Bottled Water Makes a Splash
by Michele Simon

By definition, water is classified as "bottled water" or "drinking water" if it meets all federal and state standards, is sealed in a sanitary container and is sold for human consumption. Bottled water can't contain sweeteners or chemical additives other than flavors, extracts or essences, and must be calorie-free and sugar-free; it may be sodium-free or contain very low amounts of sodium.

Bottled water mainly originates from protected sources (75 percent from underground aquifers and springs) while tap water tends to come from rivers and lakes - many of which have failed to meet water standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA).

Taste is another major difference between bottled water and tap water. Tap water is usually disinfected with chlorine, which creates an aftertaste; but bottled water is often processed with ozone - a form of supercharged oxygen - and/or ultraviolet light, which leave no taste or chemical trace.

Reading the Labels

It seems that all water is not created equal. And bottled water has such a wide variety of labels that it's hard to decipher what it all means. You can get a jumpstart on understanding bottled-water lingo with these definitions provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA):

Artesian Water/Artesian Well Water: Bottled water from a well that taps a confined aquifer (a water-bearing underground layer of rock or sand), in which the water level stands at some height above the top of the aquifer.

Mineral Water: Bottled water containing not less than 250 parts per million total dissolved solids. Mineral water is distinguished from other types of bottled water by its constant level and relative proportions of mineral and trace elements. No minerals can be added.

Purified Water: Water that has been produced by distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis or other process that meets the definition of purified water. Other suitable product names for bottled water treated by their respective processes may include "distilled water," "deionized water" or "reverse osmosis water."

Spring Water: Bottled water derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface of the earth. Spring water must be collected only at the spring or through a bore hole tapping the underground formation finding the spring.

Well Water: Bottled water from a hole bored, drilled or otherwise constructed in the ground which taps the water of an aquifer.

Is Bottled Water Really Better Than Tap Water?

The FDA regulates the quality of bottled water, while the public perception of its purity is largely driven by advertisements and packaging labels featuring pristine glaciers and crystal-clear mountain springs. However, in 1999, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released results of a four-year study that raised some questions about the safety and purity of bottled water. The NRDC study included testing of more than 1,000 bottles of 103 brands of bottled water. While most of the tested waters were found to be of high quality, about one-third of those tested contained levels of contamination - including synthetic organic chemicals, bacteria and even arsenic.

The FDA intervened after these test results were revealed, but NRDC concluded that bottled water should be subjected to more rigorous testing in order to meet consumer needs. Fortunately, the majority of bottled waters have been deemed safe, and groups such as IBWA continue to lobby for additional regulations.

What's Next On the Horizon for Bottled Water?

Plenty. As if the range of choices among bottled waters weren't enough, manufacturers are now working overtime to bring you so-called, "value-added" waters - water chock-full of herbs and nutrients, including calcium and even soy protein.

This trend toward "nutritional" water is yet another example of manufacture response to consumers' growing demand for convenient health products. For instance, Water Concepts has created a new category of waters called Smart Waters, which are fortified with herbal mineral supplements. Then there's Energy Brands' line of Glaceau Soywater (enhanced with soy protein, soy isoflavones, and vitamins A, C and E) and Vitamin Water, which comes in six varieties of vitamin combinations. Plus, if you're concerned you aren't getting enough calcium, you can try Calcium Springs Water.

Given the combination of insatiable public demand and manufacturer creativity, we're likely to see more nutrient waters in the future. Will the days of drinking plain old tap water soon be a fading memory? Maybe so. There appears to be no end in sight for the bottled water craze.

Author Michele Simon is a lawyer with a master's degree in public health as well as a freelance writer specializing in food policy. She lives in Oakland, California.

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