US Market: Bottled Water

Introduction

The data provided by IBWA (International Bottled Water Association) reveal that bottled water has become extremely popular in the US market. More that $11 billion dollars has been spent for the consumption of bottled water and its consumption increase three times in the last 10 years. The market of bottled water in the United States is the second largest apart from the soft drink. In 2006, the U.S consumption of bottled water was more than 32 billion liters compared to 20 billion liters consumed in 2001. Yearly, an individual in Houston consumes average of 90.5 liters of water more than global average of 24.2 liters. Such growth in the consumption of bottled water is presumable consumers’ perception about safety, purity and convenience of bottled water. Typically, increasing public awareness of bottled water makes 50% of Houston population to drink bottled water and approximately one-third of Houston population drink bottled water regularly. Since 1976, there has been an increase in the market of bottled water in Houston and the United States as a whole. (See Fig 1).

Fig 1: Market Growth of Bottled Water Since 1976

Source: (Olson, 2013).

Despite the growth in the consumption of bottled water in last few decades, there has been a general criticism about the purity of the bottled water. There is a claim that Huston tap water can be safer to drink than some glorified bottle water.

Objective of this report is to provide recommendations on whether to drink tap water or bottled water in Houston, Texas.

Recommendations

The report uses different criteria such as cost benefit analysis, environmental impact, health and safety issues and processing technique to provide recommendations. The report recommends that the ...

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...ed water is less stringent.

Reference

EPA (2013).Water Trivia Facts. Environmental Protection Agency. USA.

Jemmott, J.M. (2008). Bottled Water Vs. Tap Water: Rethink What You Drink. Reader's Digest Magazine February 2008.

Mayo Clinic (2010), Water: How much should you drink every day. USA.

Natural Resources Defense Council (2003). Study Finds Safety of Drinking Water in U.S. Cities at Risk. NRDC reports.

Olson, E. D. (2013). Natural Bottled Water Pure Drink or Pure Hype. Natural Resources Defense Council.

Saleh, M.A. Abdel-Rahman, F.H. Woodard, B.B. et al. (2008). Chemical, microbial and physical evaluation of commercial bottled waters in greater Houston area of Texas. Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part A. 43: 335–347.

The City of Houston (2014). Drinking Water Operations. The City of Houston. Texas.