Investing In A Water Filter Keeps Your Wallet Happy, Here’s Why
Let us look at the annual average expenditure on bottled water in Australia versus the cost of a water filter installation and upkeep. Which of these options is more economical in the long run?
Bottled water was introduced to Australia in the 1980’s and over 40 years later, it isn’t uncommon to see fridges full of chilled plastic water bottles at every convenience store and petrol station. The bottom line is that bottled water costs 2900 times that of tap water, one of the most triumphant marketing tactics has been to put a price on something that we can get for free.
So how much are we collectively spending on bottled water? Well, Australians on average spend more than $600 million on bottled water per year. What seems like a dollar here and there all adds up in the long run, leaving our wallets crying out for help as the bottled water companies get richer and richer.
We typically drink over 30 litres of bottled water each year, and here in Sydney we are willing to spend between $2.75 and $3.50 per litre bottle. In comparison, a litre of tap water only costs a fraction of a cent, meaning it would take around eight years of drinking tap water to recoup the individual cost of a single litre bottle of water.
It is understandable why people tend to choose bottled water over tap, some prefer the taste and deem it to be a lot safer for their families to consume. Tap water that is not properly filtered can contain potentially harmful bacteria and chemicals, which is why it is a good idea to invest in a home water filtration system. Although buying cases of bottled water does not come with additional parts or upkeep, if a filtration system is properly and professionally installed, it is unlikely that you will need frequent maintenance until it needs to be replaced after 12 months.
A water filter is low maintenance, simple to install, and significantly less expensive in the long run as opposed to constantly buying bottled water. So not only is the more feasible option economically, but it is also healthier water for your family to consume and a lot better for the environment. Let us say that on average, you are spending $3.88 per litre bottle of water and drinking around two of these bottles a day, in a whole year this adds up to a staggering $2,832.40 per individual.
A home water filtration system costs approximately $400 to $1000 to install, and it lasts up to 12 months. While there is an initial installation cost, the ongoing benefits of drinking filtered water from the convenience of your own tap is substantially more worthwhile, both cost and health wise. If we are looking at and comparing these figures, it can be said that just about any water filtering system is a better choice not only from an economic standpoint, but also just for the added convenience of knowing your tap water is coming from a safe and reliable source.