This column titled “From the Tap” was named with some illusion to the drinking that permeates our college life. I have to thank Coca-Cola and Pepsi though; they’ve given me the chance to relate my title to everyone.
Thank you for your bottled water.
I’m looking at the little bottle of Dasani sitting on my desk, reading the words at the top that say “Purified Water.” I used to think this meant they started with a good, clean water source and ran it through a filter while they added minerals. Well, Dasani, you got me. Aquafina, the number one selling bottled water in our country, and Dasani, the number two, both bottle their water from the municipal water supply, according to the AP.
Tap water.
I can see it now, some guy starts off in his basement with a sink, a bunch of clear plastic bottles and a dream. He can make a fortune off selling this to you at a high price while he pays a ridiculously low price. His American dream.
I’m sure they all have a great legal defense, because they don’t actually tell us their sources on the bottle. Aquafina has those lovely mountains on its label; we all just assume that the water must come from some pure, mountain stream.
Like kids flocking to candy, we have gotten in the car with strangers for what was supposed to be just some clean, healthy water. We didn’t expect to be taken for a ride and mistreated.
The thing is, these guys weren’t supposed to be strangers who would swindle our money from us. They are Pepsi and Coca-Cola. They’re the companies that we see advertised everywhere, which we can buy anywhere, and for a lot of us have always been around. Last year, Americans spent about $9 billion on bottled water according to ACNielsen.
This stuff feels personal. It is like waking up to find an old friend stealing money from your wallet.
Nestle is rumored to be dropping the price of its water by around 8 to 9 percent, and it is safe to bet that Pepsi and Coca-Cola will be following suit. So, at least they will be stealing less while you sleep.
I’m ending this column and these summer rants in the same way I began the rest, with something from the tap. This time, as the ice makes that sweet clink and the glass begins to fill, I propose a toast to my faucet. If it’s good enough for Dasani, it’s good enough for me.
—Contact Geoff Whiting at [email protected]