| Bottled water, once a rarity, is now found | | | | - Setting of strict limits for contaminants of |
| everywhere, in homes, offices, stores, airplanes, | | | | concern in bottled water, including arsenic, |
| and restaurants. In 2006, over eight billion gallons | | | | heterotrophic-plate-count bacteria, E. coli and other |
| of bottled water was consumed across the globe. | | | | parasites and pathogens, and synthetic organic |
| By 2007, the consumption in the US alone | | | | chemicals such as "phthalates". |
| amounted to 8.8 billion gallons or 29 gallons per | | | | - Ensuring the application of rules to all types of |
| person. Bottled water was the second most | | | | bottled water -- including carbonated water and |
| consumed beverage in the US after carbonated | | | | those sold intrastate or interstate |
| soft drinks. | | | | - Setting regulations that require bottlers to |
| Over the past two decades, people have | | | | display information on their labels about the levels |
| increasingly been shifting to bottled water because | | | | of contaminants of concern found in the water, |
| they consider it safe, find it refreshing, | | | | the water's exact source, how it has been |
| calorie-free, convenient to carry around, tastier | | | | treated, and whether it meets health criteria set |
| than some tap water and healthier than soft | | | | by the concerned environmental protection |
| drinks. But more and more people are questioning | | | | agency and the disease control agency for killing |
| whether the water, and the package it comes in, | | | | parasites like cryptosporidium. |
| is safe, or at least safer than tap water -- and if | | | | Bottled Water and the Environment |
| the convenience is worth the environmental | | | | - In 2006, the equivalent of 2 billion half-litre |
| impact. | | | | bottles of water were shipped to U.S. ports. In |
| Why is the demand for bottled water growing? | | | | New York City alone, the transportation of |
| Most people have bottled water because | | | | bottled water from western Europe released an |
| - They consider bottled water safer than tap | | | | estimated 3,800 tons of global warming pollution |
| water. | | | | into the atmosphere. In California, 18 million gallons |
| - It is portable and easy to carry. | | | | of bottled water were shipped in from Fiji in |
| - It is refreshing | | | | 2006, producing about 2,500 tons of global |
| - It is considered good for health. | | | | warming pollution. |
| Tap water may be contaminated by a range of | | | | - And while the bottles come from far away, |
| chemical, microbial and physical hazards that could | | | | most of them end up close to home -- in a landfill. |
| pose risks to health if they are present at high | | | | Most bottled water comes in recyclable PET |
| levels. Examples of chemical hazards include lead, | | | | plastic bottles, but only about 13 percent of the |
| arsenic and benzene. Microbial hazards, include | | | | bottles we use get recycled. |
| bacteria, viruses and parasites, such as Vibrio | | | | - Plastics travel through our sewage system and |
| cholerae, hepatitis A virus, and Crytosporidium | | | | land up in the oceans. This poses a huge threat to |
| parvum, respectively. Physical hazards include | | | | marine life. To a sea turtle, a floating plastic bag |
| glass chips and metal fragments. Because of the | | | | looks like a jellyfish. And plastic pellets, the small |
| large number of possible hazards in drinking-water, | | | | hard pieces of plastic from which plastic products |
| the development of standards for drinking-water | | | | are made, look like fish eggs to seabirds. Drifting |
| requires significant resources and expertise, which | | | | nets entangle birds, fish and mammals, making it |
| many countries are unable to afford. | | | | difficult, if not impossible to move or eat. As our |
| Some useful information | | | | consumption of plastic mounts, so too does the |
| - Tap water vs bottled water -- There is a | | | | danger to marine life. |
| common belief that botted water is better than | | | | The Negative Impact of Bottled Water on Health |
| tap waster. Though it might be true in developing | | | | - Bottled water is stored for longer periods and at |
| countries, it is not the case in many developed | | | | higher temperatures than water distributed in |
| countries. A four-year survey of the bottled | | | | piped distribution systems. As a result, some |
| water industry conducted by Natural Resources | | | | micro-organisms, which are normally of little or no |
| Defense Council (NRDC) in Canada revealed that | | | | public health significance, may grow to higher |
