Mar 21, 2006 11:39 pm US/Central
Taste Test Pits Bottled Water Against Tap Water
by Lisa Kiava
Minneapolis (WCCO) ―
Tap water from the Twin Cities competed against two brands of pricey bottled water Tuesday on Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis.
Volunteer testers were blindfolded and asked to drink water out of four different cups. Afterward, they filled out a form and tried to distinguish the tap water from the bottled water.
Michelle Nakielski, who loves bottled water said having a blindfold didn't help her distinguish between the different types. Some of her guesses were wrong and she didn't ace the test.
However, other taste buds couldn't be fooled.
One hundred percent right here," said another taste tester after she learned the correct answers to the exam.
Of the fifty people tested, only five got all the answers correct. The group administering the test, Corporate Accountability International, had a message.
"Buying water, shipping it to America is screwing up the environment," said one of the activists who works for the group that organized the taste test.
The group opposes the marketing policies of companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi, which are two of the major bottled water manufactures.
Bottled water opponents asked people to consider the environmental impact of bottled water such as the additional plastic waste it creates.
Linda Wells, a spokesperson for Corporate Accountability International said, "Coke's Dasani and Pepsi's Aquafina are tap water that they bottle and resell to the public."
Typically bottled water costs more than a dollar for 16-ounces bought from a vending machine or convenience store. In contrast, water from the city tap usually costs less than a penny for a gallon.
Even so, some fans of bottled water say they have no plans to give it up.
"Some of the tastes were nasty," said Miranda Collins after she drank the tap water.
A spokesperson for the bottled water industry said the test misses the point. He said that people drink bottled water as an alternative to other beverages and it's not competing against tap water.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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