Because Southern Colorado families are busier than ever before, we are often asked in our Colorado Springs-based water filtration plant if there is really any advantage to water delivery vs single-use bottled water bought at your local gas station, grocery, or big-box store. Some might argue that there is no advantage to either option, because the same filtered water is being provided either way, and both are served in plastic bottles.

But if that is what you think, you couldn’t be more wrong.

At Clearly Colorado, we believe that drinking pure, great-tasting water on the go doesn’t have to be a challenge. Modern convenience dictates that there be numerous opportunities for a person to access water whether they’re on the road, in a business or participating in an athletic competition or activity. While Colorado residents are overall environmentally conscious, the convenience of single-use water bottles when they’re in a hurry is just too hard to resist. In fact, everyday consumers are bombarded with advertisements and the idea that a single-serve water bottle is the purest and most convenient way to consume water when you’re out and about. But is that truly the case?

Just How Pure Is The Water You Are Buying?

To settle the debate over which is better, water delivery vs single-use bottled water, let’s first examine just how pure the water is in single-use bottles. The truth is that the purity of the water you’re drinking is going to depend on a number of factors, including what brand you are buying, how old the water is, and if the water bottle has had exposure to any elements like extreme heat.

The advertising for single-use water bottles usually involves packaging and labels with exotic names and photos of pristine mountain springs that are completely clear of any chemicals or pollutants. The fact of the matter is that, unfortunately, the water used in water bottles is often no different from tap water. Depending on where the water was actually bottled, the tap water provided by the City of Colorado Springs may actually be purer than the bottles you’re purchasing.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets the standards for bottled water. However, because the FDA standards do not always apply to some single-use bottled waters sold and transported within state lines. That means that the water you are buying isn’t being held to the standards that a Colorado Springs water delivery company has in its filtration plant.

For instance, at Clearly Colorado, our water filtration plant has multiple stages of filtration including reverse osmosis to remove over 99% of inorganic contaminants. We continually test our water to ensure that we are exceeding the FDA’s standards, so you know you are getting only the very best nature and modern science have to offer.

Another factor to consider in the battle of water delivery vs single-use bottled water is the actual water bottle itself. Because these bottles are meant to be used only once, the quality of the plastic they are made from is inferior to their reusable counterparts. Oftentimes the plastic in single-serve water bottles can release chemicals after storage in hot warehouses or as it becomes older. Those chemicals can seep into the water you’re going to drink after it is packaged, and there’s no way to tell if the bottle you picked up at the store has been put through any exposure or if the water is still as pure as when first bottled.

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Environmental Impact Of Single-Use Water Bottles

The impact of single-use impact on the environment is no secret to the environmentally-conscious consumers of Colorado. Considering that, on average, a single-use water bottle can take 450 years to decompose, and that millions of plastic bottles are thrown away every day instead of being recycled, the planet can only hold so much more single-use plastic.

One way many try to be eco-friendly is by washing out single-use water bottles to reuse. However, this is not as helpful as you might think. The plastic in single-use bottles isn’t designed for extreme heat or abrasion from scrubbing so the bottle is more likely to leach chemicals into the water when you refill it. This is bad for you, and bad for the environment around you. Although it may seem more green, single-use bottles are just that – for single use. You are better off recycling single-use water bottles rather than trying to re-use them. Although you can be more environmentally responsible by finishing your water and recycling your single-serve bottle, you don’t necessarily have to be wasteful when drinking water while you’re on the move.

On the other hand, drinking water from a 5-gallon bottle provided by a local water delivery service is a much more environmentally sustainable choice. From its production as food-grade level plastic to the many times a 5-gallon water bottle can be sanitized and reused (up to 50 times!) drinking water from a water delivery service is a green choice you can be proud to make.

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Show Me The Money

Paying a few dollars for a pack of bottled water may seem reasonable for the convenience, however, when you think about how much money you might spend over a long period of time, or how much you spend when you buy individual bottles at gas stations or grocery stores, the money adds up.

Single-use bottled water producers are masters at advertising and may make you believe that a higher-priced bottle of water means better quality water, but that simply is not always the case. By making a small investment in a quality reusable water bottle and filling with water from your local Colorado Springs water delivery company, you are sure to save your money and your health in the long run.