If you are concerned about the purity of you own water, you may need to purify your own water. There are 3 types of impurities: biological, chemical, or particulate. Neutral filtration will remove particulate and some biological, but aeration first will remove excess minerals including sulfur at the same time. Expose to UV light to kill other organisms. Boiling and distillation will ensure that most dangerous pathogens are gone. A reverse osmosis unit for drinking water will give you pure water. The only problem is that humans should not drink pure water unless you take mineral supplements. Pure water actually doesn't taste good, as we need those minerals. Also, without fluorine you will need to practice really good dental hygiene. Win some, loose some. Bottled water can contain impurities.
I have been drinking purified water for the longest time and I never became sick at all. Before we started buying purified water, we just boil tap water before placing it in the refrigerator. If bottled water can still contain impurities, then maybe it's not that much of a threat to one's health, otherwise the company that makes them would be sued.
Water purification systems are pretty cheap in the United States at this time. There are tons of options on the market, too. You can find pitcher filters, personal bottle filters, and filters that attach to the faucets. We've all seen these filters, and households that utilize them can cut down on their plastic bottle consumption and expenses. We use water filtration in my household, and I would recommend it. It's cost-effective and simple enough to implement.
I lived in areas where there was only a choice between rain water and bottled water. I went to great lengths to get the best bottled water available. The one I mostly bought, came from a mountain spring 3000km away. There was a slight bitter taste about it that I never liked. I tried out various other water companies, but didn't like their water much either. I couldn't figure out whether that peculiar taste had something to do with the mineral content of the water, the filtering or storing process.
Most water needs only simple filtration and either boiling or chemical anti-bacterials. Unknown water can contain such nasties as arsenic or other toxins. You may be able to have a sample tested if you are setting up a water system. Commercial tap water can be easily purified for personal use.
You're right! The only way to be sure your water is 100% pure is to boil it. I watched a documentary where they tested bottled water and concluded that the water had the same elements that tap water had. The only difference was the taste. Bottled water uses a special detergent to make it taste better, but the other elements remain.
I would think that boiling water is the cheapest and time tested method of drinkable water. So that's my choice.
Yea, just investing in a Britta Filter can save TONS of money on buying bottled water and you know is always going to be good to drink. My house used to go through those 36 pack of bottled waters a week and thus a lot of money down the drain. Since the Britta, we've cut all that out entirely and it's been great for our individual grocery budgets to have that extra cushion of money. I believe you can find most Britta Filter at somewhere like Costco or Target for like $20-$25 bucks and the filters inside them come in a 10-pack for around $20 as well. All in all, a very reasonable price for something I use so often every day and get a ton of use out of.
For most Americans safe drinking water is not a current problem. Other modern countries may have more or less concerns. Tap water has some problems that are easily dealt with. The real concern comes when you don't have municipal or good well water. There are many professional water testing companies, and well or other water supply businesses. A major water purifier company can also be of use. Survivalist and camping suppliers can be useful if you expect to be off the grid. If you live in Hurricane or other disaster prone areas, be prepared.
