|
|
|
Consumption
|
Per
16.9
oz
Bottle
|
Year
1
Cost
|
Year
2
Cost
|
|
8
glasses
|
$0.37
|
$2,045.73
|
$2,543.34
|
|
4
glasses
|
$0.37
|
$1,022.86
|
$1,271.67
|
|
|
*Based on price
of bottles
bought in bulk
from Ozarka
website. |
In March of
1999, the
Natural
Resources
Defense
Council (NRDC)
released a
report
called
"Bottled Water Pure Drink or Pure Hype?"
NRDC‘s
report
points out
about
one-fourth
of bottled
water is
actually
bottled tap
water,
according to
government
and industry
estimates
(some
estimates go
as high as
40 percent).
And FDA
rules allow
bottlers to
call their
product
"spring
water" even
though it
may be
brought to
the surface
using a
pumped well,
and it may
be treated
with
chemicals.
The report
also focuses
on the fact
that 60 to
70% of all
bottled
water is
exempt from
FDA‘s
bottled
water
standards,
because it
is bottled
and sold
within the
same state.
Unless the
water is
transported
across state
lines, there
are no
federal
regulations
that govern
its quality.
According to
the NRDC,
bottled
water
companies
have used
this
loophole to
avoid
complying
with basic
health
standards,
such as
those that
apply to
municipally
treated tap
water. Also,
all
carbonated
or sparkling
waters are
completely
exempt from
FDA
guidelines
that set
specific
contamination
limits.
|
|
|
|
Consumption
|
Rental
Cost
|
Water
Cost
(5
gallons)
|
Year
1
Cost
|
Year
2
Cost
|
|
8
glasses
|
$13.99
|
$8.79
|
$1,451.22
|
$1,451.22
|
|
4
glasses
|
$13.99
|
$8.79
|
$809.55
|
$809.55
|
|
*Does not
include
electricity
costs.
*Figures based
on Ozarka
system. |
|
|
|
Consumption
|
Space
Saver
|
Single
Filter
|
# of
Replacement
|
Year
1
Cost
|
Year
2
Cost
|
|
8
glasses
|
$21.99
|
$7.99
|
18
|
$167.81
|
$145.82
|
|
4
glasses
|
$21.99
|
$7.99
|
9
|
$94.90
|
$72.91
|
|
|
*Figures based
on Brita (Space
Saver). |
|
Most
point-of-use
filters are not
designed to
remove many of
the contaminates
that may be
lurking in your
water source
such as
bacteria.
Point-of-Use
filters are not
usually designed
to purify the
water but
instead just
filter it. This
means that these
filter are not
killing water
contaminates but
instead are
capturing and
trapping these
contaminates
within the
filter itself
where water .
This means you
must have a
clean water
However, they
usually have
some sort of
carbon to make
the water taste
better and
remove odor.
Also as you can
see below, most
point of use
filter are
designed to have
multiple filter
replacements.
|
|
|
|
Consumption
|
Cost
|
Filters
Cost
|
Installation
Costs
|
Year
1
Cost
|
Year
2
Cost
|
|
8
glasses
|
$695.95
|
$256.50
|
$89.99
|
$1,042.44
|
$256.50
|
|
4
glasses
|
$695.95
|
$256.50
|
$89.99
|
$1,042.44
|
$256.50
|
|
|
*Figures based
on Aquasmart
system.
|
-
To get the
maximum life
out of a
typical
Reverse
Osmosis
System is
should be
accompanied
by a Water
Softener
which will
help prevent
clogging of
the R/O
membrane.
Water
Softener
usually
means an
additional
installation
cost and
higher water
wastage.
-
Most Reverse
Osmosis
Systems
waste
between 2-10
gallons of
water for
every one
gallon
produced in
their
constant
flushing
cycles.
-
Still need a
water source
so you still
have to pay
for water
and waste
water.
|
|
|
|
|
|
---All
calculations
were based
on a family
size of
four---
|
|