WATER BLOG: STORIES,
NEWS & FACTS
Bottled Water Matters
GIVING CONSUMERS A VOICE
Bottled Water Matters is a coalition formed by the
International Bottled Water Association.
This is a really great web site for
bottled water consumers and you can find it at
www.bottledwatermatters.com.
The web site gives
bottled water consumers a voice to share their ideas about bottled water safety,
healthy beverage choices and commitment to recycling. This coalition is a
channel to communicate with fellow bottled water drinkers, lawmakers and
regulators, media, and others.
Please spend some time browsing the site and join us in
speaking out to ensure that bottled water choice is not burdened by onerous
measures such as punitive taxes or other obstacles.
Links that will provide you with factual information about
one of America's most reliable industries can be found at the
web site.
Also, you can
take
action by clicking a
tab and sending a letter to your elected officials.
December 2009
Back To The Top
Bottled Water is Way More Complicated Than I Thought
Two weeks ago, I announced on Timberlands Earthkeepers blog a new ban on bottled water at Timberland headquarters
buildings globally. I was psyched about the announcement, even more
excited about the action.
You know what Ive learned over the last two weeks? Its really
exhilarating to want to run a more sustainable business but to actually do it
is really freaking hard.
Get rid of the bottled water -- simple, right? How hard could it be?
Little did I know.
First, there
is a supply issue to contend with -- our facilities team reports a
four-week supply of bottled water already in house and we dont want to be
wasteful, so can we continue to offer it until the supply runs out? Sure,
O.K. makes sense.
Then the vending machine
folks chime in -- what about the plastic soda bottles in the vending machines?
Are we getting rid of those, too? Wow. O.K.,
sure. No more plastic bottles in
the vending machines.
But hold on, says the guy in charge of our dining services -- we dont have
nearly enough glasses and cups to accommodate the increased demand from people
who would otherwise be drinking bottled water.
We are going to have to add
more dishwashers, or buy more glasses yikes. All I wanted to do was get
rid of the bottled water, now I�m buying new dishwashers? How come its
never as easy as you think it will be to get something done?
That was the noise from our internal community -- but we had a lot of valuable
feedback from external folks, too. Many rightfully pointed out that the
bottled water debate is a lot more complex than I indicated in my previous post,
and that it does in fact serve a good purpose -- critical, even -- in many areas
of the world. Chief among the arguments we heard:
Tap water isnt a
completely no cost, no effort option -- it costs money and energy to
sufficiently treat public water so that it is safe to drink, and more money and
energy to deliver it to people and businesses.
In some instances -- in crowded public places, on long trips, when youre out in
the middle of nowhere -- its not realistic to expect clean, drinkable tap water
will be readily available.
All this information made
me realize that bottled water is about as hard to understand as it is to get out
of our buildings and also made me glad for the engagement with people who care
enough about this issue to share their thoughts (even if their thoughts were, Jeff, youre being stupid).
I have a better appreciation now for when and where bottled water is necessary,
and I certainly believe that plastic has its place in the world, for all sorts
of good uses. But I hold on to the notion that in the corporate world,
where tap water is clean and reusable containers are (soon to be) plentiful, we
can do better than bottled water. And so we forge ahead with our plans to
give the bottle the boot from our corporate offices, hopefully in the next few
weeks. Im excited to see ideas translate into real impact -- however
small -- despite the few good headaches we endured in the process.
I�m also excited about the real-life Earthkeeping dialogue this project
produced; we shared a big idea, our stakeholders were interested enough to want
to talk about it, we came away smarter and more evolved in our thinking.
Thats the power of engagement -- bigger, better, smarter outcomes. Im
appreciative of the effort from those who joined in.
I realize getting rid of bottled water doesnt negate our environmental
footprint as a company (if only), nor does it solve the climate crisis.
But Im of the mind that taking even one small step in the right direction is
better than staying where you are and that low-hanging fruit is there to be
picked.
Now dont go too far my To-Do list also includes removing all paper products
from our headquarters cafeteria, save post-consumer paper napkins. This
could get ugly.
Source: Jeff Swartz is president and CEO of
Timberland.
November 2009
Back To The Top
The Mass
Confusion That Dominates In
Fat Loss and Fitness Today
By Rob Poulos, Fat Loss & Fitness Expert &
Creator of 'Fat Burning Furnace'
People are confused more than ever about how
to burn fat. They are confused about the best way to go about
achieving the body they want. They are confused about what works and
what doesnt, and the reasons why. There are countless individuals
slaving away in gyms and fitness centers around the country right now.
