THE TRUTH ABOUT BOTTLED WATER

1. It may actually just be tap water. Dasani, for example, is just tap water that's been purified and had extra minerals added in.

2. It's not always pure. One study found that many bottled water brands contained chemical contaminants above safe levels.

3. That bottle may not be worth the convenience. It's possible that toxic chemicals in the plastic bottles can leech into the water-maybe not at overtly harmful levels, but why would you want to take a chance?

4. Bottled water may be driving up oil prices and harming the environment. 17 million barrels of oil per year are used in the production of water bottles. And most of those bottles (nearly 90 percent) are simply tossed in the trash, not recycled.

The bottom line? Water from your tap, though it may need a trip through an extra filter to get the taste you like, is clean, healthy and better for the environment (and possibly your health) than bottled water.