How did beverage companies convince us we needed bottled water when most of us have clean tap water?

What??????? its not true???? We have been hornswaggled all this time. They Lied!!!

For many people something being "free" or "cheap" does not necessarily make it desirable. Bottled water was around in the 19th century as well like Saratoga which was a famous spring and vacation spot and others people purchased for the taste or because it had or was supposed to have a mix of healthful natural chemicals.  In modern living many people have water that is less than desirable or is chlorinated so some purchase filters to run their tap water through while others receive bottled water. Water coolers in offices account for big share of the market.  In over the counter sales water has become for at least 25 years a more healthy alternative to soft drinks or alcoholic drinks.  I have purchased carbonated bottled water for many years, I think from the late 80s, because I got to like it and I only use tap water now for cooking and washing. 

Tap water varies on its degree of cleanliness depending on the facility.  Pa American water sent a note with their statement once that I should boil my water before drinking it or giving it to my immune compromised Mother who was recovering from cancer surgery.  We had a Britta but the type of parasites, insecticides and chemicals, though small, could not be removed by filtering. I then bought gallons of distilled water for her. Not taking chances. I only use tap water for tea and coffee as I boil water in the process.

I grew up in an area that is known for its mediocre tap water. In some cases, it can taste unpleasant. But it's so easy to get a Brita filter or a filter that attaches to the tap. The only time I've bought bottled water is on road trips. 

Speak for yourself. They haven't convinced me of anything.

What is Evian spelled backwards???

The pivotal  point? When Michael Jackson claimed he would only bathe in Avion Water.  Nooo, I think it was when celebrities carried them around.  People thought it was the "in" thing.  Celebrities have much more power over us than politicians. 
I have mixed feelings.
Some people have only well-water or poor tap water.  For them, it might be better.  For the general mass of society in North America, it probably isn't necessary.
What many people don't understand is drinking out of plastic is not good for you when done on a regular basis.  Also, they are plugging up our landfills beyond belief.
I do like bottled water when it comes in glass and in your house.  I don't think buying name brand water and drinking it out of a plastic container, then even throwing it in a recycle bin is doing yourself or the planet many favors.
A lot of it is a marketing ploy.  I say don't do it unless it is necessary. This post was edited by Merlin at November 2, 2018 6:58 PM MDT

Our tap water is well below the maximums for all of the undesirable metals, but it tastes awful since they have to highly chlorinate it due to the recent algal blooms in Lake Erie. I buy store brand bottled water and refill them with our filtered refrigerator water. I recycle all of the bottles. This post was edited by Element 99 at November 3, 2018 12:49 PM MDT

probably by telling thenn their tap water aint clean

"I buy bottled water because of the taste."

I grew up in SoCal where, when I was very young and living near the Mexico border, it was difficult to see through a glass of water. It was quite cloudy and tasted terrible.  So I grew up disliking water.  Then, as an adult, I traveled to Canada and found out that tap water can taste great!  Not only does it taste great but, when you cook with it, everything else tastes better too! Including coffee!  LOL.

Also ... you mentioned in one of your replies the brand name Arrowhead.  A funny story about that ...

After one of SoCal's bigger earthquakes, I was in a grocery store and noticed that all the bottled water had been bought up (people tend to prepare for earthquakes after they happen) except for one brand.  You guessed it!  The worst tasting bottled water is Arrowhead!! LOL.

I've always had well water growing up and still have it. During my "rental days" in the city when I was younger, I would purchase bottled water for consumption because I found municipality water disgusting. It was a revolting and was like drinking out of someone's swimming pool. 

Water was bottled going back into the 1700s in Boston from a spa. It was marketed as a healthy drink full of vitamins and minerals.

 Growing up in the northeast, we had several bottle waters available to us back in the day; Poland Spring, Balsam Springs, and Perrier. These were the most popular and all that I recall, but I am very sure there were more.  Who knew I would end up working for the Company that owned Balsam springs.  The introduced a revolutionary new flavored water on the country using a new sweetener, Splenda... It was called Fruit2O. There were not very many products like that available at the time (if any).   

I hope everyone understands the difference between "Spring" water and water that is the result of reverse osmosis (aka filtered tap water).  The Bottled water industry is a scam tbh. I use my own bottles and I use water flavor enhancers like Mio to enhance make my tasty beverages

'
Borttom line, Bottle water has been with us for a long time for one reason or another.   Water sky rocketed as American consumers became more health conscious, learned the dangers of sugar,  and started revolting against softdrink manufacturers.   The Softdrink manufacturers had to adapt and got into the gamr, upping the ante. Tada! Here we are today. This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at November 3, 2018 12:06 PM MDT

You never lived in Adelaide, did you? The stuff from the tap is putrid, it's one of very few seaports worldwide where visiting ships DON'T take on drinking water. It can etch glass.
Then there's places like Flint, MI.