Tap Vs Bottled Water
The Truth
Bottled water may be no better than tap water and sometimes possibly worse! Unfortunately bottled water does not have guidelines as strict as tap water. Thanks to the clever marketing using images of crystal clear glaciers and picture perfect mountains, many people see bottled water as perfect.
| Water Type | Disinfection Required? | Confirmed E. Coli & Fecal Coliform Banned? | Testing Frequency for Bacteria | Must Filter to Remove Pathogens, or Have Strictly Protected Source? | Must Test for Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Viruses? | Testing Frequency for Most Synthetic Organic Chemicals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bottled Water | No | No | 1/Week | No | No | 1/Years |
| Carbonated or Seltzer Water | No | No | None | No | No | None |
| Big City Tap Water (using surface water) | Yes | Yes | Hundreds/Month | Yes | Yes | 1/Quarter (limited waivers available if clean source) |
What the bottled water companies don't tell you
The fact is, about one-fourth of bottled water is actually bottled tap water, according to government and industry estimates (some estimates go as high as 40 percent). And FDA rules allow bottlers to call their product "spring water" even though it may be brought to the surface using a pumped well, and it may be treated with chemicals. But the actual source of water is not always made clear -- some bottled water marketing is misleading, implying the water comes from pristine sources when it does not. In 1995, the FDA issued labeling rules to prevent misleading claims, but while the rules do prohibit some of the most deceptive labeling practices, they have not eliminated the problem.
Some interesting sources of 'perfect' water
"Spring Water" (with a picture of a lake surrounded by mountains on the label) -- Was actually from an industrial parking lot next to a hazardous waste site.
Alasika™ -- "Alaska Premium Glacier Drinking Water: Pure Glacier Water From the Last Unpolluted Frontier, Bacteria Free" -- Apparently came from a public water supply. This label has since been changed after FDA intervention.
Vals Water -- "Known to Generations in France for its Purity and Agreeable Contribution to Health . . . Reputed to Help Restore Energy, Vitality, and Combat Fatigue" -- The International Bottled Water Association voluntary code prohibits health claims, but some bottlers still make such claims.
The bottom line
The only thing that we can do to ensure safe water is readily available is to filter the water we drink with high quality filters and not leave it up to the major bottled water companies to put our health before their profits. To guarantee high quality filters, look for NSF certified filters to remove the contaminants of special concern to the consumer (NSF certification is not, however, a complete guarantee of safety).
Based on BOTTLED WATER: Pure Drink or Pure Hype? a March 1999 report by the Natural Resources Defense Council (which includes a chart of our test results). See also the bottled water FAQ
http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/nbw.asp - links will open in a new window.