The department of pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin recently conducted a survey study to investigate why minority families spend more on bottled water than Caucasian families. It was found that African American and Latino families were three times more likely to exclusively serve their children bottled water compared to Caucasian families. The study also found that low-income families were more likely to buy bottled water, and to spend a greater percentage of their monthly income on it, compared to higher-income families. When asked why they preferred bottled water, these families reported that they thought that it was healthier, cleaner, more convenient and better tasting than tap water. These beliefs are not uncommon; Americans consume nearly 10 billion gallons of bottled water each year.
Aside from the fact that at least one quarter of bottled waters are actually tap water, true bottled water is actually quite prone to bacterial infection. An investigation by the National Resources Defense Council found that 17% of all bottled waters contained enough bacteria to be considered unsafe. Twenty-two percent contained dangerous chemicals such as arsenic. Not surprisingly, bottled water has been linked to diarrheal illnesses in children.
A study published last year found that 45% of children treated for diarrhea drank only bottled water. Thus, this disproportionate consumption of bottled water by minority and low-income families may actually be contributing to health issues in these populations. The authors of the survey study concluded that despite perceptions of increased healthiness and safety of bottled water, there is actually little objective evidence that it is any better than tap water.
