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Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

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Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#71

Post by ars »

revelation wrote: post #38
AlexandrB wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You pretty much explained why many of us drink bottled water, since our supply is not reasonable. :) Citation needed. Some choice quotes from Wikipedia[1]: 'The Environmental Protection Agency regulations for tap water are "actually stricter than the Food and Drug Administration regulations for bottled water."' 'A study of drinking water in Cincinnati, Ohio, discovered that bacterial counts in bottled water were of…

I don't think they take into account that chlorinated water tastes like shit. Unless you filter it at home with some effort.

> Unless you filter it at home with some effort.

It's not that much effort. If all you care about is taste they sell kits for under $100, and then you don't need the effort of lugging water.

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#73

Post by sp332 »

cmdrfred wrote: post #49
sp332 wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Edit: Regulators have started to take lead testing more seriously during the Flint crisis. Stricter testing is starting to show a lot of problems. This is about 20 miles south of where I live http://nhpr.org/post/manchester-schools-shut-drinking-founta... and this about and a bunch more, with actual numbers at the bottom http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/03/17/drinkin...

What does condensation have to do with the public water supply?

Eh, I don't feel like defending my anecdotes. Edited to stick to the numbers.

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#74

Post by noonespecial »

FreeFull wrote: post #53
azinman2 wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because la croix tastes amazing, their bubble size is different (and better) from soda stream with no work, and I can put an entire case in the fridge to be ready and cold on demand.

What changes bubble size?

Water "hardness" ie the amount of minerals dissolved in the water if I'm not mistaken. I've got a modded out soda-stream that uses large paint-ball CO2 tanks and I've tried lots of different things. Water run through a "softener" is very different than not and distilled is much more different than both of those.

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#75

Post by JackFr »

semi-extrinsic wrote: post #6
joezydeco wrote: post #2

Low margin? My wife switched to La Croix which seems to be the new popular water drink around here. It's easily 3x the price of Coke.

Apart from signalling that you have too much money and don't give a crap about the environment, why would anyone drinking just water buy bottled water every day instead of a Camelbak or Nalgene or Bobble bottle once a decade, and then drink tap water? Or even a Bkr if you're very fashion conscious? Is US water quality really that bad? Edit: and if you need sparkling water, why not get a Sodastream or equivalent?

Sodastream vs. seltzer is not cost efficient.

https://www.sodastreamusa.com/60L-Carbonators-C38.aspx 60L for $29.99 (ignoring fixed cost of hardware and marginal cost of tap water)

https://shop.fairwaymarket.com/product/vintage-sltzr-1lt-pla... 1L for $0.50 (in Manhattan)

Possibly more environmentally friendly, though that's not obvious.

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#76

Post by Johnny555 »

mrob wrote: post #69
hannob wrote: post #9

Good news. Now they should switch to tap water and it'll also be a win for the environment. (To anticipate answers: Yes, I know, in the US water often contains large amounts of chlorine and doesn't taste that good. And in poorer countries tap water is often undrinkable. But there's no good reason to buy bottled water if your water supply is reasonable, which is true for large parts of europe at least.)

There's another good reason to buy bottled water: water is heavy. If you're walking or cycling somewhere you might not want to carry water when you can buy some at your destination. If you remove this option you might do more environmental harm than good by encouraging use of motor vehicles.

When I cycle somewhere, I fill up my bottle when I get there (or along the way). I know where all of the water fountains are on my regular cycling routes.

Likewise, when I go for a long walk or a hike, I carry a bottle along and fill it as needed.

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#77

Post by niftich »

Practicality wrote: post #13
hannob wrote: post #9

Good news. Now they should switch to tap water and it'll also be a win for the environment. (To anticipate answers: Yes, I know, in the US water often contains large amounts of chlorine and doesn't taste that good. And in poorer countries tap water is often undrinkable. But there's no good reason to buy bottled water if your water supply is reasonable, which is true for large parts of europe at least.)