They are working tirelessly, almost every
day, on the treadmill, stair-climber, elliptical, etc. to burn those
calories and fat. They also might be lifting weights several times a
week for hours at a time to build some strength and muscle. They might
even join a few aerobics or spinning classes too.
They are probably also trying one of the
latest diet strategies that promises miracle fat burning and weight loss.
They could also be spending a lot of money on the latest and greatest
dietary supplements that could be that miracle pill that will aid in weight
loss. They are also carefully watching the scale as their main judge
of fat loss progress.
If it goes up a pound or two, they may
behave rashly and maybe even change up their entire workout or diet program!
And of course there are others are doing variations on that same theme.
After all, this is the kind of stuff that
many of the popular fitness and diet gurus typically recommend to burn fat.
But with so many different strategies and plans being pushed as the be all
and end all, what happens is we tend to overboard.
And when that happens, we lose sight of what
really matters in achieving lifelong fat burning, fitness and health�the
principles than many people don�t know about, most people have forgotten,
and only a select few put to use to achieve lifelong health and fitness.
These are the same principles I used to drop over 40 pounds of unwanted body
fat, keep it off, and revitalize my life!
With any exercise or nutrition program,
you will probably lose some fat initially, but far too often the progress
doesn�t continue or doesn�t come as fast as the person would like because
they're using a temporary mindset. They're only focused on the short
term and one specific goal. So they end up switching to something
else, and the cycle continues until they have become consumed by this cycle of
confusion.
I believe that this is one of the biggest,
if not the #1 reason for the lack of fat loss and fitness progress that is
being experienced by the masses of exercisers and dieters in the world.
They are jumping from one fad diet or exercise routine to another, while
losing sight of whats really important, and what really works.
Simply put, they are exercising far too
much, not nearly intensely enough, and trying to adhere to unrealistic diet
recommendations.
If instead they focused on a long term plan,
a lifestyle as its often called, and didnt worry about losing 10 pounds
by summer, they would find it far easier to do the right things most of the
time.
And those
right things include brief, progressive, and intense resistance training,
eating a diet full of nutrient rich foods, drinking tons of water, and
getting plenty of quality sleep and rest. The students of my Fat
Burning Furnace method understand this and are reaping the life long health
and fitness rewards because of it. Are you?
Claim your free copy of Rob
Poulos's "7
Secrets Of Permanent Fat Loss & Fitness"
Rob Poulos
is a celebrated fitness author, fat loss expert, and the founder and CEO of
Zero to Hero Fitness. Rob created the world's most efficient method
for fast and permanent fat loss with his "Fat
Burning Furnace" system to help those
looking to put an end to restrictive fad diets, long boring cardio workouts,
and the need for super-human willpower for good.
October 2009
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IBWA: Bottled Water Tax Is Unconstitutional
Michigan governor Jennifer Granholms proposed tax
on bottled water attempts to circumvent the 35-year-old Michigan
prohibition on taxing the sale of food products, says the International
Bottled Water Association.
In 1974, the voters of Michigan approved an amendment to the state
constitution that exempts food products from any sales or use tax.
Bottled water is classified by the US Food and Drug Administration and
the state of Michigan as a packaged food product. Therefore, Governor
Granholms proposed tax would be unconstitutional.
Although there are many taxable items and services involved in the
governors budget proposal, taxing food products such as bottled water
is not permitted under current law, said Joe Doss, president of the
International Bottled Water Association (IBWA).
In addition, Consumers will ultimately bear the burden of any tax
increases via higher prices, said Doss. Increased beverage prices
unfortunately place a much higher spending burden on working families,
the poor and the elderly those who can least afford that burden.
The new tax as proposed could discourage some Michiganders from
purchasing bottled water, which is a safe, healthy, convenient,
regulated food product that helps them stay hydrated and refreshed, and
which doesnt contain sugar, caffeine and other additives that they may
be trying to moderate or avoid.
Higher bottled water prices may also cause some Michigan consumers to
purchase their bottled water from neighboring states. All of these lost
sales would not only harm Michigan-based bottled water manufacturers and
retailers, but would also harm the state itself. Lost sales often equate
to lost jobs and failed companies nothing about that would be good for
Michigans economic portfolio.
IBWA is opposed to all taxes that unfairly target the bottled water
industry products. Such a tax would negatively impact Michigans
economy, consumers and bottled water companies. IBWA represents bottled
water producers, distributors and suppliers throughout the US, including
several companies located in Michigan. 60% of its members have annual
sales under $1m, and 90% of members have less than $10m in annual sales.
