Peggie Hall wrote:

I find it interesting that people will drink water that's been a bottle
for months, but won't drink water that's only been in their tank for a
week.

In case you aren't aware of it, tests have shown that the bacteria etc
count in most bottled water is actually higher than that in tap water.

Only proving again that perception really is 99% of reality.

FYI most bottled "spring water" (not) is percoltated with ozone before
bottling to destroy or incapacitate bacteria for up to 2 years, as are
the bottles - a regulatory body requirement for all bottlers that is
also product-tested on every batch an ongoing basis. A few plants
accomplish this using high-intensity UV instead, to the same tough
standards. You may be aware that a few large vessels have UV process
treatment of drinking water, too.

But the real preception/reality joke is that good home well water, and
even NYC tap water, taste superior to most people than bottled
springwaters, and consistently beat them all out in double-blind
consumer taste tests.

As a former participant in a bottled water venture, it all strikes me
as legalized marketing scam of sorts. :-)

Marinas seem to have caught on fast to it. Just 2 nights ago dining
with a yatch owner/friend at one, we encountered 2 different
upscale-market bottles of springwater on our table. Now, in any other
country, if a bottle of water were furnished with your table setting,
it would be complimentary of the establishment, or otherwise be
considered an insult. But in this case if you want to open the bottle
& drink any, it costs you over $10/bottle. Quite good marketing, yes?
Most people crack one or both open instinctively, and others decide
they want a sip, before they know they will be banged for it.

The Owner's wife was undecided as to whether the tall, round, clear one
from Scandanavia looked more like a lava lamp or a sex symbol. I told
her it was obviously a marina sex symbol, since it was grey on top. ;-)