The debate over public water versus bottled water has gotten heated over the past few years. In 2007, Americans spent $12 billion on bottled water. That makes bottled water the second most popular of all commercial beverages.

Many people will tell you they drink bottled water because they think it tastes better. Others will say they drink bottled water because they think it’s safer than water from their public water system, but consumers may be deluding themselves.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says, “Bottled water is not necessarily safer than your tap water.”

The EPA sets the standards for tap water, while the Food and Drug Administration regulates bottled water using the same EPA standards. Tap and bottled water that meet those standards are deemed safe for you to drink.

Public water systems undergo routine testing to make sure the water coming out of your tap meets safety standards. Public water must maintain acceptable levels of contaminants such as lead, plus disease-causing bacteria and trihalomethanes. Trihalomethanes are produced during the chlorination process, and many are linked to cancer.

Scientific studies have found exposure to trihalomethanes indicate a slightly higher risk of bladder cancer and colorectal cancer. Other studies have linked trihalomethanes with reproductive problems and organ damage.

Many people also don’t consider how much more bottled water costs than the water coming from your public water system. For example, a 20 oz. bottle of water can set you back about $1.50. When you add up the cost, a gallon of bottled water is $9.60.

Environmental groups also have a long-standing battle against the bottled water industry, citing the cost of producing and transporting bottled water. According to a study by the World Wildlife Fund, 1.5 million tons of plastic are used to bottle water every year.

With this debate in mind, News 13 set out to some Panhandle cities, to find out which cities have the best quality tap water.

We went to DeFuniak Springs, Bonifay, Chipley, Marianna and Panama City, and took samples from the water fountains at each city hall. We took our samples to The Water Spigot in Callaway to be tested for contaminants like mercury, arsenic, lead, and asbestos. We also tested for bacteria and trihalomethanes.

All of the cities tested negative for any bacteria.

Results from DeFuniak Springs, Chipley, and Bonifay show undetectable amounts of most contaminants.

DeFuniak Springs showed small amounts of sodium, arsenic, cadmium, and barium, but those were well within the amount allowed by federal standards.

Some barium was found in Bonifay's water sample but was small enough to be safe under federal regulations.

Chipley showed small amounts of lead, barium, and chromium. Those were also below the maximum level allowed for safety.

Panama City's results showed small amounts of fluoride, barium, sodium, and nickel.

Marianna's water contained small levels of sodium, arsenic, and barium.

As for the cancer-causing trihalomethanes, the cities showed amounts anywhere from 37 parts per billion for Panama City to 2.7 parts per billion for Chipley. All of them are well below the maximum level allowed, 80 parts per billion.

You can read the full results by clicking on the link on the right.

Aside from water quality testing, News 13 also conducted an unscientific blind water taste test.

We gathered water from each city hall in clean plastic jugs and kept them on ice. We then covered up the labels so the judges wouldn’t know which city’s water they were drinking.

We invited folks from Seabreeze Winery of Panama City Beach, Wine World of Panama City Beach, and gourmet food store Somethin’s Cookin of Panama City to be our judges.

With French bread to cleanse their palates between samples, we gave the judges scoring sheets and asked them to rate each sample on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest, and then added up the points.

In a tie for first, the winners of the News 13 Water Taste Test were samples #1 and #4, Chipley and Bonifay, respectively.

“My favorite was number one, actually. It tasted the cleanest to me, no aftertaste at all, just pure water,” said Michelle Hall, resident chef at Somethin's Cookin'.

“It was plain good water,” Soeren Christiansen, manager of Wine World, said about Bonifay’s water. “There was no off smell. There was no off tones. There was no salt, no acidity. It was a clean cup of water,” he said.

Second place went to sample #3, DeFuniak Springs.

Marianna, #2, and Panama City, #5, tied for last.

“I got high chlorine in both of them, high chemicals, cleansers,” said Christiansen.

But one of the judges gave Marianna’s water high marks.

“I thought it was clean, crisp. It kind of reminded me of the water at my grandmother's house. I don't know, maybe that's why I liked it best,” said Jill Randolph, manager at Seabreeze Winery.