Do I have to return my water jugs if I paid a deposit?

Question

I buy water from a local company who bottles their water in large glass jugs. Each jug has a $7 deposit. I would like to keep a few of these jugs. Can I legally keep them in lieu of receiving my deposit back, or is generally understood that you are required to return things with deposits (like kegs or these jugs) and the deposit is just there to help motivate you to do the right thing?

Basically, I guess a better way to say it is this: If I buy this glass jug of water from this company, plus a $7 deposit, does the jug, then, legally belong to me or the water company?

Answer 1

No it's yours. How it works is as you run out of water you will "exchange" your empty for one of their full bottles. So it's yours. If after a few years you decide you no longer want to keep getting water that way, then you can return it where you bought it and get the $7 back.

Answer 2

You have a rather complex legal question that in most likelihood does not matter to the water company.  Keep the jugs if you wish and don't try so hard to make life complicated.  

Answer 3

you could get charged with theft and big fines - they probably cost more than $7.00 if you wanted to buy one - just return them - they are probably considered property of the water company - might say so in your contract somewhere