Bottled Water Costs
Do you drink bottled water? Have you ever taken the time to calculate how much you spend on bottled water in any given month? I can’t put an exact number on it, but I know that it’s been a considerable sum here at Ranchero Indebto.
While there’s no question that bottled water is convenient, the costs quickly add up in out-of-pocket expenses and environmental impact. When you get right down to it, the bottled water companies are selling nothing, other than convenience. Rest assured, when they find a way to cheaply bottle air, they’ll be selling that too.
When I sat down at the computer this morning, there were two empty water bottles strewn about the desk. Apparantly, the overnight gremlins couldn’t be bothered to deposit their Poland Spring and Aquafina bottles in the recycling bin. (At least they were empty, and not partially full and leaking all over the desk.)
Months back, I took a simple step to reduce our bottled water costs, by buying a Brita filtered water pitcher. Refilling the pitcher was easy to do, at first, and it seemed like everyone pitched in … for a while. We saw our bottled water costs plunge during the time when we used the Brita pitcher enthusiastically. But eventually, enthusiasm waned.
Could it really take all that much effort to simply refill the pitcher? Is it really easier to haul a new case of bottle water home from the supermarket every week or so?
13 Comments
Jeff Schwarz
August 11th, 2009
at 6:36am
We use the 5 gallon water bottles from BJ’s at $4.99 each, and stainless steel refillable bottles I got from EBay with large openings so we can add ice cubes. We go through a 5 gal jug every 3-4 weeks and the jugs get returned to BJ’s for the deposit, so no addition to the waste stream. Initial cost for the dispenser was $100.00 that does both hot and cold water. We unplugged it as using ice cubes is easier and we do not use the hot side at all.
Silivrenion
August 11th, 2009
at 7:41am
I live at a college that, regrettably, uses municipal water. Bottled water is in high demand, and the vending machines are often sold out.
I’ve been considering getting a water filter pitcher for a while to remedy the situation, but I feel more inclined to do so after your post.
Thanks!
Kevin
August 11th, 2009
at 8:57am
I use to buy bottled water and even paid to have a water cooler in my office with those 5gal water bottles being delivered to my house but it just became ridiculous.
I ended up buying a PUR water filter for my kitchen faucet and now I actually see my water being filtered before stocking it up in the fridge. I use the PUR every day (several times a day) and one 3-stage filter it still last a few months. You have to get into the habit of filing up water bottles yourself but I justify it by knowing the water is in fact filtered since I’m seeing it being done.
David
August 11th, 2009
at 1:07pm
Why bottled water? What’s wrong with the stuff that comes down the pipes, supplied by your water company? Some so-called bottled “pure” spring water has been proved to be anything BUT, containing all sorts of nasties that can cause stomach trouble.
Ian Nelson
August 11th, 2009
at 1:16pm
Where do you live?
What is wrong with water from the tap?
nick savage
August 11th, 2009
at 1:21pm
The flip side is that nearly 100% of municipalities add chlorine and fluoride to the water.
Months after I switched to using spring water from tap water, my occasional ‘mental fogginess’ went away.
http://www.fluoridealert.org/50-reasons.htm
The Go-To Guy | Chris Pirillo
August 12th, 2009
at 5:08pm
[...] How much does that bottle of water really cost? [...]
John Dills
August 12th, 2009
at 5:16pm
I would much rather buy a case of pure life (its a few dollars) then buy the filter. Why? because it has much less fluoride. Reverse osmosis filters (filter fluoride) have a high cost.
_Stryker_
August 13th, 2009
at 7:22am
As 2 Frenchmen were saying one day as they were trying to find a way to make money,,,hmmmm…lets bottle water and sell it,,,,,,,WHAT ! said the second Frenchie….who would buy it…Then came the reply…The Americans !…and so you have it…
As far as fluoride goes…without that you would have to take fluoride pills, otherwise your teeth would rot.
Mats
August 14th, 2009
at 5:41am
I don´t know what the use to clean water with or what they put in it in USA but the places I´ve been to the tap water tasted like the water in swimminpools. In Sweden we have really good tapwater. No need to buy. If I wan´t sparkling I use my Soda Stream. I saw a TV program from Norway. They sell water on bottle called Voss for 6.5 euro to USA. Thats is just ordinary water that people take a shower in and drink from tap.
Keith
August 16th, 2009
at 5:02am
Dr. Mercola has many articles on water, tap water, bottled water and knowlegable readers chime in with their suggestions also. Many links to check out there. A basic carbon filter is very good, but doesn’t filter everything. Have to subscribe to his free newsletter to read the articles but they’re very informative.
http://search.mercola.com/Results.aspx?q=water&k=water
The best idea I’ve heard (and economical) is to install a 55 Gal Rainwater Barrel and catch pure water out of the sky, then filter it with a good water filter. I’ve seen 55 Gal Rainwater Barrels on Craigslist locally for $17!
Bottled water would be MUCH less of a problem if people would recycle the plastic bottles.
Curt Davis
September 17th, 2009
at 7:15am
I agree with not using so many of the little bottles at the store that we so commonly see on the roadsides afterwords. I sell the 5 gallon returnable bottles so we have no plastics being discarded. As far as the quality of water people drink ,it varies greatly through out the country, with some peoples ground water containing contaminants such as arsenic or worse. Yes people bottled water is here to stay. Our water is not getting better it is getting worse, with all the pollution, fertilizer run off from fields etc. With these times we live in and money being tight, most people cannot afford the expensive filters that it takes to make their own water clean so they turn to people like me to give them an affordable alternative.
lilly
February 4th, 2010
at 8:50pm
water costs a good amount and i see people wast it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it makes me made. i go green(help the enviorment) and so should you!!!