We have been told by some that drinking water purchased from the store is healthier than drinking our tap water which may contain contaminants or chemicals. But now there are studies coming out showing that drinking water that comes in plastic bottles may be bad for us too. And what about how it affects the environment?

Drinking water from plastic water bottles is harmful to the environment. First, the scientific community told us that reusable water bottles such as Nalgene bottles are harmful due to a chemical plasticizer called bisphenol-a (BPA) which is linked to cancers, reduced fertility, birth defects and diabetes. But what about those "normal" plastic bottles that drinking water comes in? According to scientists in Germany, PET plastics (the plastic put into regular plastic bottles), may include hormone-disrupting chemicals that leach into the water before you drink it!

And then of course, there is the environmental debate. Disposable plastic bottles are filling up our landfills and adding to our already enormous carbon footprint. So what is the solution? One small town in Australia came up with a very effective and creative solution. More than 350 residents of Bundanoon voted for a ban on the sale of plastic bottles in their town. The town has an extremely pristene groundwater reservoir from which it gets it's water. Local residents are encouraged to fill reusable containers from the water fountains in the main street which draw upon this groundwater aquifer. The campaign to ban plastic bottles in Bundanoon began when a beverage company announced plans to tap their groundwater reserves, bottle the water in Sydney and sell it back in the town. The plan has been promoted as a money saving plan for local residents and a way to help the environment. Ok world, who's next? Step up, don't be shy!