http://www.care2.com/greenliving/scary-things-about-bottled-water.html
4 Scary Things About Bottled Water
Tap water is regulated by the EPA as well as state and local governments, but bottled water is only checked by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA doesn’t even get to most food plants every year, with some plants going five or ten years between inspections. Though the FDA is supposed to test bottled water at the same standards as the EPA, FDA guidelines are years behind the EPA’s. Here are some of the more disturbing examples:
- Municipal water is not permitted to contain E. coli or fecal coliform bacteria. FDA rules for bottled water include no such prohibitions.
- Municipal water from surface sources must be filtered and disinfected, or it must have strict pollution controls. There are no filtration or disinfection requirements for bottled water at the federal level. The only source-water protection, filtration or disinfection provisions for bottled water are delegated to the states, and many states have adopted no meaningful programs.
- Cities must have their water tested by government-certified labs. No certification requirement exists for bottlers.
- Municipal tap water must be tested for coliform bacteria 100 or more times a month. New York City takes 500,000 samples of its water per year. That’s nearly once a minute all year long. Bottled water plants only have to test once a week.
The Natural Resources Defense Council conducted an extensive battery of tests on more than 1,000 bottles of water of 103 brands to find out just how clean it is. Nearly one in five brands contained, in at least one sample, more bacteria than allowed under microbiological-purity guidelines adopted by some states, the industry, and the European Union.
Bottled water likes to sell itself as being pure in its little clear bottles, but the fact is nearly 40 percent of bottled water is tap water with added minerals or filtration and there’s no guaranteed safety just because it’s wrapped in plastic–and in fact there’s some risk. Municipal water has an advantage in that it is constantly moving, keeping fresh and avoiding stagnancy. Water bottles, though cleaned, are not sterilized. Relatively low amounts of bacteria at bottling can multiply to a much larger problem by the time bottles hit store shelves. Bottled water frequently is not chlorinated, allowing bacterial and fungal growth within the bottle.
If that weren’t enough, the bottles themselves can cause trouble, besides the environmental havoc they create. Phthalate is a chemical used to soften plastics and make it less brittle. But when heated, even from a hot day in the car, they begin to leach into the contents of the bottle. Phthalates can cause reproductive difficulties, liver problems and increased risk of cancer. While phthalates are regulated in tap water, the FDA maintains an exemption for bottled water.
Food & Water Watch is an organization dedicated to the belief that the public should be able to count on our government to oversee and protect the quality and safety of food and water. For more information, go to www.foodandwaterwatch.org.
More from Mel, selected from Food & Water Watch (17 articles available)
related stories
-
(7 comments)
-
(56 comments)
-
(25 comments)
Robyn
Melissa
Deepak
Eric
Dave
Dr. Brent
Isha
Susan
Delia
Michelle
Wendy
Megan
Hilary
Ann
Judi
Ronnie
Kelly
Lily
Terri
Betsy
Cait
Andrew
Jana
Annie B.
Veronica
53 comments
add your comment »I do not trust bottled or tap water at all. I use a Tyent Rettin water ionizer plugged directly to my water supply. i realise they use them quite abit in the US but they are now available in the UK. they supposedly eliminate 99.9 % of impurities in water..including chlorine.
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I do not trust bottled or tap water at all. I use a Tyent Rettin water ionizer plugged directly to my water supply. i realise they use them quite abit in the US but they are now available in the UK. they supposedly eliminate 99.9 % of impurities in water..including chlorine.
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Julia J.,
Fiji is one of the only bottled waters that I will drink...and that is under complete duress when I don't have anymore in my stainless steel bottle! I noticed you said you have been reusing the plastic because you can't afford the stainless steel. I'm attaching a link for you to "Flylady". Their shop sells a stainless steel travel bottle and I have purchased 3 of them for my family. I take mine EVERY-WHERE! This is the best one I've found so far and I thought it may help you.
http://www.flylady.com/pages/FlyShop_swb.asp
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Julia J. I tried to contact you by replying to the "Bounce" e-mail, but it was bounced back to me. All I wanted tio ask was that the link you sent about FIJI water is not negative at all. I would like the link which got you to say "but I'll have a hard time drinking it after this. Happy reading!". The link you include is only NEXTAG comparative shopping, and gives prices. Thank you.
