tap water quality ?

[AngryScientist]

as cyclists and fitness enthusiasts - obviously water is key to hydrating during/after physical activity.

i've been on the road a lot lately, and i really hate the idea of buying bottled water, cost aside - it seems environmentally irresponsible. when i'm home and in known locations i just drink filtered tap water from my refrigerator and never give it a second guess.

speaking about inside the US here, what do you folks think about tap water, in general? i'm sitting in a hotel room on the Mex border, contemplating whether to grab another aquifina or just fill my stainless bottle from the hotel sink (it's hella HOT down here!)

i have yet to research this, but do you consider most domestic tap water inside the US acceptable, from a minimum standard for drinking?

the last thing i need is to get myself on a puking rally before getting on a plane.

rambling thoughts???

off to the bar, at least i'm certain that the Dewars wont kill me!

[CMiller]

Beer is safer!

If you're on the states side I wouldn't worry about it.

[CMiller]

Take my opinion with a grain of salt, I was raised in a family where eating food dropped on the floor meant building up my stomach for our summer trips to family in Peru.

[brownhound]

Yes. Same standards apply for bottled water as for tap, btw.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bob heinatz]

Most is ok. But any type of filtering is a big plus. Just drink the beer there.

[Llewellyn]

I can't speak for the US, but I think our tap water here is fine and I refuse to buy bottled water unless there is no alternative, not only for environmental reasons but I think it's one of the biggest marketing con jobs around.

I get really annoyed when people here (my wife amongst them) complain about the quality of our tap water when hundreds of millions (probably billions) of people in the rest of the world don't have access to clean drinking water

[Satellite]

One of the biggest reasons I won't live anywhere else than Colorado Springs. The tap water is amazing here.

I would drink bottled water if your concerned about it. Error on the side of caution.

As for bottled water. I was on a business trip in Boston and the city drinking water was contaminated by lake water. I tried almost every kind of bottled water. My favorite by far was Aquafina.

When I travel home to see my parents I always load the car up with gallons of Colorado Springs water to get me through the visit.

Iam a water snob.

[onsight512]

filtered tap here in lala land.

[vav]

I'd rather drink tap from Mexico City than from NJ...

[Peter P.]

I recently read an article in the newspaper that said for the first time, the sales of bottled water have SURPASSED those of soft drinks. Can't remember whether that was in units or dollars, but nevertheless.

An associated article lists these 5 stats on why "tap water is the same or better in most U.S. locales".

1. Cost: $2 will get you 1,000 gallons of tap water. A single gallon of bottled water runs to $1.25.

2. Taste: Despite what some say, the taste is the same, in most places. Blind tests in U.S. cities have shown it. (Aside: Some bottled water companies do add trace minerals for taste.)

3. Health: The standards for bottled water are THE SAME as for tap water.

4. Environment: Only 30 percent of bottled water containers are recycled. Aside: This is my interest. I pick up trash in my local park weekly and am amazed at the quantity of bottled water containers I pick up. See my signature below and browse THIS post.

5. Dubious Sales Pitch: Salon reports close to half of bottled water is just filtered tap water.

[paulh]

This is water regulates "tap water", meaning drinking water from community public water supplies. This is what gives citizens confidence to drink water from any city in the country without worry.

https://www.epa.gov/sdwa

The states run the program for the feds.

Notice it's EPA, so good luck with it going forward. 30% cuts?

[R3awak3n]

ny suppose to have amazing water, I still always filter mine before I drink it. Tastes great though, there are some places that the water tastes less than great.
I would be ok with just drinking from the tap here but we just always had a brita and so thats what we will keep doing.

[sales guy]

When I travel(a week at most now out of a month) and used to travel a lot more(3 weeks out of the month), I used to bring a small cooler with me with bottled water and soda. I'd load it up in the morning and fill it with ice and I'd be solid for the day. And even into the next morning. I know it's not responsible environmentally. But it is a ton more convenient when you are driving and don't want to stop all the time. I do recycle all the bottles tho. And actually at home, we recycle more than throw away trash. At home, I just drink filtered tap water. Ours is pretty good.

On a side note, get a water bottle with a filter. If it's really bugging you, that should help with the conscience.

[Mikej]

Flew here on a giant fuel burning aircraft, but this empty plastic bottle really bothers me...?

[RFC]

As an environmental lawyer, I've spent years working on municipal drinking water systems. The standards are very strenuous (except in Flint, Michigan). Drink deeply. Bottled water is a joke, a waste of money, and an environmental embarrassment.