1. I link to the article that talks about the price of alcohol being cheaper than bottled water in New Zealand, so you’re free to take a look at it yourself, if you’d like. I never said anything about U.S. brands of alcohol. But I have to again stress the point that the post was meant to be humorous. Of course, right now, neither of us could name any U.S. brand of alcohol that is cheaper than bottled water, but our blog is just as accessible to New Zealanders as it is to Americans, so perhaps they will appreciate the joke. Much more than they’d appreciate you insulting their wine, I’m sure…

2. Not all bottled water is $1.26 per gallon. I used to drink Fiji (before I realized how ridiculous it is to pay that much for a bottle of water), and the last time I bought a liter bottle at a gas station here in North Carolina, I remember the price being higher than the price of a gallon of gas. Granted you’d have to enjoy higher-priced bottles of water like Fiji, in order to pay more for them. You’d also have to live in a town where gas is a little cheaper, but I did acknowledge both of these qualifications, so I don’t see how I’m in the wrong there…

3. Okay, you’re right – tap water is not free. I guess what I should have said was, “why would anyone pay EXTRA for a plastic bottle of something they already get from their tap (and ALREADY have to pay for on a monthly basis with each water bill?)” Again, I didn’t choose to get that technical, because the post was meant to be humorous. Perhaps I’m the one who needs to work on her sense of humor? Because evidently I don’t convey it very well…

4. The filtered water industry does not “resort to untruths, exaggerations and easily debunked claims to sell their products,” as you defensively assert. We claim that buying plastic bottles which only add to the endless pile of plastic waste that’s helping to destroy our planet (even if it is a small addition when compared to other plastic containers – it still adds to it) is not as smart a decision as filtering the water that comes out of your tap, since the latter is both easier on our planet and easier on the consumer’s wallet. You say there’s plenty of room for bottled water in our economy, but last I checked, our economy wasn’t doing so well, and most people these days are trying to save as much money as they can. Our market offers them a way to save money, while still allowing them to enjoy the refreshing taste of filtered water. And it appears that, unlike the bottled water industry, we like to have a little fun and enjoy a few laughs while doing so.

Cheers,

Selwa

Also, you write: “That, and alcohol, which, as you know now, is also cheaper than bottled water.” First you repeat a falsehood (at least in the U.S. market) and then you actually start believing your own smokescreen and hope to spread a falsehood even though you and everyone reading this knows it’s untrue! OK, let’s play along: do us all a favor by naming the U.S. brands of alcohol (any type) that cost less that $1.26 per gallon. While you’re at it, defend the statement: “Why would anyone pay for a plastic bottle of something they can get for free from a tap?” Since when is tap water free? All these water bills that every home-owner receives indicate otherwise.

There is plenty of room in our economy for both water filters and bottled water. Why is the filtered-water segment resorting to untruths, exaggerations and easily debunked claims to sell their products?