What is bottled water?
Water is classified as "bottled water" or "drinking water" if it meets all applicable federal and state standards, is sealed in a sanitary container and is sold for human consumption. Bottled water cannot contain sweeteners or chemical additives (other than flavors, extracts or essences) and must be calorie-free and sugar-free. Flavors, extracts and essences -- derived from spice or fruit -- can be added to bottled water, but these additions must comprise less than one percent by weight of the final product. Beverages containing more than the one-percent-by-weight flavor limit are classified as soft drinks, not bottled water. In addition, bottled water may be sodium-free or contain "very low" amounts of sodium. Some bottled waters contain natural or added carbonation.
What are the different types of bottled water?
There are several different varieties of bottled water. The product may be labeled as bottled water, drinking water or any of the following terms. The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) product definitions for bottled water are:
How do I know my bottled water is safe?
Consumers can trust that bottled water is safe for many reasons. The first is that bottled water is strictly regulated on the federal level by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and on the state level by state officials. This ensures that all bottled water sold in the United States meets these stringent standards.
How is bottled water different from tap water?
Consistent quality and taste are two of the principle differences between bottled water and tap water.
Quality is in every container of bottled water. It's consistent and it is inspected and monitored by governmental and private laboratories. Unfortunately, tap water can be inconsistent -- sometimes it might be okay while other times it is not. While bottled water originates from protected sources (75% from underground aquifers and springs), tap water comes mostly from river sand lakes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reported that hundreds of tap water sources have failed to meet minimum standards. Another factor to consider is the distance tap water has to travel and what it goes through before it reaches the tap.
Taste is the other major reason people prefer bottled water versus tap water. Chlorine is most often used to disinfect tap water. That can leave an aftertaste and lead to other problems. Some bottlers use ozone, a form of supercharged oxygen, and/or ultraviolet light as the final disinfecting agents, both of which leave no taste or chemical trace.
I've read about Cryptosporidium being found in tap water. What is it?
Cryptosporidium is a waterborne parasite that lives in animals and can be passed into the water through their waste. Cryptosporidium oocysts from animal wastes have been found in rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs and many other types of surface water.
How do I know that Cryptosporidium is not in my bottled water?
For starters, bottled water companies are required to use approved sources.
There are two types of sources from which bottled water can be drawn: the first type is natural sources (i.e. springs and wells). By law, these sources must be protected from surface intrusion and other environmental influences. This requirement ensures that surface water contaminants such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia are not present.
The second source water type is approved potable municipal supplies. Bottled water companies that use these sources reprocess this water using methods such as distillation, reverse osmosis, deionization and filtration. This ensures that the finished product is very different -- in composition and taste -- from the original source water.
Is bottled water regulated?
The bottled water industry is regulated on three levels: federal, state and trade association.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, coupled with state and industry standards, offer consumers assurance that the bottled water they purchase is stringently regulated, tested and of the highest quality.
FEDERAL REGULATIONS:
STATE STANDARDS:
Do imported waters have to meet the same federal, state and industry regulations as bottled water?
Yes. Any bottled water sold in the United States must meet all of the same regulations as domestically produced bottled water.
Is bottled water regulated differently from tap water?
Yes. Bottled water is regulated by FDA as a food product and must meet all applicable food packaging regulations. Tap water is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is regarded as a utility.
Does bottled water contain any harmful chemicals that can pose a threat to human health?
No.
How long can I store bottled water?
The Food and Drug Administration has not established a shelf life for bottled water. Bottled water can be used indefinitely if stored properly.
What is the proper way to store bottled water?
Bottled water should be stored in a cool (i.e. room temperature), dry environment away from chemicals such as household cleaning products and away from solvents such as gasoline, paint thinners and other toxic materials.
