Bottled Vs. Tap: The Battle to Quench Our Thirst

Today, bottled water is ubiquitous and cheap: every single second
of every single day, more than a thousand people buy and drink a
plastic bottle of water in the U.S.. But it wasn’t always so. In
this episode, we trace a centuries-old power struggle as bottled
water went from hip to lame to hot again. Why did doctors prescribe
the waters from specific springs for everything from hemorrhoids to
hypochondria, and how did whaling ships and a golf course help kick
off the first bottled water frenzy in America? How did a swimming
pool chemical help tap water fight back, and what did Nike,
yuppies, and Orson Welles have to do with bottled water's
reincarnation from the dead? And what's up with all these oxygen-
or electrolyte-enhanced, alkaline, and even magical waters on
supermarket shelves today? Listen in now for the first in our
two-part deep dive into this battle of the ages: bottled vs. tap.
We'll be back in a week with part two, including the science behind
the taste of water, the specialist sommeliers who pair water and
food, and the secret to making DIY Pellegrino at home. Learn more
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