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Bottled water

language culture Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Bottled water is drinking water kept in plastic or glass containers.

Stilles Mineralwasser
Stilles Mineralwasser

People choose it for many different reasons. Some find it very convenient to carry. Others like the specific taste it has. Many people also believe it is safer than tap water. It can come in many sizes. You might see small single bottles or large jugs for water coolers.

Watercooler Wikinews
Watercooler Wikinews

Some water is even bubbly or sparkling.

There are many special kinds of bottled water. Mineral water comes from natural springs and has minerals like salts.

PET Bottle Water
PET Bottle Water

Spring water flows naturally from underground to the surface. Purified water is made very clean using steps like distillation or reverse osmosis. Some water is called artesian water. This type comes from deep underground and flows out due to natural pressure. You can also find alkaline water, which has higher pH levels. Some water is even fluoridated with added fluoride for health.

People have been bottling water for a very long time. The first water bottling began in the United Kingdom in 1622.

Bottled water
Bottled water

In the 1700s, people went to spas for water therapy. They believed drinking from mineral springs could help treat many ailments. In 1767, Jackson's Spa in Boston sold the first bottled water in America. By 1850, a company called Saratoga Springs made over 7 million bottles a year. This was because people feared diseases like cholera in city water.

New inventions changed how we drink water today. In 1973, an engineer named Nathaniel Wyeth patented PET plastic bottles.

HK Yau Ma Tei Nathan Road AS Watsons distilled water green plastic bottles Logistics morning Feb-2014
HK Yau Ma Tei Nathan Road AS Watsons distilled water green plastic bottles Logistics morning Feb-2014

PET plastic is light and does not break easily like glass. This helped water become popular all around the world. In the United States, bottled water is now the most popular commercial drink. It holds about 25% of the market share. This is even higher than the share for soft drinks.

We must also think about how we use and recycle bottles. PET plastic is 100% recyclable.

E8661-Pattaya-water-vending-machines
E8661-Pattaya-water-vending-machines

In 2014, the United States collected about 1.8 billion pounds of these bottles. Some people use vending machines to fill their own containers to reduce waste. Many families also keep bottled water in emergency kits. The experts at FEMA say it is a very reliable source of water during disasters. It is helpful to have enough for drinking and cleaning for at least three days.

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🖼️ Images & Media (10)
File:Stilles Mineralwasser.jpg
Stilles Mineralwasser.jpg
File:Watercooler Wikinews.jpg
Watercooler Wikinews.jpg
File:Stock water (4677305871).jpg
Stock water (4677305871).jpg
File:Bottled water.jpg
Bottled water.jpg
File:PET Bottle Water.jpg
PET Bottle Water.jpg
File:HK Yau Ma Tei Nathan Road AS Watsons distilled water green plastic bottles Logistics morning Feb-2014.JPG
HK Yau Ma Tei Nathan Road AS Watsons...
File:E8661-Pattaya-water-vending-machines.jpg
E8661-Pattaya-water-vending-machines.jpg
File:Bottled drinking water.Chercen, Xinjiang, China.jpg
Bottled drinking water.Chercen, Xinjiang,...
File:Refilling 18L water jug bottled water 5219.JPG
Refilling 18L water jug bottled water 5219.JPG
File:Street transaction between boy selling water bottles and woman, Istanbul (13271945715).jpg
Street transaction between boy selling...
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