I'm curious to hear opinions on drinking tap water versus drinking filtered water.

I have used a Brita water filter jug for a few years. But in the past three or four months, I seem to notice more small black "flakes" -- which I assume are from the carbon filter? -- not only in the top filtering part of the jug, but sometimes falling into the stuff I drink. When I open a new filter, I follow the directions precisely before I use it in the jug, so I don't understand why these pieces keep showing up.

So now I'm considering just drinking tap water. It's cheaper than buying bottled water all the time. What do you all think?

Thanks!
Anne

I personally used to use a PUR filter and not the Britta. I didn't like the way they were utilized. I don't use it in a 'pitcher' type thing but right on my tap.

I moved to the country and our smaller 'city' water from the tap is just fantastic so I don't even use my PUR filter anymore.

The only time I buy bottled water is when I am out and about.

We have city water but I cant stand the taste. Way too much chlorine. I have to buy bottled water or I wouldnt be drinking any.

I am spending the same amount of money on a case of water that I was on a case of Coke.

I also prefer the taste of bottled water. It tastes better and the bottles are convinient. We recyle, so I don't feel so bad about using so many bottles.

I don't like the taste of our water either. We have a counter top filter in our kitchen that hooks up to the faucet. (Not that I particularly like the looks of it, but I love the water!)

I had to chime in here. I'm lucky enough to live in a state that has fabulous tasting tap water. Everytime I visit the "mainland" I cringe when I'm brushing my teeth and have to rinse with the chlorine-tasting water, yuck! I'm always happy to get home and drink "tasteless" water

I buy bottled water for my office but sometimes just refill those bottles from the tap and chill. I've used those faucet-attached filters as well, but to me, it doesn't really affect the taste at all, at least where I live.

I say if you can stand the taste of your tap water, save your money and drink up!

I use a filter on my tap because I've seen sediment in our water. Yuck. I also think it gives it a cleaner taste so it's easier to drink. I used to use a Brita pitcher and loved it. However, my personal tastes have changed and I now use a Pur ultimate filter on my tap and always use filtered water for cooking. I drink bottled spring water now, from a company that really does get mountain spring water (not NY tap water, lol).

We have our own well, and the water tastes great! At work I drink city water and it's okay. But I have lived places where the water tastes nasty. It may be safe to drink but certainly not tasty. I used to use a Brita filter which worked pretty well, esp if the water was refrigerated. It all depends on where you get your water. I know that some places have tap water that tastes heavily of chlorine - yuck! I buy bottled water when I need to, but I hate using all that plastic...

I can't stick the taste of the water from my taps. All I can smell is chlorine. I have a water line through a filter in my fridge, and that cleans up the taste for me. It also chills the water, and I'm very happy with it.

I usually fill a bottle myself when I'm going out, but I will buy the bottled stuff on the occasions I forget.

Brita makes a filter that goes on the tap. I have one and it works well.

Where I live when I'm going to school, I drink the tap water, it tastes fine to me. When I'm in my hometown at my parents' place, I drink from one of those Brita pitchers you fill up and put in the fridge, because the water there has a copper taste that I don't like.

In response to the person who was saying they don't feel guilty because they recycle... lessthansign3... I just wanted to say that it is still bad for the environment. Out of the 3 Rs, "Recycle" is the least helpful one! It is still better than throwing them in the trash though. I definitely drink out of a lot of plastic bottles too so I am not criticizing, but we shouldn't kid ourselves that we are doing some big favour for the Earth by recycling... it is a lesser evil only.

It's funny how less than 10 years ago it seemed like no one ever bought bottled water. The idea over paying $1, $2 or even $3 (at the movies!) for a bottle of water would have seemed outrageous! Now it's almost expected.

This is a video of an interesting prank that was played related to bottled water... it sure made me think twice... http://www.ebaumsworld.com/videos/tapwater.html

All I drink is tap water, it tastes just fine to me. I only drink bottled water when I am out.