Amy Rahmes

I grew up in the 70’s and early 80’s in the Florida Keys. We depended on a pipeline to pipe our water to the Keys in order to even have water. I recall so many times going days on end without the luxury of water. No baths, no washing clothes, and no washing DISHES…which I loved at the time. I also recall my mother telling me to drink water when I was thirsty! Water…are you kidding me? The water that was piped to us was full of little white thingies floating throughout the glass. I would not touch the stuff. Soda became my best friend! I do not think I had a glass of water until I was in my 40’s. So how did I become a victim to designer water? Why do I walk into a convenience store and pick up a $3 bottle of Smart Water over the $1 bottle of generic water?

Bottled water made its debut in 1767 at a spa in Boston and by 1856 plants were producing 7 million bottles a year at Saratoga Springs. Even in these times, drinking water was associated with iconic status, as water was considered a gift from God and bottled accordingly. Who would not want to walk around drinking a deliverance from God? Although many producers tried to re-build the consumer market with claims of assisting lactating mothers and soda waters for the wealthy, the consumer market did not really respond further until the late 70’s and early 80’s when Evian launched a $5 million dollar bottled water campaign.

This became the platform for the bottled water market we have today. Evian hit us right where it counts. Health! Water is said to be healthy and we should drink at least four 8 ounce glasses a day. I can do it; I can drink 32 ounces of a substance that has no taste whatsoever…right? I am assured by the very many producers that water no longer has white thingies floating in it and it comes directly from a mountain spring. Some even testify that their water has vitamins and minerals that other brands do not have.

How can this possibly be? How can something that is actually free to the human race be healthier from one spring to another?

Even Donald Trump promotes his water as “one of the purest natural spring waters bottled in the world.” So, how does one determine which water to drink? Smart Water claims that their water is purified and follows guidelines from the FDA. Are you kidding me? I did not even know that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was in on the quality of bottled water? From mineral water to artesian water, perhaps purified water, and how about spring water? The consumer today has a huge decision to make when purchasing their bottle of water. After all, their health is on the line.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (2008) claims that if we piled the 2.5 billion bottles sold in New York alone each year, the pile would literally reach the moon. Reach the moon? Unreal! In 2006, there were 31 billion bottles sold in America at an alarming $11 billion dollars. Americans are certainly not drinking from the water fountains so cleverly placed in parks and public arenas anymore. Gone are days we send our kids to the water fountains for a drink, instead we give them $4 to run to a concession stand for bottled water. Make sure there are minerals in that bottle too! And why not, all of the Hollywood actors are either seen with their Starbucks coffee or designer water in tote and certainly these images are somewhat iconic to Americans. From Rhianna to Jennifer Aniston, even the Beastie Boys, the marketing of bottled water is a billion dollar industry and we are all victims to it.

How did this happen to me? A self-proclaimed soda drinker now upset to find that my Smart Water is not carried at the local convenience store; I actually leave to find it at another more popular store that will definitely have a bottle for purchase. Remembering the ripped abdomen of Jennifer Aniston as she holds her Smart Water, I have to have it. Passing up the tap water that is conveniently available to me, but could potentially bring back the memory of white thingies floating, I am forever victim to this billion dollar industry. Move over Jennifer, here comes Amy!

Do you have a preference of one bottled water over another?

Photograph Credit:
Sabrina Segal