These are small, locally owned companies with deep roots within their
communities.
In fact, companies in Michigan that manufacture, distribute and sell
bottled water products employ as many as 5,000 people in the state and
generate an additional 10,500 jobs in supplier and ancillary industries.
These include jobs in companies supplying goods and services to bottled
water manufacturers, distributors and retailers, as well as those that
depend on sales to workers in the bottled water industry. These are good
jobs, paying an average of $41,490 in wages and benefits. Not only does
the manufacture and sale of bottled water create good jobs in Michigan,
but the industry also contributes to the states economy as a whole. In
2008, the bottled water industry was responsible for nearly $2.4bn in
total economic activity in Michigan. Furthermore, the bottled water
industry already generates sizeable tax revenues in the state, with the
industry and its employees paying over $16.3m in property, income and
sales taxes.
The bottled water industry has a long history in Michigan of working
with the administration, the legislature and others on sound and
equitable laws and public policy, and we have often gone the extra mile in
accepting additional, industry-specific regulations as a show of good
faith and desire to remain economically viable in Michigan, said Joe
Doss. IBWAs active involvement in helping to support and pass the Great
Lakes Compact is proof of that.
Bottled water businesses are already strained in the current economic
crisis a tax on their products will only add further strain.
Furthermore, the bottled water industry has a long history in Michigan
of coming to the aid of those in distress during incidents when bad
weather, floods, fires and other events have prevented municipal water
systems from providing clean, safe drinking water.
For bottled water to be available in emergency situations, there must
also be a viable commercial marketplace that supports its production.
Reducing the commercial viability of bottled water could seriously
threaten its availability during emergency situations in Michigan.
October
2009
Source: International Bottled Water Association
Back To The Top
Tasting Bottled Water
WHY CONDUCT A WATER TASTING?
Water, H2O, is a simple product. Yet this simple product
acquires different and particularly complex characteristics and attributes
when enriched with minerals as it moves through terrains with different
compositions. Performing a water tasting means conducting a rational and
conscious investigation without any preconceptions. It means committing all
of the senses at our disposal to classifying its merits and flaws through
systematic analysis. Therefore, the ultimate objectives of water tasting are
numerous: learning to appreciate this beverage, drinking it with the aim of
perceiving its qualities, being able to select which one would be best
matched with wine and food, and, last but not least, being able to describe
it so that we may speak of it with competence and knowledge.
THE WATER TASTING TECHNIQUE
Organoleptic analysis consists of the careful, meticulous,
methodical and structured assessment, conducted with the sense organs, of a
food or beverage. The components of the orchestra elected to play the
instruments during tastings are the five senses: touch, hearing, sight,
smell and taste. Touch is needed for the appreciation of a beverages
physical qualities. Touch allows us to appreciate freshness when we take our
first sip of water as soon as liquid is poured into the glass. Hearing is
the sense that is the least involved in the tasting, yet a trained ear can
perceive the sound of the bubbles of sparkling water and the pleasing
silence of still water. The visual analysis of water allows us to evaluate
two fundamental elements: clarity and effervescence. Ones sense of smell
has the veritably unequaled capacity to discriminate. In the case of water,
our sense of smell allows us to identify the presence of abnormal smells.
Finally we have taste, which is clearly one of the most important senses in
selecting a food or beverage, particularly because of the pleasure derived
from this. The following characteristics are identified through gustative
analysis: acidity, sapidity, structure, lightness and mouth feel.
Furthermore, taste is always connected to ones sense of smell. The
sensorial analysis that is connected to both the sensations of taste and
those of smell is defined as gustative-olfactory analysis, which allows us
to assess the balance and persistence of a beverage.
TASTING S.PELLEGRINO
S.Pellegrino is brilliant, lacking in
any distracting odor, with a fairly dense perlage of reasonably fine bubbles
in abundance. The immediate impression on the taste buds is one of tingling
freshness, followed by moderate acidity that stimulates salivation, while
the high mineral content leaves a pleasant aftertaste. Generally speaking,
S.Pellegrino has a commendable structure,
and leaves behind a persistent and gratifying sensation.
TASTING ACQUA PANNA
Acqua Panna is limpid and luminous and has neither
effervescence nor any off-putting odor, and at the first sip has a pleasant,
fresh taste. Acqua Panna is low-acid in type, and carries few mineral salts,
without however impairing its structure. To the taste it is light as a
feather, pleasantly soft and velvety.
