Rich Holmer: What’s on tap? Better tasting water

Re “Tap water? Nope, many Modestans prefer bottled” (Page 3A, April 20): I read with interest your article about the number of people refusing to drink tap water but instead drink and use bottled water. Between 2009 and 2011, I conducted blind water tasting at Riverbank’s Beyond Earth Day (now Riverfest). Each year I obtained three igloos and filled one with a popular American bottled water, one with a popular European bottled water and one from the tap at City Hall.

The results: Those who participated, and it was over 250 attendees each year, preferred the Riverbank tap water 6-1 over the American bottled water and14-1 over its European counterpart. Many people couldn’t believe they chose tap water, but I had told the vendor next to me which igloo contained which water so he could confirm the results.

I understand the huge amount of money major bottled water companies use for advertising, but maybe we should give the tap a second chance.

This story was originally published April 22, 2016 at 5:00 PM with the headline "Rich Holmer: What’s on tap? Better tasting water."