We’ve talked a lot in this blog about the importance of replacing bottled water and water softeners with filtered tap water, and it looks like our message isn’t going unheard.  The Beverage Marketing Corporation reported a decline in sales and volume production of bottled water for the second year in a row.

According to the press release from the Beverage Marketing Corp., bottled water sales and production hit its peak in the mid-2000s, but in 2008 the industry reported a drop in sales and in volume. The past year has seen further downturn – volume went down another 2.5%, and sales dropped 5.2%.  It’s clear that popularity in bottled water has also shifted. If people aren’t drinking as much bottled water, maybe they’ve invested in whole house water filters, such as LifeSource Water Systems. LifeSource Water is better than bottled water anyways.

The report further broke down the various categories of bottled water. Imports saw the largest amount of decline, down by 20.9%. Domestic non-sparkling water (like Aquafina or Dasani) and sparkling water sales also went down. The report also states that the only segment that didn’t see loss was a small category for refillable jugs – this sector saw growth.

While plenty of evidence supports the notion that the economic recession is the cause of this downturn in sales and volume, the fact that sales in refillable jugs increased gives me hope that people are listening to eco advocates who encourage the elimination of bottled water.  Maybe people are beginning to realize that bottled water is a waste to the environment just as much as it’s a waste of their money. The amount of oil used to produce bottled water is shocking, and 89% of the bottles never end up being recycled once they’re used.
 
I’m thrilled that bottled water sales are in decline, but we have a lot of work to do yet. $10.6 billion in sales still makes for a massive industry. I encourage you to learn more about organizations like TapIt, who want clean tap water available to everyone on-to-go.  Take Back the Tap also promotes a similar message. You can even send a letter to your state governor through Corporate Accountability International’s website. CAI acknowledges that governments spend millions of dollars on bottled water, and they want public officials to “Think Outside the Bottle” and come up with other options for the community.

You can help eliminate bottled water even further by filtering the tap water in your house. As mentioned above, the LifeSource Whole House Water System will filter the chlorine and sediment from the water in your entire home while retaining healthy nutrients like calcium and magnesium – so every faucet and showerhead delivers clean, healthy water. This is so much better than the municipal water that is typically sold in plastic bottles. You can refill your reusable bottle at any sink in your house, and you won’t have to stock up on bottled water anymore. Say goodbye to wasting money and resources and hello to filtered eco-friendly water!