For years people have been drinking the water that flows out of the tap. And how often did people get sick from drinking tap water that city municipalities regulate? Not too often. Yet Americans spent some $10 billion on bottled water last year. Is it really worth paying a dollar for a bottle of water out of the soda machine rather than filling up a cup at the water fountain?

According to an article by Gregory Karp of the Allentown Morning Call featured on Sun-Sentinel.com, the dirty secret about clean water is that regulation of bottled water is weaker than regulation of tap water. These include leading brands as Coke’s Dasani and Pepsi’s Aquafina. Tap water can actually be more beneficial because most cities require the water to contain fluoride to prevent tooth decay in its citizens. Bottled water often does not contain fluoride according to a report from the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The bottled-water industry does not come out and advertise that their water is much safer to drink than tap water but they do show images of young healthy people exercising, mountain glaciers, crystal clear streams and water falls. These advertisements are intended on making consumers think that the bottled water is the way to go. But, consumers need to consider that the United States has one of the cleanest drinking-water supplies in the world, stated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

If you are still thinking twice on drinking water out of the tap, another alternative is to purchase a water filtration system to attach on the end of the faucet. Others are containers that filter the water in them. Among the best known brands are PUR and Brita. By purchasing these products may seem unreasonable but in the long run you will definitely save. According to Brita, its high-end faucet filter provides water for 18 cents a gallon. That is a lot cheaper than paying a dollar for a 12 ounce bottle.

Besides the cost of bottled water, the hassle of having to stop at a convenient store and wait in line to buy a bottle of water can be annoying. As you can see, you can save a lot of money by not buying bottled water but it does come in handy in certain situations when tap water does not. In times of natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes where the water supply to your home are cut off or polluted, it is smart to stock up on a few cases of bottled water.

Fun Tip: Put a three quarter full bottle of water in the freezer and let it freeze. When you are going out for the day, take out the bottle and add water to it and you will refreshing ice water for the rest of the day.