[mixmastamyk]

I did schlep the 5/2.5 gallons around for a year or two, objecting to the upfront cost of the filter, but once I gave in I quickly regretted taking so long.

Fresh sources sounds nice, but I'm lazy at heart. The alternative, having it delivered while living on a water planet (a stones throw from the Pacific) just seems too environmentally hostile.

[ekianjo]

Well there are many things we are doing which are not environmentally-friendly, but it's not like they will build road and new trucks just to deliver your water. They use existing commutes and transportation pathways to deliver it, among other things. Most cities in the world now are heavily dependent on everyday delivery of food, water and other critical supplies - it is part of the system and it is not going back.