Over the last several years, the bottled water industry has exploded as more and more people have decided that they prefer to drink their water out of a bottle. One of the things fueling this explosive growth is the ever increasing number of people who have turned their backs on tap water and installed bottled water home coolers.

The tap water vs. bottled water debate has been around for years, and for many people it all boils down to taste. They insist that they prefer bottled water because it just tastes better. They believe that it not only tastes sweeter and cleaner than tap water, but is much more refreshing too. While some swear by a particular brand and refuse to drink anything else, other people are not as particular and will drink any brand of bottled water.

Tap water really does taste and smell a lot different from bottled water. This is due to the chlorine, fluoride and other chemicals that are added to it in an attempt to reduce bacteria levels. In some areas, high levels of naturally occurring elements like sulphur or iron make the local water taste and smell even worse.

For other people, chemicals are the major issue in the tap water vs. bottled water debate. These people feel the chemicals that are added to tap water create significant health risks for certain people, especially pregnant and nursing women. Then there are those that are even more concerned, warning that the chemicals used to treat public water supplies will be responsible for serious health problems in the future.

Some people have sworn off tap water forever and opted for bottled water home coolers after becoming sick from drinking contaminated tap water. Although local water supplies are regulated, it is an unfortunate fact of life that these water supplies sometimes become contaminated and people get very sick from drinking the contaminated water.

Tap water is generally clean and safe, as it is subject to strict regulations. But bottled water is subject to much more rigorous standards and regulations. That's because it is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), while tap water is regulated by local authorities.

Many manufacturers now offer home delivery service. This makes it extremely convenient for people to enjoy their favorite bottled water without having to drag home heavy jugs and cases of water from the store.

There has been a great deal of concern about the excess plastic waste from plastic water bottles piling up in landfills across the country. But with bottled water home coolers, that is not a problem. The coolers are recycled, and the delivery service picks up the empties every time they deliver a new supply to your home.

Keeping your body properly hydrated is essential to your health. So if concerns about your local tap water are keeping you from drinking enough water every day, you might want to think about installing a bottled water home cooler.