People buy bottled water for the taste, not for the cleanliness.

If you have bad tap water, it's not like you can just shop around for another provider. But bottled water does actually compete on taste; I do prefer some brands over others when given the choice.

But I've gotten lucky with fine-tasting tap water, anyway.

My tap water does not taste good. I drink it most of the time but there's no fooling my taste buds; the bottled water tastes better.

Ok. While I am not going to give out my city, their water report says that their average chlorine level is 0.5 mg/L. The bottled water I drink has a full water report that simply says "not detected" for chlorine.

Perhaps I am just "sensitive" but something in the tap water gives me headaches.

Possible, but it's worth noting that some people are sensitive to chlorine. Public swimming pools often give me a headache and make my nose run, while the people around me don't seem to have a problem. In fairness I haven't isolated chlorine as the cause, but I've never had issues with natural bodies of water.

I agree with your gist, but also Cincinnati has a really good water system:

http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/water/news/platinum-award-for-u...

I don't think they take into account that chlorinated water tastes like shit.

Unless you filter it at home with some effort.

> Unless you filter it at home with some effort.

It's not that much effort. If all you care about is taste they sell kits for under $100, and then you don't need the effort of lugging water.