Would You Tap This? NYC Tap Water For Sale

Reader La Mariposa took this photograph of bottled NYC tap water on sale at a local store. Now, we know that NYC tap water is pretty darn delicious (it did get first place at the state fair last week), but is it worth buying a bottle full of it?

The Tap'dNY strategy doesn't hide the fact that they "purify and bottle New York City's famous tap water, leaving out the malarkey and far journey included in other bottled waters." Instead, it wants to be an "honest and local alternative for all New Yorkers"--perhaps a nod to how some bottled water marketers haven't always said their water was from humble taps--and even points out that refills are free at faucets in the city (after a few refills, you recycle the bottle).

Alternate idea: Invest in a Nalgene or Camelbak Better Bottle or aluminum Sigg bottle . And not everyone has access to such great water-- consider donating to causes, like Charity:Water (see a PSA), which try to bring fresh water to other parts of the world

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Food on September 2, 2008 6:16 PM

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Myszka

Just saw this in the post today (2 weeks after Gothamist): http://www.nypost.com/seven/09182008/news/regionalnews/free_h20___just_1_50__129640.htm

Såkandulæredet

NYC water gets worse in the summer with extra chlorine taste. I use one of those brita filters and it works very well.

JMH

Yeah, go Sigg! I have two, love 'em. I'm super psyched that their webstore is finally back online, wanted to order some as presents...
Ooh, thanks for the heads-up; I'd been waiting for that and hadn't checked lately.

smitty

Nalgene is now BPA/phalate free...unlike most conventional plastics.

That is the draw.

BPAs...pthalates = leaching into your water and cancer. Tasty!

Novanglus

BAck in the day when cans were first introduced as a way to store food, the cans were made of lead and ended up giving people lead poisoning.

JacqueMehoff

don't they still line the aluminum bottles with plastic anyway? just re-use the poland spring bottles. if it get's murky, get a new one.

Future Taliban

So what's next; NYC Air-in-a-Can?. Wait a minute .... I'm off to the patent office right now.

nicemarmot

Yeah, not so much with the Nalgene. I was given one in college and it wound up in the back of my closet as it made water taste and smell like plastic. Yummy.

Also - the tap water in NYC is only good if you have good pipes to drink it out of. The water coming out of a lot of older buildings tastes and looks nasty because of the old pipes. I keep having this problem with my offices where I feel forced to drink bottled water because the tap water is foul.

Novanglus

I agree with and understand the environmental benefit of using a reusable bottle, but I don't see the advantage of why NALGENE is so popular, becuase to me it looks like it SUCKS. I'd rather use a sports bottle that has a spout I can drink or squirt from.

spnder

Had my SIGG for 3 months and like it way better than nalgene. Stays cleaner for longer, and from what I've read, it's better for you than any kind of plastic.

babyhitler

I heard that Nalgene's make women give birth to kids with their genitals inside out. That's no good.

kswissreject

Yeah, go Sigg! I have two, love 'em. I'm super psyched that their webstore is finally back online, wanted to order some as presents...

Jen Chung

Ah, thanks, edEx. That's helpful.

@Novanglus, I think the idea behind using your own bottle is that you don't participate in the neverending cycle of buying bottled water and encourage manufacturers to make more.

Spirit of 76

Hey, that's my idea! I suggested that almost two months ago.

Aside from Nalgene, there's also the Camelbak Better Bottle. Both brands are now free of bisphenol A, if you're worried by all the fearmongering about that chemical.

Spiny

I'm always amazed by my family members' reactions to NYC tap water when they visit from out-of-state. Their own tap water sucks so much that ours is like bottled mineral water by comparison. And I have to say, it is pretty good.

ed_Extinct

nalgene is not so good. the VOC's in the plastic leak in to your water. Try the much more healthier aluminum bottle by Sigg. http://www.mysigg.com

Novanglus

Why is nalgene so popular? Is there an advantage to using that over the 30 billion other bottles that are out there? I don't even see a spout on it to drink from.

Public Relations

Here is a great idea for a future story.

Take a poll across ALL of your blog networks and ask the question:

What are the two tastiest bottled waters (including tap)?

What are the two tastiest FLAVORED and carbonated bottle waters?