Evian, Fiji, Voss, SmartWater, Aquafina, Dasani, it’s impressive how many brands we have for something humans have been consuming for millennia. Despite years of studies showing that bottled water is no safer to drink than tap water, Americans are consuming more bottled water than ever, to the tune of billions of dollars in bottled water sales.

People cite convenience and taste in addition to perceived safety for reasons they prefer bottle to tap, but the fear factor surrounding tap water is still a driving force. It doesn’t help when emergencies like floods cause tap water contamination or when investigations reveal issues with lead pipes in some communities, but municipal water supplies are tested regularly, and in the vast majority of the U.S., you can safely grab a glass of water from a tap.

What the new study actually found

And now, a new study on nanoplastics found in three popular bottled water brands is throwing more data into the bottled vs. tap water choice. Researchers from Columbia University used a new laser-guided technology to detect nanoplastics that had previously evaded detection due to their minuscule size.

Columbia researchers found that bottled water contains hundreds of thousands of previously uncounted plastic particles—particles small enough to pass into the bloodstream and travel directly into our organs.https://t.co/NoC70dLakV— Columbia University (@Columbia) January 25, 2024

Columbia researchers found that bottled water contains hundreds of thousands of previously uncounted plastic particles—particles small enough to pass into the bloodstream and travel........

© Upworthy