The Bottled Water Habit

Bottled water has quickly become a staple in American society. Sales have skyrocketed, The International Bottled Water Association reports that sales reached totals of about $11 billion in 2008 in the U.S., and that Americans drank 28.5 gallons of bottled water per capita. But why are we paying 200 to 2,000 times more per gallon for water that according to government and industry estimates, is anywhere from 25 to 40 percent tap water? It is fast, convenient and portable when we are away from our homes. But what about when we are home, or have access to tap water? Are the associated impacts and costs still worth it? As with any purchase, we need to be informed and educated about the products we are purchasing. Below are a few things you should know about bottled water and some easy alternatives and resources.

Regulations impact quality The common public perception is that bottled water is safer than tap water. Tap water and bottled water are regulated by different federal agencies with very different standards. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's rules exempt 60-70 percent of the bottled water sold in the United States from the agency's bottled water standards, because its rules only apply to water packaged in one state and transported to and sold within another. In a four year study of bottled water, The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) found that about 22 percent of the brands they tested contained, in at least one sample, chemical contaminants at levels above strict state health limits. The majority of water was found to be safe.

Tap Water Regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)	Bottled Water Regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
No confirmed E. coli or fecal Coliform bacteria - tap water is tested 100 or more times a month Drinking water standards are enforced Water must be tested by certified labs at regular intervals Utilities must provide public annual quality reports	Some bacteria is allowed - Bottled water plants must test for coliform bacteria just once a week Bottled water can be sold whether or not it meets requirements Regular testing by certified labs is not required No public right-to-know or reporting requirements

Contact your municipal water provider if you would like a copy of their water quality report.

The plastic bottle may be leaching chemicals into your water

Recent studies have shown that hormone disruptors such as phthalates, can leach into bottled water over time. These chemicals mimic the body's hormones and may result in reproductive, neurological and weight issues. While regulatory standards limit the amount of phthalates in tap water, there are no such standards for phthalates in bottled water. Bottles with recycling codes 1, 2 or 5 are less likely to contain phthalates, however they have still been found in random samplings. These bottles are intended for one time use only and heating, washing, and refilling can lead to additional leaching from the plastic.

Huge environmental footprint

Bottling and transporting water has a huge environmental footprint. Water is transported across states and countries, perhaps farther than you went on your last vacation, generating thousands of tons of greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants.

To meet Americans demand for bottled water, energy must be used to make the bottles; access, treat, package and transport the water; refrigerate the water; and then to dispose of the packaging. The Pacific Institute of Oakland, California released a study in early 2009 estimating that it took the equivalent of 32 million to 54 million barrels of oil to generate the energy to produce the amount of bottled water consumed in the United States in 2007 (the last full year data was available for at the time of the study). This estimation does not take into account any impacts associated with disposal. The Institute also estimates that to create and transport a single plastic bottle of water requires as much as 2000 times more energy than the energy necessary to treat and deliver the equivalent amount of tap water in the U.S.

Bottle manufacturers definitely deserve credit here. They have successfully reduced the weight of bottles, helping to reduce some of the transportation impacts and energy needs.

Unknown water sources

Most bottled water suppliers do not make sourcing information readily available to the public. This makes it impossible for us to know where the water we are drinking came from. For example, purchasing water bottled in a region that has been hard hit by draught further strains local resources, potentially impacting local residents’ ability to access water resources. Or perhaps the water was redirected from its natural flow, resulting in reduced well output for local residents. These are factors that some consumers may want the opportunity to consider, however without transparency they may not get.

If you are interested in how transparent your preferred bottled water brand is check out this HYPERLINK "http://www.ewg.org/health/report/bottledwater-scorecard" \t "_blank" Bottled Water Scorecard from the Environmental Working Group.

What you can do

• Buy local – Water transported from Fiji has a far greater impact than water bottled in your state
• Use a reusable bottle – Plan ahead and bring a refillable stainless steel or BPA free plastic bottle with you
• Filter water at home – If you do not like the taste of tap water or have doubts about its quality at home filters may be all you need Recycle the bottle – There will always be circumstances in which you purchase bottled water, just remember to recycle the bottle

Bottled Water - Pure Drink or Pure Hype? HYPERLINK http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/exesum.asp

Energy implications of bottled water, P H Gleick and H S Cooley www.iop.org

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