| one-third of the bottled water tested contained | | | | levels in bottled waters. These organisms appear |
| levels of contamination which exceeded allowable | | | | to have little or no growth in tap water and in |
| limits under either state or bottled water industry | | | | water bottled in glass containers as against |
| standards or guidelines. The survey also observed | | | | stagnant water and water bottled in plastic |
| that an estimated 25 percent or more of bottled | | | | containers. |
| water was just tap water in a bottle -- | | | | - Chances are ordinary tap water has been added |
| sometimes further treated, sometimes not | | | | to used mineral water bottles and sold as the |
| - Know your water -- To determine bottled | | | | original article. |
| water is really just tap water, check if the bottle | | | | - The plastic used in both single-use and reusable |
| label or the cap says "from a municipal source" or | | | | bottles can be more of a contamination threat |
| "from a community water system". | | | | than the water. A safe plastic made of #1 |
| - Contaminents in bottled water -- During the | | | | polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) is |
| survey NRDC found most bottled water relatively | | | | supposed to be used only once. However, it is |
| free of contaminants. The survey opined that the | | | | often reused and chemicals such as DEHA, a |
| the "spotty" quality of products of some brands | | | | known carcinogen, and benzyl butyl phthalate |
| might "pose a health risk, primarily for people with | | | | (BBP), a potential hormone disrupter. |
| weakened immune systems (such as the frail | | | | - There is a school of thought which advocates |
| elderly, some infants, transplant and cancer | | | | that even reusable water bottles should not be |
| patients, or people with HIV/AIDS)." About 22 | | | | used. They question the safety of bisphenol A |
| percent of the brands they tested contained, in at | | | | (BPA), a hormone-disrupting chemical known to |
| least one sample, chemical contaminants at levels | | | | leach out. Studies show that even extremely low |
| above strict state health limits. If consumed over | | | | doses of the chemical can be damaging. Research |
| a long period of time, some of these | | | | has linked the chemical to a variety of disorders, |
| contaminants could cause cancer or other health | | | | including obesity and breast cancer, birth defects |
| problems. | | | | and miscarriages. |
| - Health risk from plastic in water bottles -- | | | | - The excessive use of bottled water (which |
| Recent research conducted by NRDC revealed | | | | often does not have added Flouride unlike tap |
| the presence of chemicals called phthalates, which | | | | water) may mean users won't get enough |
| are known to disrupt testosterone and other | | | | fluoride to build strong teeth and prevent decay |
| hormones, and can leach into bottled water over | | | | Bottled Water and Benefits to Health |
| time. One study found that water that had been | | | | In European countries, many consumers believe |
| stored for 10 weeks in plastic and in glass bottles | | | | that natural mineral waters have medicinal |
| contained phthalates, suggesting that the | | | | properties or offer other health benefits. Such |
| chemicals could be coming from the plastic cap or | | | | waters are typically of high mineral content and, in |
| liner. Incidentally, there are regulatory standards | | | | some cases, significantly above the concentrations |
| limiting phthalates in tap water and there are no | | | | normally accepted in drinking-water. Such waters |
| legal limits for phthalates in bottled water. The US | | | | have a long tradition of use and are often |
| bottled water industry waged a successful | | | | accepted on the basis that they are considered |
| campaign opposing the FDA proposal to set a | | | | foods rather than drinking-water per se. Although |
| legal limit for these chemicals. | | | | certain mineral waters may be useful in providing |
| To improve safety of bottled water | | | | essential micro-nutrients, such as calcium, the |
| - Initiatives should be taken by citizens to urge | | | | World Health Organisation (WHO) is unaware of |
| their concerned governments to adopt strict | | | | any convincing evidence to support the beneficial |
| requirements for bottled water safety, labeling, | | | | effects of consuming such mineral waters. |
| and public disclosure. Citizens should specifically | | | | It should be noted that neither the CAC nor WHO |
| request for -- | | | | offer certification of any bottled or mineral water. |