This past March, the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) reported that Americans were drinking more bottled water than any other packaged beverage, outselling carbonated soft drinks, by volume, for the first time in history. Though this news is clearly a “win” for water, many would ask, what about the environment?

Craig Cocco of Water Resources in Tabernacle, New Jersey, notes that the same quality of bottled water can be produced at home—without adding to over-burdened landfills.

“Using a Reverse Osmosis or Ultra-Filtration Membrane Unit from a local water treatment dealer, you can make your own purified water,” he says. “Additionally, you will reduce your carbon footprint, help save the earth's resources and reduce the use of plastic bottles.”

Purified water units, he adds, are also reasonably priced and will last over 10 years if maintained correctly.

“It is past the time for us to do our small part in improving the quality of the world's environment by eliminating the disposable plastic water bottle.”

Water Resources is located at 1609 Rte. 206 in Tabernacle. For more information, call 609-268-7965. Also visit waterresourcesnj.com.