Is your bottled water safer than tap?

Over the years, bottled water sales have exploded. Compared to tap, is it a pure drink or pure hype?

Consumers hand over money to buy bottled water instead of drinking from the water fountain or from the faucet. Why? We believe bottled water is a healthier alternative.

The General Accounting Office reports in a study released in July that tap water must reach a tougher standards than bottled water. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, The Environmental Protection Agency is very strict when it comes to the regulations of tap water. However, bottled water is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and isn't as strict. According to Consumer Reports, John Stephenson of the GAO told the House panel that when it comes to water, the FDA lacks the regulatory authority of the EPA.

Bottled water makers don't have to use certified laboratories, and they don't have to report any of their water quality results to the FDA...even if their water quality is dangerous. The GAO study also found that only a small percentage of the 83 bottled water labels investigated contained information comparable to that required of tap water.

A chemical widely used in the making of polyvinyl-chloride plastics called DEHP, is an endocrine-disrupting compound banned by the SDWA in chidren's products. The FDA currently has no set standards for the use of DEHP in bottled water.

Want to see how safe your tap water is? You can test your own tap water by visiting EPA.gov to check for listings of low-cost or no-cost water testing kits.

In the meantime, stash that $1.50 in your piggy bank, and head to the water fountain.