Acqua Panna
shows a perfect balance in all its components, while the sensations induced
linger in the nose and mouth for an appreciable period of time.
September 2009
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Update On PET Packaging
A new PET blend, changing the whole efficiency and process of the amorphous
extrudable PET grades recycling, was patented mid-2008 by
PepsiCo Inc.
By blending a slow crystallizing PET and a faster crystallization PET, the
company has managed to solve some recurrent industry problems, such as
obtaining a PET blend resin useful for extrusion blow molding that can be
easily recycled.
The new blend combines the following characteristics:
-
A sufficient melt strength, which makes it suitable for extrusion.
-
A sufficient crystallinity to reduce sticking and agglomeration,
enabling the PET blend to be recycled.
The reason why amorphous extrudable PET grades weren't easily recyclable
lies in the drying process. Recycled PET containers are ground, washed and
dried to be recycled. The drying process (typically done at 160˚C for four
hours) allows for an adequate crystallinity to be developed in the ground
flake to prevent sticking or clumping at levels exceeding 20% in recycled
PET.
With this new PET blend, this problem will not occur, and will allow more
material to be recycled. Avoiding clumping also simplifies the recycling
process.
What is PET?
PET is a term misleadingly used to simply communicate PET-based
thermoplastic polymers. Actually, PET is blended with other compounds for
use in different applications. For example, some compounds are added for
aesthetic reasons. A classic use of cobalt and pigments controls the color
and transparency of the packaging.
On the other hand, the sensitivity of some beverages to UV (less UV means a
longer shelf life), oxygen (less oxygen allows a better resistance to
thermal degradation) and sometimes their carbonation introduces the need to
use a PET blend, creating an adequate barrier. This can be achieved through
multi-layered or surface-coated bottles, associating different material,
each of them having one or more of the required properties.
However, the ideal route is to use a single-layer PET blend material for
reasons of simplicity of the process and lower capital investments. To
achieve this mono-layer, PET-based blend, oxygen-scavenging agents,
barrier-improving agents, toners and nucleating agents are traditionally
used. The proportion and the choice of the additives is an area of
expertise, and is still developing, making more options available to the
industry. Source: Zenith International
European Names for Water

July 2009
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Waterbrands and Chester Zoo saving lives in Africa
UK-based Waterbrands charity-oriented bottled water
Thirsty Planet has teamed up with Chester Zoo to save lives in Zimbabwe.
Cafes and kiosks at the zoo are stocking Waterbrands
charity water, Thirsty Planet. For every 50cl bottle sold, a donation of 5p
is made to Thirsty Planets charity partner, Pump Aid, and the zoo to date
has paid for the installation of water pumps in 14 villages in Zimbabwe,
making it an elite gold supporter of the program. An organization reaches
gold status when it funds its 10th pump.
There has never been a more
urgent need for clean water in Zimbabwe, said Paul Martin, MD of
Waterbrands. As water and sanitation systems break down, people have no
alternative but to take water from polluted sources. This has caused an
epidemic of deadly cholera, which has killed more than 4,000 people. Staff
and visitors at Chester Zoo have been brilliant, helping to save lives and
benefiting thousands of people in rural Zimbabwe.
Waterbrands has installed a scoreboard in the zoo Cafe
Tsavo, to keep people up to date with donations and spur them on to the next
pump.
We are delighted to be making a
contribution to such a worthwhile cause, said Martin Davies, head of
catering, retail and events at Chester Zoo. Our visitors are giving it
fantastic support and are taking a keen interest in the work of Thirsty
Planet and Pump Aid.
The zoos success has pushed Thirsty Planet closer to its
milestone of L1m in donations to the charity Pump
Aid, which works with impoverished communities in Africa to provide access
to clean water and basic sanitation. The total currently stands at
L940,000.
Thirsty Planet was launched two years ago. Within
months of launching, it had become the leading charity cause water brand,
with a volume share of more than 65%.
Source:
Foodbev
June 2009
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Guide
To Serving Water for the Restaurateur
In restaurateurs technical jargon, service is used
to designate all phases that make a clients stay at the restaurant efficient,
seamless and enjoyable. Service, therefore, not only consists of presenting
guests with beverages and food, but includes an entire series of tasks that must
be performed before they arrive and after they have left the restaurant. Every
detail of water service must be done with great attention and care.
