In recent years, arguments against the bottled water industry have become much more prevalent and feature prominently in the arena of social and political debate. Those who advocate for bottled water cite convenience and health among their main reasons. Those who oppose the enactment of purchasing and drinking bottled water argue that it is actually less strictly regulated and tested for impurities than tap water. These opponents also argue that the environmental consequences of bottled water far outweigh the convenience benefits. So what exactly are the facts? Bottled water is obviously more convenient, but is it safer? Although some public water supplies in America, from which Americans regularly obtain their tap water, are far from perfect, that does not make bottled water any safer than tap water. Each is held to a somewhat different set of standards. Bottled water is not necessarily better for your health than tap water and may, in some cases, be worse. It is also much more expensive, requires more energy to produce, and the potential deterrent it has created for the environment far outweighs the benefits of its convenience. Because bottled water is considered a food product, it is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), whose standards are somewhat different from those of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is the governing body responsible for overseeing the safety and regulation of tap water, sourced from public water supplies. On one side of the argument is the International Resource Defense Council (NRDC), which argues that the "FDA does not provide any specific requirements – such as proximity to industrial facilities, underground storage...... middle of paper ...... resulting from many factors, placed on our water sources, is to me proof that we could we should become a little more aware of the situation and the impact of our "convenience » on the lives of others and on the rest of the world. Works Cited Glennon, Robert. Unquenchable: America's Water Crisis and What to Do About It.Washington.Covela.Londin: Island, 2009. Print.Howard, Brian C. "Meaage in a Bottle: Despite the Hype, Bottled Water is neither cleaner nor greener." Emagazine.com September 2003: 1-14. Google. Internet. May 7, 2010.Priesnitz, Wendy. “Bottled water or tap water? » The reference plate: Water supply. 2nd. Flight. 80. New York: HW Wilson Co, 2008. 42-45. Print.Royte, Elizabeth. Bottle mania. New York.Berlin.London: Bloomsbury, 2008. Print.Stern, Steven. "Water bottle faces backlash." CNN.com. April 22, 2010. The web. May 72010.