The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was passed in 1974, in order to protect the public from contaminants in our public water and to promote the safety and protection of these waters. Overall, in aggregate, our tap water is quite safe and is regularly tested for pollutants to protect the public. Since safe water is essential and fundamental for our good health it is imperative that our tap water continue to remain safe now and into the foreseeable future.
Many people do not like to drink tap water unfiltered and the filtering of tap water by the consumer is relatively low-cost and worthwhile. One must recognize, however, that the filtering of tap water will not purify the water, but it will help considerably in removing chemicals, such as chlorine, and sediment from the tap water. However, in order to purify tap water, one must purchase a water distiller purification system, in which the water is first heated to the boiling point, which then creates steam which is collected by the water purification system and ultimately that steam is converted back into liquid form, but without the contaminates. You can also purify tap water given the property tools through de-ionization or reverse osmosis.
The above would indicate that there are plenty of tools at our disposal to assure ourselves that our drinking water is clean, especially if the tap water is essentially safe to begin with. In cases in which the tap water within your community is contaminated, the usage of such water for drinking purposes without taking the necessary steps to purify it, would most definitely put your health in danger. Fortunately, in those communities in which the water has tested poorly, we have ready access to plenty of good, safe, bottled water which is a blessing.
What is puzzling; however, are those that deliberately purchase bottle water in which their tap water gives every indication of being safe. Not only that, depending upon what type of water that you purchase, you may be purchasing tap water itself in which the sole difference is the area of the country that the tap water originates from. While there is water that you can purchase that is labeled as carbonated, underground, glacial, artesian, or as spring water, you will pay dearly for the privilege of drinking it.
For instance, for 2012, Americans spent a staggering $11.8 billion dollars on bottled water, in which for most of us, free tap water is readily available. I mean I know people that instead of providing tap water for their pets to drink provide them instead with bottled water. Why? I believe that Americans buy so much bottle water because they treat water as if it is a special beverage, worthy of its own packaging, its own cachet, and its own place. For instance, when you have company over, and you offer them something to drink, you can't possibly consider giving them a chilled glass of tap water, or tap water on ice, or tap water poured from a pitcher; no, you must provide them with their own bottle water, hopefully from the right company with the right prestige.