If you buy bottled water and knew the more salient facts about bottled water, you might feel a little bit foolish.

I know I'm being a harsh but if you did a comparison of food thermos container vs. tap water vs. filtered water, you're likely to feel like the mark who was sold the foot-long hot dog, topped with sauerkraut but missing 8 inches of meat in the middle.

So, just ask yourself this question, "Why are you getting bottled H2O?"

Here are your potential replies:

1) It's safer and healthier than tap water from the faucet.

When comparing bottled water vs. tap water, that's just one of the misconceptions taken as a fact about bottled water. Here's what the U.S. FDA stated concerning its supposed safety:

"Companies that market bottled water as being safer than faucet water are defrauding the American public."

In fact, there are no federal regulations for water that is sold. Governmental rules for tap water are in place and ordinarily assure some degree of quality and safety. So, when considering drinking mugs / tumblers vs. tap water, choosing the more regulated tap may be a wiser choice.

2) I drink bottled water that's been purified.

Most bottled water is not filtered. In contrast, city tap water is purified and disinfected. However, if you happen to be chugging bottled water that is filtered, good for you. If it's the product I sometimes go for, I am pretty sure the cost is even higher than the less expensive bottled water.

However, there's still a problem. Filtration is not all the same. High end filters get rid of the live, life-threatening contaminants, the inert, super toxic metals, very minute pollutants and the sediments that affect the taste and quality of the water.

There are cheaper purifiers that essentially get rid of larger sedimentary particles which slightly discolor water but really do little else. Most commercially filtered water tends to improve water rather cheaply.

3) Since it's a food product, there are federal rules that control its quality.

That's not really true. In fact, a strategy used by bottled water companies is to sell its water within the state that it's bottled in, so that federal regulations do not apply.

In fact, between 2/3 to 3/4 of the product sold is in the state it's bottled in. Most likely you are drinking water with no associated federal regulations to maintain its safety.

4) It's better than the usual drinks available at the store.

Well, that's a tricky one. It's better than the truly bad beverages. Those would include the colas, mile-high iced teas and fake fruit drinks that are in lots of children's lunch packs.

Frankly, if you went to a health food store, you can likely buy some fresh fruit or vegetable juice, a sprout-based drink, really healthy water and so on. I will admit, that it might cost an arm and a leg but what's your good health worth to you?

5) It's pretty inexpensive.

When you are comparing it to some designer beverage. However, it's not so economical when comparing thermos mugs vs. tap water that is filtered ($1 - $2 vs. 9 cents). It's about the same price as the soft drinks that litter shop aisles.

To me, this is one of the most confusing angles of the bottled water market.

We are only too happy being offered what is fundamentally free tap water for a dollar or so per bottle. How about that?

If you bought a bottle on most days and 2 bottles, or bigger bottles on days that you need more, you would be spending between $300 - $700 per year on water that is probably less healthy than tap water.

6) It's convenient.

Not really. I've done the figures on this because, like you, my time is very valuable.

It takes me a minute to fill up my water bottle with filtered water from my tap. I can even make a sandwich in just a few minutes. That appears much easier and quicker than the time needed to sprint to the deli, maybe wait on a noon lunch line, order and/or pay for my water and/or lunch.

7) I have no better option than water from the store.

Here again, if you are likely to consume cola, yes. However, you don't have to have the bottled water from the store when you could just bottle your own filtered water in a reusable bottle.

8)Hey, at least it forces me to drink the needed amount of water I should drink daily.

Finally, I agree with you, mostly. If it's a choice between drinking nothing and suffering from dehydration or downing expensive, minimally safe water from stainless coffee mugs that pollute our environment, then you should go ahead and get a container of water.

This should only happen occasionally. For example, if I'm exercising in warm weather and there's no water available nearby, I'll just go and get a bottle of water from whatever store is open.

It's either that or endure the more serious consequences of dehydration in warm weather which could lead to all types of physical crises that must be avoided at all costs.

I will give you credit because at least you didn't say that it's "green." That, I'm certain, never crossed your mind.

9) It's "green," right?

Well, this is one of the bottled water facts we haven't delved into that you should know about. Drinking bottled water causes an unbelievable amount of pollution.

In fact, since about a million plastic bottles are disposed of daily, it is one of the major culprits when it comes to pollution.

Imagine, what a hundred million empty plastic water bottles looks like, going straight straight for the landfill. That would be the fill that is not recycle-ready since many water bottles are disposed of in general wastebaskets along with non-recyclables.

So, if for no other reason, the pollution that follows from this mega consumption of drinking store-bought water should lead us to alternatives.

Ok, so perhaps those of you buying bottled water from the deli aren't precisely losers but I truly hope this article encourages you to act on the real bottled water facts and stop getting bottled water which has serious drawbacks and few good points.

http://www.wmwaterbottle.com/html/en/Products/mugs/stainless-coffee-mugs.html