Studies have shown that tap water is as, or even more pure, than most bottled water because of the stricter regulations that public water resides under. The cost of a bottle of water is about 150 times what it costs to drink the same amount of tap water. And in terms of environmental damage, those billions of plastic bottles a year have to go somewhere. So, why on Earth would I buy bottled water? TASTE! I actually like Lake Michigan tap water, but our home is just outside the zone to get it. So, the taste difference between my tap and a bottle is night and day. What exactly is the taste that I prefer, you ask? The taste of nothing.