The 280,000 Percent Markup on Bottled Water

It’s absurd that the cost of designer water is at a “280,000% markup” to your tap water and it’s reaching record heights in consumption. The comforting illusion of better water (bottled water) requires a lot of resource to manufacture and merchandise. The industry requires the cost of natural rivers and streams, semi-truck exhaust and diesel fuel, packaging, labeling, pollution of non-biodegradable plastic and the managing of recycling centers.

Logan recently polled some people about their water drinking habits, which I thought about as I was reading this post about the bottled water industry. I wasn’t included in the roundup, but I usually drink straight from the tap (New York water tastes pretty good), and will buy the occasional bottle of seltzer, or a $5 bottle of water at the airport because that’s what they charge you there.

Photo: liz west

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