During the purchasing phase, the restaurateur should not buy
mineral water simply by indicating the number of cases of still and sparkling
bottles. He should also consider, determine and foresee how many bottles per
type and per brand are needed after having carefully assessed the menu and
thought of the correct food-wine-water matching. A few hours before opening the
restaurant, and in any case before each service, it is necessary to ensure that
an adequate number of bottles of still and sparkling water are perfectly intact
and clean, discarding those whose labels are damaged or missing, and using a
damp cloth to carefully clean those that are spotted, dusty or smudged. The
bottles are then placed in appropriate refrigerated areas so they can reach the
proper serving temperature (8-10 degrees
C for San
Pellegrino and 10-12 degrees
C for Acqua Panna).
Among the preliminary service phases are the
mise en place,
that is, the accurate setting of the table, which requires great attention and
precision. Two different water glasses may be used, one for still and the other
for sparkling water. These are placed in the upper central section of the
setting, above the place card or above the napkin, somewhat separated from the
wine glasses. Moving from right to left, first we position the one for still
water and then the one for sparkling water. Arranging the glasses in this manner
makes serving water an easier task.
Both glasses, which have been inspected for perfect
cleanliness, should be on the table, turned upright, when the client arrives.
Remember that water glasses should remain at the clients disposal until they
have left the table. One of these two glasses may be removed only in the event
that a guest makes the clear, specific request to have only one of the two kinds
of water for the entire duration of the meal.
As soon as the clients have been seated at the table, it is
best to offer them water, asking which brand and which type they would prefer to
quench their thirsts or whet their appetites while they are selecting their food
and wine.
While pouring the water, precise instructions should be
followed. The water should be presented in the original glass container and not
decanted into a carafe, as this would lead it to lose some of its organoleptic
properties. In addition, the clients should know what product they are consuming
and also be allowed to read the label. As is true for a bottle of wine, when a
bottle of mineral water is taken to the table, is to be presented and
its organoleptic properties are to be described briefly. The bottle should then
be opened in the presence of the client, with care being taken not to damage the
neck label. The cap is to be placed on a small dish so as to allow for the
bottle to be resealed at a later time, if required.
When pouring water, the bottle is held by its lower section,
ensuring that the label remains perfectly visible to the client. The guests
glass should be filled a single time, around 2/3 of the way up. Serving is done
preferably on the clients right. Empty bottles are to be promptly replaced. If
it is necessary to keep the bottle chilled, use a chiller.
One final recommendation: when a guest comes to the restaurant
for the first time, do not delve too far into the possible matchings and
characteristics of the water you are offering unless the client specifically
requests this. Generally, clients are already on the spot about which wine to
select. Guide the client and direct him in the selection of a mineral water with
discretion, ensuring that he perceives the different organoleptic properties of
the two products as well as the pleasantness to be enjoyed through the various
matchings.
May
2009
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English Channel water sold as blocked nose remedy to Americans
Water from the murky English Channel is being bottled and sold as a remedy for
blocked noses in the US.

The water is sourced from a shipping lane several kilometres off the coast of
Saint Malo Photo: AFP
Pharmaceutical experts are charging
$10 for the water which is sourced from the
busy shipping lane several kilometres off the coast of Saint Malo in northern
France.
Drugs company Shering-Plough launched its Afrin PureSea Hydrating Nasal Rinse as
'the only nasal rinse product made of 100 per cent purified seawater.'
Despite being one of the world's busiest shipping lanes and surrounded by sewage
works, Shering-Plough says the water has been proven to clear mucus and help
people breathe more easily.
A spokesman for the French company Goeman, which extracts the water, told the
Mail on Sunday that the water was collected several kilometres off the coast for
purity and had to meet strict quality controls.
It will not be marketed in the UK.
Some bottled waters are among some of the most expensive premium drinks
available on the market.
Just two ounces of Kona Nigari water costs around
$15 and is extracted from
2,000 feet below the surface of the ocean off Hawaii. It is said to improve the
skin, reduce stress and promote weight loss.
A bottle of Bling H20, complete with Swarovski crystals will set you back around
$44 for the gold or silver bottles and boasts a nine-stage filtration process
using ultraviolet light and ozone.
Water connoisseurs can also buy Tasmanian Rain water which has never touched the
earth, or Lauquen Artisan Minsteral Water which comes from 1,500 feet below the
Andes and has never been in contact with air until it is bottled.
And bottled water company Berg, melts icebergs to produce a drink which has not
been in liquid form since the Ice Age.
