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<br />• In blind taste tests, many prefer the ~E ~ sorrLEn
<br />taste of tap water to bottled, yet too ~ ~- wA~R PRICE
<br />COMPARISON
<br />many of us still buy the bottle, despite ~ sometimes, there's no
<br />alternative to bottled
<br />the cost andthe im act on the Janet. ~~'•
<br />p p y ~ water.Parties,for
<br />t -' ~•, ~~ example. To save
<br />3 ~` it money, buy larger
<br />DOLLARS & SENSE JOHN EWOLDT ,~ - t y R~ quantities.Inthe
<br />°* samples below, prices
<br />gu• ~, ~ ~~ e., q h'g
<br />A wave of Il bemusement washed over ~ : ~~ ~ guantas thoes down.
<br />a.
<br />yM
<br />Tom Chochrek of Edina as he pulled a IZ-pack '' ~'r ~ LEAS T
<br />~~~' `-
<br />of Ice Mountain off the shelf at Tar et. "It alls t ~~ ~" ~ E x p E N s I v E:
<br />g g ~~ ~ Kirkland Signature:
<br />,, t ~~ . , ~ Costco's private label
<br />me that I bu rt," he said. "I could et it chea er from the to , ~ ~ ~'" " ,~ ,
<br />y ~ g p p ~,~:~ , (13 cents per 16.9-oz.
<br />~- bottle, 35 bottles for
<br />but that's not so practical in tl:e car with the kids." •` ~ 54.s9.The same amount
<br />"~-' q„ ' r ~ ¢ f ^` of Ice Mountain is 54.63).
<br />Why do so many Americans choose bottled "':'~°~.~~,, _, Camelot: Aldi s private
<br />i :.. t
<br />'t ,$,,, ~ ~ ~ label (15 cents per
<br />water? Certainly convenience, but better taste and ~ '° ,~, ` 16.9-oz. bottle,
<br />. 24 for $ 3.59).
<br />y ~~~,
<br />smell are reasons, too. Man Americans believe ~ ~, ° . ~ -
<br />AVERAGE PRICES:
<br />that bottled water not only tastes better, but contains ` ~ i ; _ ` ~ Ice Mountain at Target
<br />`°~~~ ~ (25 cents per 8-oz. bottle,
<br />fewer impurities. The labels soothe us with words such ~`~ ' ) i2 bottles for 53.04).
<br />" ,, -~ Fiji at Target (99 cents
<br />as "purified," "natural springs;' "artesian" and even (. ~'' per 16.9-oz.bottle,
<br />1~
<br />'*, ' ~~" six-pack for S5.99).
<br />"wellness water." Who wouldn't want to drink liquid `~~-
<br />refreshment that comes from an aquifer deep within the `
<br />Earth on a remote island? That sounds better than "from
<br />the river so murky you're afraid to swim or fish in it: ' a
<br />~ t ~~
<br />Still, in a blind, informal taste test in the newsroom, sev- Related: Tips for consum-
<br />.L~~r
<br />ers wanting to ban the
<br />en of eight tasters thought that Minneapolis tap water was ,N disposable bottle. Ei0
<br />equal to or better than Dasani, Ice Mountain or Fiji. Only ,
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<br />one taster preferred the most expensive water from the. is-
<br />• ~,
<br />land. Others said it was "so so," "flat" or "had an aftertaste: ' ,, ~j
<br />Une reviewer was convinced that all four were the same. ~~' '`
<br />a.
<br />In 2000, Lynne Rossetto Kasper of the Splendid Table ra-
<br />i, '
<br />dio show did a taste test comparing Dasani, Evian, Chippe ~ ° ~} ,c
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<br />wa and Minneapolis tap water. Not only. did Minneapolis
<br />~~'
<br />tap win, but Kasper was sure that Evian was tap water. , r~
<br />What many buyers of bottled water may not `know
<br />is that Coca-Cola (Dasani), Pepsi (Aquafina) or Nestle
<br />a
<br />(Ice Mountain) don't have to release their water testing
<br />results to the public like municipalities do. Nor do they
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<br />add fluoride to deter tooth decay, as most municipal ~
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<br />water operations do. r , ,
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