Why do people buy so much bottled water at the grocery store?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The District provides lead in the drinking water for free.

https://www.tapwaterdata.com/blog/cities/dc-water-lead-reduction-2025

DC tap water currently meets federal safety standards, with lead levels well below the EPA action level.

If you have detectabe lead in your water, due to your own pipes, you can replace your lead pipes.


While DC Water works toward complete lead line replacement, NSF-certified filters provide immediate protection.

There is no safe amount of lead.

[Anonymous]

It’s also strange that the tap water is apparently fine to drink coffee and tea and cook with but not to drink

[Anonymous]

You can boil them freeze the tap water. Bottled water is a big scam. You’re paying for water twice: with your utility bill and at the grocery store

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The District provides lead in the drinking water for free.

https://www.tapwaterdata.com/blog/cities/dc-water-lead-reduction-2025

DC tap water currently meets federal safety standards, with lead levels well below the EPA action level.

If you have detectabe lead in your water, due to your own pipes, you can replace your lead pipes.


While DC Water works toward complete lead line replacement, NSF-certified filters provide immediate protection.

And not only that, how many bottling companies list their testing data on the product? How are people who are buying bottled water sure they aren't getting worse than what they're getting out of a tap?

I’m not sure that it’s safer. I am sure that it tastes better.

Yeah tap water out of a bottle is so much better than tap water in a glass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The District provides lead in the drinking water for free.

https://www.tapwaterdata.com/blog/cities/dc-water-lead-reduction-2025

DC tap water currently meets federal safety standards, with lead levels well below the EPA action level.

If you have detectabe lead in your water, due to your own pipes, you can replace your lead pipes.


While DC Water works toward complete lead line replacement, NSF-certified filters provide immediate protection.

There is no safe amount of lead.

Of course there is. https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water

[Anonymous]

I recently had a tour of an industrial area in Baltimore (for work, don't ask). Located there is a bottled water company that uses Baltimore city water - maybe it's filtered a few times more, but it's still the same water you get out of the tap.

[Anonymous]

Hydration and convenience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I recently had a tour of an industrial area in Baltimore (for work, don't ask). Located there is a bottled water company that uses Baltimore city water - maybe it's filtered a few times more, but it's still the same water you get out of the tap.

Filtration matters.

[Anonymous]

Does Costco have self check out? At my local grocery store I'm sure that people buy water because it's heavy and cheap, they can drop in more expensive small items without tipping off the scale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s also strange that the tap water is apparently fine to drink coffee and tea and cook with but not to drink

Every Starbucks location has a very pricey water filtration system -- for a very good reason. Any half-decent coffee shop should, too. And no serious home coffee connoisseur uses unfiltered tap water.

In general, nobody in their right mind is drinking unfiltered muni tap water.

[Anonymous]

Too much plastic so should be banned. Just put water fountains everywhere.

[Anonymous]

So people can fill up their steel bottles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I recently had a tour of an industrial area in Baltimore (for work, don't ask). Located there is a bottled water company that uses Baltimore city water - maybe it's filtered a few times more, but it's still the same water you get out of the tap.

Most of the time it's not filtered any more. It's just bottled. It's a scam that so many people fall for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s also strange that the tap water is apparently fine to drink coffee and tea and cook with but not to drink

Every Starbucks location has a very pricey water filtration system -- for a very good reason. Any half-decent coffee shop should, too. And no serious home coffee connoisseur uses unfiltered tap water.

In general, nobody in their right mind is drinking unfiltered muni tap water.

We most certainly are. Because we know it's perfectly fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really like water, and that’s what I drink most of the time. I buy water for the taste like some people buy wine or coffee.
The water in my condo doesn’t taste good, and, about twice a year, it can taste really horrible. Brita and Pur filters make it better, but not as good as a $2 gallon of spring water. I buy the smaller bottles occasionally too, when I’d rather have lighter disposable bottles vs a heavier metal bottle to carry around. I also worked in a setting where lead was found in the drinking water, so I’d rather have access to water from a reasonably known source. Every now and then, I spring for the good stuff in glass bottles.

Ha! Have you read this article? https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/09/dining/fine-water-mineral-sommeliers.html?unlocked_article_code=1.2E8.bYPw.0gY1_jpl6rrF&smid=url-share