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I was a bottled water enthusiast before becoming a care2 member. Now I have a Brita filter and reusable safe plastic bottles (I can't afford stainless steele). I wanted to direct everyone's attention to an article I read recently about Fiji Water in particular, and bottled water in general. If you want more injformation after reading the article, you can search the site for the Fiji company spokesman's response to the article, and their response to reader questions as well. I personally love the taste of Fiji (to me it tastes like it has a hint of flowers), but I'll have a a hard time drinking it after this. Happy reading!
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2009/09/fiji-spin-bottle
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I really am not as interested in the policies or politics of Nestle's as much as I was, while traveling, interested in getting filtered water without chlorine and fluoridation. The label said that it was filtered, and that was good enough for me. I am aware of the hazards of plastic packaging, but water is not the only edible substance that comes in plastic. Why single out water?
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Paula, for the record, I personally asked Jane to disclose who she worked for as well as to explain some of the other information for my own benefit. She did not post simply to 'endorse' her own companies product. And, quite frankly, if anyone else would like to make a post discussing the issues that you brought up, by all means, feel free to inform us and provide some links. I'm sure we all would be more than happy to take a look at the research.
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
I noticed that Jane, of Nestle waters, didn't address corporate privatization of water and what that means for consumers, the environment, and the people where the filched water is taken from. The issue of the chemicals produced, and contained in the water bottles was not addressed either. I just find it a concern when a corporate shill infiltrates a site like Care2 and uses professional spin doctor methods to talk about how pure their water is. (Jane is selling you Nestles underneath an article that is addressing the very concerns Nestle is co-creating) Nestle to the integrity-driven rescue? I think not. A lot of this is explained quite well in the DVD "Blue Gold: World Water wars." As for discussions about "journalistic integrity", perhaps Jane would like to address the lack of integrity in Nestle's water grabs. Let's start with how you read an article trying to inform you (journalism) and Jane wrote a comment selling her product. (Public Relations). As a journalist once said, "Public relations has choked the already clogged channels of communication with the debris of psuedo phrases and false words that confuse rather than clarify."
My suggestion? Do a lot of research on this issue yourself. But, would you do the research on water purity by going to Nestle.com? I think not. Find all about Nestle's water grabs and what that means for the people of the local communities.
Corporate shills=unbiased information? Yah, right.
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Thank you, Jane Lazgin, for your comprehensive report which makes sense to me. You are one of the few who wrote who actually has some information. I do not understand how anyone can write an article indicting without proof the thousands of bottled water companies, and how care2 can print it. There should be some sort of journalistic integrity and higher standards, unless they just want to advertise home water filters.
As I wrote in my previous blog, I have a filtration system at home, but on a recent trip to New York, I purchased Nestle's and Poland Springs. I do not like drinking from plastic containers, but it surely beats the carcinogenic effects of tap water, with the government's approval of chlorine and fluorides.
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Hi Mary,
Nestlé Waters North America sells six regional spring water brands, including Arrowhead, Deer Park, Ice Mountain, Ozarka, Poland Spring and Zephyrhills. These bottled waters are sourced from natural springs (to learn more, go here: http://www.nestle-watersna.com/Menu/Environmental/WaterResources/Defining+a+Spring.htm).
We also sell Nestlé Pure Life, which is available nationwide, and is sourced from private wells or municipal water. Then, we apply a multi-step filtration process including reverse osmosis to ensure high quality water (find out more here: http://www.nestle-watersna.com/Menu/OurBrands/Quality+Process/Spring+Water+Process.htm).
And, we import four international brands: Perrier, S. Pellegrino, Acqua Panna and Contrex.
You asked about reverse osmosis machines: your best bet is to ask store management for their maintenance records for the equipment, and who maintains it. You can also ask for the periodic analysis of the water that is treated, and the source water analysis for comparison purposes.
Reverse osmosis filters degrade over time, losing their efficiency to remove contaminants. That’s why there is a “conductivity” measurement these filters employ to gauge how well they’re working. Stores that use reverse osmosis filters monitor the conductivity to ensure everything is working properly, and when maintenance is needed.
I hope this helps!
Jane Lazgin at Nestle Waters
send green star | flag as inappropriate
why is this inappropriate?
Facebook account: