Water, Water Everywhere.. and None of It To Drink

I read an article on my lunch break about bottled water. More specifically, about the declining popularity and chic-ness of bottled water. It is the "new environmental sin".
Not to mention ridiculous, from an economic perspective. Tap water is free, or next to it. Bottled water, which is very much the same, costs upwards of $2-3 a litre. What benefits do they add to the water that justify the additional costs? Really, not much, in terms of chemicla composition. The issue that the article fails to address is the reason why many people buy bottled water- at least, the reason that I have bought it on occasion.
It's all about convenience. Sometimes people don't want to search for a water fountain, or they've forgotten their Nalgene at home. At times, this justifies the purchase of bottled water to me. What I don't understand are the people who though it was chic in the first place.