News reports show that bottled water sales are drying up globally. After 40 years of continual worldwide growth, this is a significant turn-about. In France, for example, bottled water sales fell more than 7 percent in 2008.

Then, in July 2009, the rural community of Bundanoon, Australia banned the sale of bottled water completely. And several U.S. cities (like Seattle and San Francisco) are no longer buying bottled water with city funds.

The environmental community is cheering because most of the plastic used in bottled water containers never gets recycled. And the fiscal and environmental) costs involved in making the plastic and distributing the bottled water border on astronomical. Further, more than 25 percent of bottled water sold in the U.S. alone is simply treated and purified municipal water. Read the labels to see for yourself.

There is also a health and safety consideration. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates public water. The EPA requires multiple daily tests for bacteria and makes results available to the public. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates bottled water. The FDA only requires weekly testing and does not share its findings with the EPA or the public.

The scenarios described above are similar in other developed countries around the world.

Still some people don't like the taste or smell of tap water, even if it is safe. That's why the Brita water filter pitcher and faucet filtration system with its carbon filter and ion exchange resin makes so much sense for homes and small businesses. The pitcher comes in various sizes and shapes for easier refrigerator storage. The Brita filter helps remove the taste and odor of chlorine, while capturing much of the mercury, lead, copper, cadmium and zinc found in water treatment system water. The filter only removes small amounts of fluoride so it doesn't negate good dental hygiene.

And it works. Nine out ten people surveyed in a 2005 study favored Brita Pitcher System water to tap water.

But the real savings are in one's wallet. A typical Brita Pitcher filter costs around $4.00 (Amazon.com) and is eligible for free shipping. Each filter can process about 40 gallons of water (equivalent to the water in three hundred 16.9 ounce bottles). That means it costs only about one and a third cents to create 16.9 ounces of water that tastes and smells better than municipal tap water and contains fewer minerals. Note that the Brita system is NOT intended for use with micro biologically unsafe water (e.g., untreated well water).

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If one were to buy a case of 16.9 ounce of bottled water from a warehouse store (such as Costco), the price would be about twelve cents per bottle plus shopping costs. That means that filtered water via a Brita system costs only about 1/10 as much as bottled water. Even if the numbers change somewhat due to normal pricing variations, Brita system water is cheap by bottled water standards.

However, there is an initial cost involved in buying a Brita Pitcher and associated, long-lasting Nalgene water bottles (for taking water with you, wherever you go). But that cost is really quite small and would be offset fairly quickly by the recurring savings.

Environmental soundness, better taste and cost savings all translate into a very realistic approach to keeping hydrated. But Brita hasn't stopped there. The internationally-based company is working on recycling its carbon filters (reusing the carbon and recycling the plastic housing). It's also creating lots of content rich, educational material at its website with a focus on maintaining and/or improving one's health through enhanced water consumption.

So, the next time you want to toast someone, raise that glass (of course with Brita filtered water) and proudly announce, "to your health!" That toast will be far more meaningful than many at the table may comprehend.

It turns out that the EPA cannot filter all of the water that you drink. They try, that's for sure, but they don't have the resources to upgrade all of their facilities to a point where they can take care of every single little contaminant. For this reason there has been a maximum allowance of contaminants in our drinking water. This is basically the cleanest that the water purification plants can get our water.

For this reason, the EPA recommends that everyone get some sort of water filter and use it in their home. There are many different types of water filters that you can use, and not all of them are strictly mechanical. Some of them can be used by anyone! So now we'll go over a few different types that can be used in a house.

The biggest one is a replacement pitcher. These are made by just about any company that makes filters or has anything to do with plumbing. It is essentially a pitcher with a filter that you fill with water that goes through the filter. The water is then adequately cleaned and drained into the pitcher for consumption. It is wise to keep two of these on hand so you'll have enough drinking water.

The other types of water filters are a little bit more complex and will require some mechanical knowledge. One would be in your actual well or tapped into your water system to ensure that all of the water coming into your house is perfectly clean and drinkable. The other type would be attached to your refrigerator in the event that you get your drinking water from it. But now that you understand the importance of filters and water filter pitchers, it's time to talk about something a bit more serious.

No matter how advanced your filtration system is, you need to replace it eventually. Getting a replacement pitcher, or a replacement water filter is essential to your health and well being. This is because after a time the contaminants are going to overtake the filter, and soon it will be no good. How long will it take for this to happen? It really depends on how contaminated your water actually is. If you want to be perfectly safe, replace your filters every six months.

Know that a replacement pitcher and water filters in general are very important. Perhaps some day, in a far off time, the EPA will catch up to the growing threat of pollution in our water, but today is not that day. Until that day comes, we need to do our best to keep ourselves safe. Please, use a filter.