No matter how you slice it, high-quality, filtered tap water will always cost less than expensive bottled water. Switching from bottled water to a water filtration system could save you hundreds of dollars a year or more. The price difference is due to the plastic water bottles, the manufacturing costs, and the time and money it takes to transport heavy containers filled with bottled water to your local store. These extra costs are significant, with a gallon of bottled water costing nearly 2,000 times more than a gallon of filtered tap water. If you are looking for a cost-effective way to enjoy clean drinking water at home, then we have the information you need. Keep reading as we break down the real cost of bottled water and how you can save big when you switch to filtered tap water.
Why Is Bottled Water so Popular?
Even with the high costs of bottled water, it remains one of today’s most popular drinks. People in the United States spend billions of dollars every year, consuming millions of gallons of bottled water, and that number is expected to rise by nearly 10% this year alone. [1] You may be asking yourself why bottled water remains so popular even with such a high price tag. However, much of bottled water’s popularity comes down to perception, with many people assuming their city’s water supply is not up to their drinking water standards. This wide-spread perception of tap water has caused Americans to drink more and more bottled water over the years, consuming over 5,000 ounces (about 40 gallons) of bottled water, per person per year. In fact, around 15% of people in the U.S. drink nothing but bottled water. [2] Other reasons people prefer bottled water over tap include:
- Taste
- Quality
- Convenience
Cost of Bottled Water in a Year
Your cost for drinking bottled water in a year will depend on the type and quantity you consume. Assuming you drink somewhere around the 40 gallon average per year, we will break down the annual bottled water costs for three of the most popular bottled water brands, Dasani, Aquafina, and Smartwater. We averaged the price per gallon based on rates from popular stores, including CVS, Target, and Walmart.
| Brand of Water | Avg. Cost Per Gallon | Annual Cost (4O Gallons) | Family Annual Cost (x4) |
| Dasani | $6.43 | $257.20 | $1,028.80 |
| Aquafina | $5.12 | $204.80 | $819.20 |
| Smartwater | $8.04 | $321.60 | $1,286.40 |
Dasani Bottled Water Costs
Dasani water is produced by one of the largest beverage companies in the world, Coca-Cola. They typically get their water from the same municipal suppliers you get your tap water from, but filter it before adding back in different salts and minerals. See how much drinking two bottles a day would cost you below. [3]
- Average Price Per Bottle: $0.82
- Yearly Cost (2x bottle a day): $598.60
Aquafina Bottled Water Costs
Another big beverage company, PepsiCo, produces Aquafina. Also filtered from municipal water supplies, Aquafina offers consumers filtered water with nothing added back in. Find out what you may expect to pay below. [4]
- Average Price Per Bottle: $0.75
- Yearly Cost (2x bottle a day): $547.50
Smartwater Bottled Water Costs
Like Dasani, Smartwater is produced by Coca-cola, but the process is very different. Smartwater comes from vapor-distilled spring water. After the distillation process, electrolytes are added. Below are some average costs you might expect to pay. [5]
- Average Price Per Bottle: $1.48
- Yearly Cost (2x bottle a day): $1,080.40
The Cost of Filtered Water in a Year
Filtering your tap water at home can be a great low-cost way to give you and your family access to clean, great-tasting drinking water. You probably already have access to inexpensive water at your home, and filtering it with a high-quality filter can give you the same great taste, quality, and convenience you enjoy with bottled water. On average, tap water will cost you $1.50 per 1,000 gallons, costing only a fraction of a cent per gallon. That same 1,000 gallons would cost you more than $5,000 in average bottled water costs! Best of all, filtering your water at home is an incredible bargain. While filters may require a small investment to start, over time, filters only add a few cents or less to each gallon of clean, drinking water you consume.
Below is a break down of average costs you may expect to spend on a water filtration system over a year.
$100 (filters) + $75 (reusable water bottles) + $1.50 (1,000 gallons of tap water) = $176.50
Why You Should Never Drink Unfiltered Tap Water
While tap water offers families incredible value, drinking unfiltered tap water may put your health at risk. Unfiltered tap water can contain harmful chemicals, pesticides, hormones, and other contaminants that interfere with your water’s taste, smell, and quality. While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set drinking water standards, every year, millions are still exposed to drinking water that did not meet these standards. [6] Often, the violations get corrected, but not before exposing thousands to unhealthy water. Without continually testing and monitoring your tap water, it is impossible to say whether or not your tap water is contaminant free. Filters take the guesswork out of safe drinking water, filtering out 99.99% of the bad stuff before you pour your first glass.
Filter Your Water With an Under Sink Filtration System
Filtering your water with a high-quality filter like the EZChange Drinking Water Filter can do more than save you hundreds of dollars in bottled water costs, it can also guarantee pure, clean drinking water for you and your family. With prices starting at less than $25 a month, you may be surprised how affordable quality drinking water can be for you and your family.
SOURCES
- Zhao Q, Shu W, Gao J. Wei Sheng Yan Jiu. “Bottled Water: United States Consumers and Their Perceptions of Water Quality.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3084479/.
Published February 2011. Accessed July 15, 2019. - Mike Pomranz. “15% of People Only Drink Bottled Water.”
https://www.foodandwine.com/lifestyle/bottled-water-popular.
Published January 16, 2018. Accessed July 15, 2019. - “Dasani Water Prices.”
https://www.hangoverprices.com/dasani-water-prices/.
Accessed July 15, 2019. - “Aquafina Water Prices.”
https://www.hangoverprices.com/aquafina-water-prices/.
July 15, 2019. - “Smartwater Prices.”
https://www.hangoverprices.com/smart-water-prices/.
July 15, 2019. - Maura Allaire, Haowei Wu, and Upmanu Lall. “National trends in drinking water quality violations.”
https://www.pnas.org/content/115/9/2078.
Published February 27, 2018. Accessed July 15, 2019.