Consumption of bottled water in the United States has more than doubled in the last ten years, from 13.5 gallons per person in 1997 to 29.3 gallons per person in 2007.
Bottled water is the now second only to carbonated soft drinks in annual sales, with 9.4 billion gallons estimated to be sold in 2008.
Americans will spend $12.5 billion on bottled water in 2008-is it worth it?

Bottled water is not as healthy as many people believe.

25% of bottled water is nothing more than reprocessed municipal water.
22% of bottled water brands tested in one study contained contaminants above state health limits.
Reverse osmosis used to "purify" some bottled water strips everything out of the water-the bad, but also the good. Healthy minerals are eliminated as the natural levels in water are altered and the water is now acidic which can be detrimental to your health.

The pH level of bottled water is not optimal.

While the FDA tests both bottled water for impurities, it is not required to monitor the water's pH level.
Neutral water has a pH balance of 7 and an ideal pH level for drinking water 9.5.
Dr. Robert O. Young tested 60 of the best-known bottle water brands in the world and found that only two had a pH level at or above 9.5, and 30 (including best-known brands such as Fiji, Aquafina, and Perrier) had a pH level below 7.0, meaning they actually are acidic.[1]
The age of bottled water affects its pH level, as do changes in temperature and exposure to oxygen.

Plastic bottles harm the environment.

Most plastic water bottles are not recycled. The vast majority (80%) of the 1.5 million tons of plastic used globally each year in water bottles ends up in landfills, since many bottles are consumed on the go, outside the home. The distribution of bottled water by truck and rail burns fossil fuels and results in the release of thousands of tons of harmful emissions.
The filtration and processing of bottled water consumes large amounts of electricity.
The plastic used to make water bottles-polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-is derived from oil and generates 100 times the amount of toxic emissions as the same amount of glass.

The higher the pH level, the ORP (antioxidant level), and mineral content in water, the more benefits the body will receive.

[1] Young, Dr. Robert O., The pH Miracle for Weight Loss. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2005, pp. 65-68.

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