"there's no good reason to buy bottled water if your water supply is reasonable" You pretty much explained why many of us drink bottled water, since our supply is not reasonable. :)

Las Vegas has water that meets the standard of 'very hard' [1], so when I go there and stay with friends it's a challenge to take a nice shower (soap doesn't want to lather), and water from the tap tastes noticeably chalkier than in other places. But my friend has thyroid issues and avoids the tap water due to perchlorates [2], which were produced industrially in Henderson and leeched into the groundwater. Though the levels are considered safe, her particular health issue makes it more of a concern. So bottled water is everywhere at their house, but also at the houses of other people I know in the area. I'm guessing some of it is because it's always hot so it's nice to have a ready-made bottle of water on-hand whenever you need it, and possibly because in Las Vegas, tap water is perceived as expensive (even though this isn't actually true [3])

On the east coast in a metro that ranks as having one of the best municipal water systems, buying large amounts of bottled water is foreign to me, and only crosses my mind if I'm preparing for inclement weather or an extended road-trip. Though I wish our 'best municipal water' tasted more to my liking, a Brita filter adds a pleasant blend of minerals that tastes close to non-store-brand bottled water.

[1] https://www.lvvwd.com/wq/facts_hard.html

[2] https://www.lvvwd.com/wq/facts_perchlorate.html

[3] http://www.circleofblue.org/2015/world/price-of-water-2015-u...

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#78

Post by Johnny555 »

JackFr wrote: post #75
semi-extrinsic wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apart from signalling that you have too much money and don't give a crap about the environment, why would anyone drinking just water buy bottled water every day instead of a Camelbak or Nalgene or Bobble bottle once a decade, and then drink tap water? Or even a Bkr if you're very fashion conscious? Is US water quality really that bad? Edit: and if you need sparkling water, why not get a Sodastream or equivalent?

Sodastream vs. seltzer is not cost efficient. https://www.sodastreamusa.com/60L-Carbonators-C38.aspx 60L for $29.99 (ignoring fixed cost of hardware and marginal cost of tap water) https://shop.fairwaymarket.com/product/vintage-sltzr-1lt-pla... 1L for $0.50 (in Manhattan) Possibly more environmentally friendly, though that's not obvious.

CO2 is cheap, but not when Sodastream sells it. People that want cheap carbonated water have modified their sodastreams to accept larger beverage-store CO2 bottles:

http://www.frugalwoods.com/2014/08/11/how-to-cheap-homemade-...

Higher fixed costs, but if you drink a lot of carbonated water, you quickly recoup it.

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#79

Post by djloche »

AlexandrB wrote: post #12
TylerE wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, in many places, it's pretty bad.

I love that the American solution is not to try to bring the municipal water up to standard but to spend 10x-100x on bottled water.

The reason is that you can buy a case of clean bottled water for ~$1-2, providing you clean, good tasting drinking water for a month. This is something even people at or below poverty level income can afford and dramatically increases quality of life.

The individual has little to no control over the water or pipes that runs the water to their home. It is a take it or leave it situation. If you own your home, then you might be able to install a water filtration system. This might be at the very least $200+. Okay. That doesn't compete with the price of bottled water. What about just a water filter pitcher? $30+. Well, now that's far more reasonable, but still represents 20-30 cases of water.

Bottled water IS the cheap, easy option. Should people fight and vote for infrastructure improvements so that they have clean, good tasting water? absolutely. But while we're working on that, we'll drink bottled water.

Re: Consumers are switching to water as they avoid sugary beverages

#80

Post by Johnny555 »

rconti wrote: post #70
AlexB138 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's quite bad, but consumer water filtration devices are cheap and plentiful. I personally use a water filter at home and work, and carry a decent quality bottle everywhere with me, so I'm not sure why others don't go that route. I have to assume it's just another example of rampant American consumerism.

Is it? I drink tap water in the SF Bay Area. It's excellent. (Hetch Hetchy). But even in the south bay, it's quite good. San Diego water is also very drinkable, as is Los Angeles. Most recently I was in Vegas and Ohio, and in both places, while the water was not as good as it is at my house, it was perfectly fine.

SF water is clean and good tasting, but many of the 70+ year old buildings have corroded water pipes that can add foul tastes and sediment to the water.
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