Final answer:
In the United States, public tap water is generally safe to drink, and bottled water is not necessarily safer but is significantly more expensive and less environmentally sustainable. Manufacturers of bottled water can use public water sources if treated properly. Artesian wells are not required to be the sole source for bottled water.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question concerns the safety and regulations surrounding drinking water in the United States, both from tap and bottled sources. As for the safety factor, it is widely acknowledged that tap water from public water supplies in the U.S. is considered safe to drink. This is because water suppliers carefully procure and treat water to ensure it's free of harmful levels of chemical pollutants or microorganisms. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that drinking water supplies are among the safest in the world, though contamination can still occur.
In terms of bottled water, it is not necessarily cleaner or safer than tap water. Furthermore, government regulations do allow manufacturers of bottled water to use water from public sources in their products, as long as it is treated according to the standards. It's also important to note that bottled water is not a cost-effective or environmentally friendly alternative to tap water, with an average cost that's about 700 times more than tap water, and a significant environmental impact due to plastic use and transportation.
Addressing the misconceptions: Arteisan wells are not mandated as the sole source for bottled water, and bottled water often costs more per fluid ounce than tap water. Lastly, not all bottled water comes from deep or confined aquifers, which tend to be safer in terms of pathogen contamination.