April 2009
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Bottled
Water
Companies Help
Australia

Australias bottled water companies
have already donated more than AUS$2 million in product to community agencies
and emergency services during Victorias bushfire crisis.
In an effort to help
wherever possible, many more companies are on stand-by with shipments ready for
transportation when agencies such as Food bank require more stock over the coming
weeks.
Members
of the Australasian Bottled Water Institute from New Zealand are also ready to
send shipments to Victoria awaiting requests from Food bank.
The effect of bush
fires on municipal water supplies means that Victorians will continue for some
time yet to rely on bottled water for their personal consumption and the
industry is committed to meeting this need.
Australia�s major water bottler
Coca-Cola Amatil immediately donated more than 30,000 bottles of Mount Franklin
and Neverfail to Victorias most hard-hit areas, as did Schweppes, Fosters and
Big Springs Riverina.
Bottled water is a vital part of Australias natural
disaster and terrorism emergency response program.
[Source: Australasian Bottled Water
Institute]
March 2009 Back To The Top
Oprah's Personal Trainer Signs Deal With Nestle

Nestle Waters North America
(NWNA) has signed a two-year spokesperson deal with Bob Greene for
Nestle Pure
Life bottled waters. Bob Greene is creator of The Best Life Diet program, and is
Oprah Winfrey's personal trainer.
Greene will promote Pure Life as a trusted brand within the
context of educating consumers about the benefits of drinking water and the
brand's efforts "to encourage families to take small steps in living healthier
lifestyles", the company said.
"Bob's simple, one step at a time approach to living
healthfully fully captures the spirit of Nestle Pure Life brand bottled water,"
said NWNA Group Marketing Manager, Larry Cooper.
The campaign featuring Greene is in
development and will encompass print, broadcast and online. In addition, Pure
Life bottles will bear the Best Life Seal of Approval "to help consumers
identify the water brand as a healthy and convenient beverage choice".
In addition to use of the seal, Best
Life partner brands' options include integrated book content, website mentions,
banner advertising, tour sponsorship and "some of the most coveted national and
local broadcast media coverage around", according to Best Life's site.
Source: Foodbev by Bob Greene
February 2009
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Bottled Water Taste Considerations
Bottled water is the fastest growing drink choice
in the United States, and Americans spend billions of
dollars each year to buy it (Beverage Marketing Corporation, 2004) Some people
drink bottled water as an alternative to other
beverages; others drink it because they prefer its taste or think it is safer
than their tap water. Whether it travels through a pipe to your home or
comes packaged in a bottle, safe drinking water is essential to good
health.
Many people prefer bottled water because of its
taste. The taste of all water has to do with the way it is treated and the
quality of its source, including its natural mineral content. Most
bottled water comes from a ground water source, where
water quality varies less from day to day, or is
treated and immediately bottled. Bottled water from a dedicated
source or plant may have a more consistent taste than tap water, which
mostly comes from surface sources and must travel
through pipes to reach homes.
One of the key taste differences between tap
water and bottled water is due to how the water is disinfected.
Tap water may be disinfected with chlorine, chloramines, ozone, or
ultraviolet light to kill disease-causing germs. Water
systems use these disinfectants chlorine and chloramines because they are
effective and inexpensive, and they continue to
disinfect as water travels through pipes to homes and businesses. Bottled water
that is disinfected is typically disinfected using ozone or other
technologies such as ultraviolet light or chlorine
dioxide. Ozone is preferred by bottlers, though it is more expensive than
chlorine, because it does not leave a taste and
because bottlers do not need to worry about maintaining disinfectant in water
sealed in a container. Untreated water, whether from a
bottle or from a tap, will have the characteristic taste of its
source.
All
our drinking water comes from similar sources, either from sources we can see,
such as rivers and lakes, or from sources we can
not
see, such as underground aquifers. In the same way that tap water's taste and
quality may vary from place to place, so too does bottled
water's taste and quality vary among and even within brands. The taste
and quality of both bottled water and tap water depend on the source
and quality of the water, including its natural mineral content and how,
or if, the water is treated. Drinking water (both bottled and tap) can
reasonably be expected to contain at least small
amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily
indicate that the water poses a health risk. For
example, minerals such as magnesium and calcium give water a distinctive flavor,
and are essential to the body. At high levels,
however, these and other contaminants, such as pesticides or microbes from human
wastes, can cause adverse effects or illness.
January 2009
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WATER FACTS ARCHIVES
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