Is Bottled Water Better Than Tap Water?

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Bottled Water vs. Tap Water

Written by Meredith Worthington, Ph.D. — Medically reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D.

Updated November 18, 2024 ⓘ

Woman holding glass of water next to bottle of water

Answer:

Some people consider bottled water to be a favorable alternative to tap water based on its convenience, preferred taste, and perceived health benefit. Although bottled water must meet stricter limits for lead content compared to tap water (5 ppb vs 15 ppb) (FDA, 4/22/2022; EPA, 10/22/2024), many of the other perceived benefits of bottled water are not supported by research, and bottled water may actually adversely affect oral health compared to tap water.

Sign in as a member for details about whether bottled water tastes better than tap water, including a comparison of the mineral content of bottled still and sparkling water compared to tap water, acidity of bottled vs tap water, and microplastics and PFAS in bottled and tap water.

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In addition the results of its expert testing, ConsumerLab uses only high-quality, evidence based, information sources. These sources include peer-reviewed studies and information from agencies such as the FDA and USDA, and the National Academy of Medicine. On evolving topics, studies from pre-print journals may be sourced. All of our content is reviewed by medical doctors and doctoral-level experts in pharmacology, toxicology, and chemistry. We continually update and medically review our information to keep our content trustworthy, accurate, and reliable. The following sources are referenced in this article: