Bottled water prices declining on clarkhoward.com

Americans are finally giving bottled water the boot after years of hearing about the product's high cost. Oddly, sales declines in the bottled water business mean you can now steal a deal on the stuff!

Bottled water can cost $1,400 annually. Tap water, however, might cost close to $1 annually at the most.

So Clark can't believe he's saying this, but now might be the time to stock up on cases of bottled water at your local warehouse club -- if that's your thing! The price on multipacks is going down, down, down.

Dow Jones reports sales of bottled water are down six percent, which is the first decline in sales since the 1990s. People who have lost their jobs or had hours cut are realizing the folly of paying big bucks for bottled water when tap water is available for nearly free.

Meanwhile, companies like Coke (Dasani) and Pepsi (Aquafina) actually source their products from municipal water supplies -- just like tap water! So why pay all the extra dough?

Try running your water through a filtered pitcher to remove impurities if you're uncomfortable drinking straight from the tap.

What others are saying

Tap water costs
Scott - the actual amount of tap water you drink costs very little. You use much more water to take a shower, wash clothes, wash dishes than you drink.
By George @ 09/28/09 09:34:54 AMreport abuse
Do we live in the same city Clark?
Tap water costs $1 annually? Are you kidding me? Not in the city of Atlanta bro!
By Scott @ 09/23/09 03:33:37 PMreport abuse
Bottled Water
The majority of bottled water is simply "purified drinking water", not spring water. The filter in my GE Profile fridge pumps out good tasting stuff!
By Tom @ 09/22/09 03:30:20 PMreport abuse
Bottled Water
And don't forget, the manufacturing process of the bottles uses oil, thus increasing our dependence on foreign oil.
By Kay @ 09/22/09 03:28:15 PMreport abuse
Stupid is as stupid does
Can you imagine what else these "bottled water idiots" waste their money on? It's the same goofs who buy a $5 cup of coffee and fill their SUV with premium gas, I honestly think it's a mental disease. But an even more misunderstood group is the people who do the above but can't afford it. What's that about? I bought my parents a filter for their tap water and it did wonders, thankfully my well water is of better quality and taste than anything these goofs can buy in a store.

Go to a store that sells real water bottles and buy a few, then go out and spend $75-125 for a water filter, I've seen some on sale now for less than $50. Problem solved, stupidity gone.
By Chris @ 09/22/09 01:18:52 PMreport abuse
Albertson's drop bottled H20 price
Last week here in the DFW area, I found bottled H20(16.9oz) for $2.49 a case down from $3.99.
By Gary Zimmerman @ 09/22/09 12:38:22 PMreport abuse
Plastic Island!!!
@ Bottle boy:
Here is just one of many reasons not to use bottled water. You do realize that EVERY bottle you and your kids consume, stays in landfill or our oceans for thousands of years? PLEASE, look at this photo. There is an island of plastic bigger than some countries floating in the pacific right now, due to people's lack of concern about pollution for the sake of "flavor" and convenience. This is just one picture. You can easily Google more: http://seacat.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/plastic1.jpg?w=500&h=288

Wake up people, we have alternatives.
By Think, people @ 09/22/09 11:23:53 AMreport abuse
Multi-Pure filter
A gallon of water filtered with our Multi-Pure filter costs about 8 cents. The company also backs up its claims by providing results from an independent testing laboratory.
By Trying To Be Wise @ 09/22/09 11:18:55 AMreport abuse
Why such a problem with Clark
Not sure why Clark likes to hound bottled water. Sure some suppliers get their water from municipal supplies but it may not be in the same area where people are buying the water. So that doesn't make any sense. I have terrible tap water, even with my expensive fridge filter it tastes bad.

1. The bottles are a lot more convienent then pouring water in a cup. It's like a treat and is always cold.

2. In bottles my kids drink a lot more water. They would never drink as much from the tap, not matter if it were in a pitcher or not.

3.I know Clark loves his soda, I think the small expense for bottled water overcomes the cost by not putting sugar into my kids diet.
By bottle boy @ 09/22/09 09:48:23 AMreport abuse
True cost of this stuff
Unless you're paying for the bottle itself, buying water is a rip-off. Worse, the bottles they are in are pretty flimsy. I use a Crystal Geyser bottle I bought several years ago as a water-bottle, and I refill it cold from the fridge, which has a decent charcoal filter that pulls most of the chlorine out. Sometimes I go with iced tea with raspberry syrup or something like that when I get bored with water. Bottom line is that paying for off-the-shelf water for drinking is a huge rip-off.
By Another Old Guy @ 09/22/09 07:43:02 AMreport abuse
Water
The price of bottled water is a joke and the big oil companies really missed the boat on this one when they see in some cases water is more expensive than gasoline.The water companies do process the water though so its not straight from the local fire hydrant.
Our tap water is sweet. It comes from the local sewer plant where it has been cleaned and then it goes through the rocks and mixed with virgin water.
By Jim @ 09/21/09 10:52:18 PMreport abuse
bottled water
You Can Refill Your Own Bottle At Vending a machine for 25cents or less at most grocery stores. it is ran thru filters uv light and reverse osmosis. the same as the shelf water....
By Roger @ 09/21/09 10:02:15 PMreport abuse

Tap water costs

Scott - the actual amount of tap water you drink costs very little. You use much more water to take a shower, wash clothes, wash dishes than you drink.

By George @ 09/28/09 09:34:54 AMreport abuse

Do we live in the same city Clark?

Tap water costs $1 annually? Are you kidding me? Not in the city of Atlanta bro!

By Scott @ 09/23/09 03:33:37 PMreport abuse

Bottled Water

The majority of bottled water is simply "purified drinking water", not spring water. The filter in my GE Profile fridge pumps out good tasting stuff!

By Tom @ 09/22/09 03:30:20 PMreport abuse

And don't forget, the manufacturing process of the bottles uses oil, thus increasing our dependence on foreign oil.

By Kay @ 09/22/09 03:28:15 PMreport abuse

Stupid is as stupid does

Can you imagine what else these "bottled water idiots" waste their money on? It's the same goofs who buy a $5 cup of coffee and fill their SUV with premium gas, I honestly think it's a mental disease. But an even more misunderstood group is the people who do the above but can't afford it. What's that about? I bought my parents a filter for their tap water and it did wonders, thankfully my well water is of better quality and taste than anything these goofs can buy in a store.

Go to a store that sells real water bottles and buy a few, then go out and spend $75-125 for a water filter, I've seen some on sale now for less than $50. Problem solved, stupidity gone.

By Chris @ 09/22/09 01:18:52 PMreport abuse

Albertson's drop bottled H20 price

Last week here in the DFW area, I found bottled H20(16.9oz) for $2.49 a case down from $3.99.

By Gary Zimmerman @ 09/22/09 12:38:22 PMreport abuse

Plastic Island!!!

@ Bottle boy:
Here is just one of many reasons not to use bottled water. You do realize that EVERY bottle you and your kids consume, stays in landfill or our oceans for thousands of years? PLEASE, look at this photo. There is an island of plastic bigger than some countries floating in the pacific right now, due to people's lack of concern about pollution for the sake of "flavor" and convenience. This is just one picture. You can easily Google more: http://seacat.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/plastic1.jpg?w=500&h=288

Wake up people, we have alternatives.

By Think, people @ 09/22/09 11:23:53 AMreport abuse

Multi-Pure filter

A gallon of water filtered with our Multi-Pure filter costs about 8 cents. The company also backs up its claims by providing results from an independent testing laboratory.

By Trying To Be Wise @ 09/22/09 11:18:55 AMreport abuse

Why such a problem with Clark

Not sure why Clark likes to hound bottled water. Sure some suppliers get their water from municipal supplies but it may not be in the same area where people are buying the water. So that doesn't make any sense. I have terrible tap water, even with my expensive fridge filter it tastes bad.

1. The bottles are a lot more convienent then pouring water in a cup. It's like a treat and is always cold.

2. In bottles my kids drink a lot more water. They would never drink as much from the tap, not matter if it were in a pitcher or not.

3.I know Clark loves his soda, I think the small expense for bottled water overcomes the cost by not putting sugar into my kids diet.

By bottle boy @ 09/22/09 09:48:23 AMreport abuse

True cost of this stuff

Unless you're paying for the bottle itself, buying water is a rip-off. Worse, the bottles they are in are pretty flimsy. I use a Crystal Geyser bottle I bought several years ago as a water-bottle, and I refill it cold from the fridge, which has a decent charcoal filter that pulls most of the chlorine out. Sometimes I go with iced tea with raspberry syrup or something like that when I get bored with water. Bottom line is that paying for off-the-shelf water for drinking is a huge rip-off.

By Another Old Guy @ 09/22/09 07:43:02 AMreport abuse

Water

The price of bottled water is a joke and the big oil companies really missed the boat on this one when they see in some cases water is more expensive than gasoline.The water companies do process the water though so its not straight from the local fire hydrant.
Our tap water is sweet. It comes from the local sewer plant where it has been cleaned and then it goes through the rocks and mixed with virgin water.

By Jim @ 09/21/09 10:52:18 PMreport abuse

bottled water

You Can Refill Your Own Bottle At Vending a machine for 25cents or less at most grocery stores. it is ran thru filters uv light and reverse osmosis. the same as the shelf water....

By Roger @ 09/21/09 10:02:15 PMreport abuse

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Sep 21, 2009 -- Bottled water prices declining

What others are saying