about a dollar or two
Bottled water is not necessarily soft water. Much of the bottled water sold in stores is plain tap water, some is from springs containing various minerals in solution, and some is distilled water.
Bottled water is really made from.... water. Some comes from springs, some come from the NYC water system... some is filtered more than others...
Actually tap water is more regulated and pure than bottled water
Some people like the taste or convenience of bottled water. Some do not trust public water no matter what the public officials say. Some use bottled water just because they got into the habit of doing so.
Bottled water varies from distilled water, which is steamed then condensed into pure H2O with no minerals, to filtered water with some minerals, to mineral water from natural springs. Bottled water can be carbonated or not. In the United States the FDA has established "Standards of Identity" for bottled water. For a product to be sold as "bottled water", it cannot be sweetened or have chemical additives, and must have no calories and be sugar free. If flavors, extracts or essences from spice or fruit are added to the water, these additions must be less than 1% by weight of the final product.
Bottled water varies from distilled water, which is steamed then condensed into pure H2O with no minerals, to filtered water with some minerals, to mineral water from natural springs. Bottled water can be carbonated or not. In the United States the FDA has established "Standards of Identity" for bottled water. For a product to be sold as "bottled water", it cannot be sweetened or have chemical additives, and must have no calories and be sugar free. If flavors, extracts or essences from spice or fruit are added to the water, these additions must be less than 1% by weight of the final product.
there are many: plastic, a bottle. and some water
Some of the disadvantages of using bottled water over tap water are the effects on the environment from all the plastic and the cost. Some advantages are that the water is clean and free of contaminants.
Depends - bottled or spring water is exactly the same as it came out of the ground. Some brands have added minerals for taste.
Depends on what company you're comparing tap water to. But most bottled water companies use filtered water (the same as tap water). In most cases bottled water is not purer than tap water. Note that tap water is not the same everywhere, not are all brands of bottled water the same. But legal requirements for water purity are the same for tap water as for bottled water. In some cases, bottled water actually is tap water, that has simply been taken from the tap and put into bottles.
I am a huge fan of Dasani water. You can find it at most grocery stores. It has a very clean taste. Bottled water is typically filtered more than tap water so you can be sure that bottled water has just water in it, none of the added chemicals.
Whether bottled water is taxable depends on the jurisdiction. In some places, bottled water is considered a taxable item, while in others, it may be exempt as a necessary food or beverage. It's essential to check local sales tax regulations to determine the specific tax status of bottled water in your area.