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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

#111

Post by amalag »

djloche wrote: post #79
AlexandrB wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

$1 for enough bottled water for a month? Where did you get that number from?

We were living away from our home (and water filter) for a few months and bought the cheapest bottled water we could. It was $1 per gallon. Where is this magical bottled water plant that 60 gallons of water for $1.

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

#112

Post by intralizee »

I have a water distiller which I fill up with tap water and it takes 6 hours to produce a gallon by evaporating the water that then goes through a filter.

Cost me around $200 and I get to see the remaining contents from the tap water at the bottom of the distiller. I believe it uses 20 cents of energy to produce a gallon. It's cheaper than bottled water and more environmentally friendly (no plastic).

Some will say, I miss out on minerals from the water but I believe that my diet covers them.

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

#113

Post by squeaky-clean »

webkike wrote: post #87
usaphp wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be exact - It smells like water from a swamp. Hard to satisfy your thirst by drinking that nasty smell

If your water is literally smelly than it is either something wrong with your pipes or psychosomatic. I can't imagine that the entire city of San Diego is distributing water that has an odor. I have never had this problem in San Diego. I would suggest calling the city if this is truly a problem.

Water in Orlando, FL is pretty terrible. It has a sulfuric and metallic taste and smell. It's perfectly safe to drink and bathe in, the smell doesn't stay on your skin, but it's gross. Do a quick google search for water quality in orlando, or sulfur or smelly water in Orlando. You'll find tons of results on travel forums from people visiting Disney ask if it's safe to drink the tap water at parks or in their hotels because of it.

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

#114

Post by notyourloops »

hannob wrote: post #30
Practicality wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"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. :)

Maybe true. May also be a nocebo issue. Heard many people claiming that "tap water in XY is terrible" while every study shows that it's not true. Often tap water quality is better than bottled water.

I doubt it's a nocebo effect when you can even smell the difference. I have a reusable metal bottle and can tell when I've refilled it straight from the tap vs. a filtered water source.

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

#115

Post by wmil »

maxxxxx wrote: post #88
usaphp wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I recently moved to San Diego from New York, the tap water here is unbearable to drink, it tasted horrible, like you are drinking mold, filters don't help that much, still tastes horrible. I won't drink that, never mind giving it to my kids

In LA the water often tastes bad. I use a Brita filter which makes thing a little better but it still isn't great. I miss the water in Munich...

You can go all out and get a reverse osmosis system installed under your sink that also has a re-mineralizer. Adding the right minerals back in is important for flavour.

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

#116

Post by squeaky-clean »

RodericDay wrote: post #54
segmondy wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is really and truly sad that USA can't provide drinkable water.

The fact that GP is in the black while this post is downvoted is puzzling to me. Several people must have read GP "yuck @ tap water" and nodded along, and then down-voted this comment. However, if you think the USA can provide drinkable water, you'd have downvoted the "yuck" comment, because it is incorrect, and then this one as well. Or, If you agree with the "yuck" comment, then this poster is correct, and you shou…

> However, if you think the USA can provide drinkable water, you'd have downvoted the "yuck" comment, because it is incorrect, and then this one as well.

Brussels sprouts are "Yuck". However, they're also perfectly edible and healthy for you. If the US started a national food program that delivered incredibly cheap and healthy food straight to your kitchen, but San Diego was stuck with brussels sprouts as their food option, I would not find that "really and truly sad".

Drinkable does not mean tasty. The comments are making two completely different points.

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

#117

Post by wmil »

wnevets wrote: post #100
WalterBright wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm always bemused that bottled water costs more than gasoline.

bottled water and printer ink, the most expensive liquids on the planet.

The most expensive liquid is actually bull semen. Yes, that's a real product. Dairy/cattle farmers often need it.

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

#118

Post by [deleted] »

cozzyd wrote: post #106
nilkn wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

La Croix is sparkling water with very subtle natural flavoring. As for Sodastream, I've seen lots of folks say that they did the math and found that it wasn't any cheaper in the long run -- or was just barely so -- once you take the cost of the CO2 into account. There are still environmental reasons to get a Sodastream, of course. But if it's not any cheaper and requires learning to use a new contraption and making s…

It's much more convenient though. Hauling liquids isn't fun, even though I live just a block from a grocery store.

[deleted]

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

#119

Post by [deleted] »

Johnny555 wrote: post #78
JackFr wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

[deleted]

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

#120

Post by seanopedia »

nathanaldensr wrote: post #94
tbabb wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If "funny tasting water" upsets you, then sugary drinks-- which kill thousands of people through obesity-- should scare the daylights out of you.

Why the scare quotes? Tap water in many places does taste funny. I don't drink it for the same reasons; instead, I get Ozarka (Nestle) water delivery. Also, you present a false dichotomy; I don't have to choose between sugary drinks and funny-tasting water. I can, and do, avoid both .

I was under the impression that Nestlé's water mining practices were unethical (among their other practices). Any particular reason you advocate this product?
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