People are acting surprised by this news that Aquafina is actually purified tap water from public sources. While I commend Pepsi for finally admitting to this already assumed knowledge, I am not sure what to think about all those that actually believed a large corporation would actually be bottling pure spring water to sell around the globe.

I'm not saying that Pepsi is wrong for bottling tap water, in fact many companies do so. Some choose to say so on the label that the water is purified tap water, others choose not to. The reality is that the FDA does not regulate that water has to be labeled as such, just that the water goes through proper filtration processes before being bottled and sold to remove contaminants and bacteria.

Also there are only so many protected pure water springs on this planet, many which are already controlled or maintained by spring water companies whose focus is only on spring water. Companies such as Evian, Poland Springs, and Deer Park all use purified spring water that is from at least partially protected springs. Companies such as Dasani (owned by Coca Cola) and Perrier aren't spring water, rather purified water with added carbonation and sometimes flavoring.

Consumers need to be aware that water bottled in the United States all must go through similar processes to ensure that water is potable for human consumption. Some companies use multiple layers of filtering techniques to get water that is considered more pure then others but in the end all of the water that these companies get is either already filtered by a public works department or is from protected springs.

Those that feel ripped off by bottled water that is only tap water should not feel this way. After all most water that comes from properly installed and maintained taps is already perfectly safe to consume; critics of bottled water have been saying for years that bottled water is generally a waste of money because you can get the same thing from your tap. Because of these critics, we can assume that is why many companies that sell bottled tap water have begun to add things to it to make it unique such as adding vitamins, flavoring, energy supplements, carbonation, and other things that will make their water more then just water.

Some may feel that even if Pepsi blatantly lied originally and said Aquafina is spring water, the definition of spring water can be vague and interpreted in many ways. After all companies that do bottle water from protected springs simply say that their water is naturally pure and made by nature. Isn't all water made by nature in the first place? Water originates either from ice caps or rain and is made possible by nature. We merely collect water wherever it may be and many of the contaminates we filter out are from our own pollution anyways. Pepsi isn't saying anything we don't already know by saying their water comes from nature, since all water comes from nature.

In the end though it is up to you the consumer to decide whether or not you feel Aquafina is worth your money. Companies that bottle water are primarily selling you a service by giving you extra filtered water in a convenient container to carry it around in. Some companies get their water from taps while others choose to take from springs, but it is all water in the end. Those companies with keen business sense will keep modifying and tweaking their bottled beverage products to make the best product that they think you will purchase. The choice is yours as a consumer, in this case of potential consumer scamming, no actual scamming has taken place.

Learn more about this author, Maxwell Payne.
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