless you are among those few who have really icky tap.
I truthfully think that bottled water is very analogous to the "pet rock".
Many thanks,
Bob Cornell

I think it is possible subterfuge for the real agenda.

If they can control our drinking water, guess what folks.

It aint a pretty picture.

Thanks to all who have contributed to this article with their great commentary and useful tips and advice on what to do on this issue.

Have a wonderful day!!

If you pour the water into your mouth by placing the mouth of the bottle on your bottom teeth, and don't close your lips, then you don't transfer bacteria from your mouth into the water bottle.

The problems from reusing bottles usually comes from people having backwashed their own germs into the bottle.

I think they need to just stop medicating us against our will with FLUORIDE added to our nations drinking water, bottled or otherwise !

Click Image for my articles on FLUORIDE

going thru your stuff to replay your kindness, even if i've seen it before!!

<3 Krystal