As summer approaches, we often see an uptick in press coverage regarding bottled water and hydration.  Public health officials warn citizens to carry water and stay hydrated in the hot summer sun; environmental activists admonish consumers for drinking bottled water and deem anything other than tap water an environmental hazard.

With that in mind, we at Sip & Savor scanned the news on a random day looking for mentions of bottled water.  Interestingly, last Tuesday alone, the term popped up as three towns across America reported large scale water main breaks.  The Des Moines Register had one in Adair, Iowa.  They told residents to use bottled water "for drinking, brushing teeth, making ice and food preparation," for the remainder of the week and perhaps beyond.  In Bridgewater, N. J., another accident resulted in a water boil advisory for 750 households and caused local schools to close.  In Waskom, Texas officials warned residents to either "bring the water to a vigorous boil or buy bottled water" until further notice.

As we know from the stories above, and the myriad humanitarian efforts our companies undertake, bottled water has a significant place in today's world, and has done much to ensure sanitary conditions in the case of numerous emergencies and public health disasters.

Bottled water companies have long worked to increase recycling, light-weighting packaging and reduce their overall environmental footprint.  A recent study by the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) proves the success of these efforts, if you'd like to read more.  But the bottom line is this: we don't think it should be a competition between bottled water and tap.  And we don't agree with towns who have sought to ban bottled water outright.  There's a place for both in a healthy and environmentally conscious lifestyle.  So whether you choose bottled water or are in a situation that requires it, remember to "Think Inside the Bin" and recycle your container when you're finished.