Bottled water
This article is licensed under theGNU Free Documentation License.It uses material from the Wikipedia article 'Bottled water' (click for full Wikipedia text) 'Bottled water ', is water packaged for individual consumption and typically sold in retail form. The water in such bottles can be from a wide variety of sources, from highly processed and treated water , to natural spring water, to simply repackaged municipal or even untreated water . In North America and Europe, governmental standards are usually applied to ensure that water quality is safe and labels accurately reflect the contents. In many developing countries, however, such standards rarely exist, or are inconsistently applied. Worldwide sales of bottled water are estimated to be between $50 and $100 billion (US) annually and increasing approximately 7 to 10 percent annually. In 2004, total sales were approximately 154 billion litres (41 billion gallons).
2004 The sales of bottled water are increasing for many reasons. In many areas of the world tap water is contaminated (or thought to be contaminated) with pollutants. Some people prefer the taste of bottled water. Some people find retail bottled water to be a convenience. And a recent increase in advertising in some countries is making bottled water a fashion. In regions where reliable, low-cost, and high quality tap water is not available, bottled water may provide a safe alternative. Bottled water, however, has some liabilities. Perhaps most important, bottled water is on average 1000 times more expensive than high-quality municipal tap water -- bottled water can cost $US 1 per liter (or often more), while municipal tap water from urban water agencies is typically a fraction of a penny per liter (reference Gleick 2004). There are also environmental impacts associated with the production and disposal of large numbers of plastic bottles, particularly in regions where plastics recycling is either unavailable or limited. Significant amounts of energy are also used to package and transport bottled water large distances. In the United States, tap water is regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Bottled water is regulated under a similar, but not precisely the same set of regulations from the United States Food and Drug Administration under the Federal Food, Drug,and Cosmetic Act ('FFDCA' or the 'Act'), 21 U.S.C. § 301et seq.
Bottled water sources
Different countries require different formal labels for bottled water. In the United States, specific definitions and meanings ('standards of identity') apply to the most common types of bottled water. Bottled water manufacturers must ensure that their products meet the FDA established standard of identity for bottled water products. A bottled water product bearing a particular statement of identity (e.g., mineral water) must meet the requirements of the standard of identity in order to avoid being misbranded. For example, under the standard of identity regulations bottled water may only be labeled 'mineral water' in the United States if it: (1) contains not less than 250 ppm total dissolved solids; (2) comes from a source tapped at one or more bore holes or springs; (3) originates from a hydrogeologically protected source; and (4) contains no added minerals. There are similar definitions for bottled water, drinking water, artesian water, ground water, distilled water, deionized water, reverse osmosis water, purified water, sparkling bottled water, spring water, sterile water and well water. A bottled water product must bear the appropriate name as reflected in the applicable standard of identity definition or it is misbranded. U.S. FDA 'Standards of Identity' for Bottled Water The FDA has established 'Standards of Identity' for bottled water products sold in the U.S. Note that other countries have different definitions and standards; some countries have no consistent labeling requirements. Some of the more common U.S. types of bottled water are listed below: Artesian Water This is water that originates from a confined aquifer that has been tapped and in which the water level stands at some height above the top of the aquifer. Fluoridated Water This type of water contains fluoride added within the limitations established in the FDA Code of Federal Regulations. This category includes water classified as 'For Infants' or 'Nursery.' Ground Water This type of water is from an underground source that is under a pressure equal to or greater than atmospheric pressure. Mineral Water Mineral water contains at least 250 parts per million total dissolved solids (TDS). It comes from a source tapped at one or more bore holes or spring, and originates from a geologically and physically protected underground water source. No minerals may be added to this water. Purified Water This type of water has been produced by distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis, or other suitable processes. Purified water may also be referred to as 'demineralized water.' It meets the definition of 'purified water' in the United States Pharmacopoeia. Sparkling Water Sparkling water contains the same amount of carbon dioxide that it had at emergence from the source. The carbon dioxide may be removed and replenished after treatment. Spring Water This type of water comes from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the Earth's surface. Sterile Water This type of water meets the requirements under 'sterility tests' in the United States Pharmacopoeia. Well Water Well water is taken from a hole tapping, etc. This hole may be bored, drilled, or otherwise constructed in the ground.
Markets
The United States is the largest market for bottled water, at 26 billion litres in 2004. On average, this is one 8-ounce glass per person per day. Italy has the highest average consumption per person, at two 8-ounce glasses per person per day. Here is data for global markets in 2004, in billions of litres consumed.
- USA 25.8
- Mexico 17.7
- China 11.9
- Brazil 11.6
- Italy 10.7
- Germany 10.3
- France 8.5
- Indonesia 7.4
- Spain 5.5
- India 5.1
- All others 39.9
- Total 154.3 Source: Beverage Marketing Corporation, cited in John G. Rodwan, Jr., 'Bottled Water 2004: U.S. and International Statistics and Developments,' Bottled Water Reporter, April/May 2005. Per person data is shown below, in average number of litres consumed per person per year.
- Italy 183.6
- Mexico 168.5
- United Arab Emirates 163.5
- Belgium 148.0
- France 141.6
- Spain 136.7
- Germany 124.9
- Lebanon 101.4
- Switzerland 99.6
- Cyprus 92.0
- United States 90.5
- Saudi Arabia 87.8
- Czech Republic 87.1
- Austria 82.1
- Portugal 80.3
- Global Average 24.2 More data and graphs are available externally. U.S. BOTTLED WATER MARKET, producer revenues, 2000 – 2005(P)
Year - Millions of US dollars - 2000 $6,113.0
- 2001 $6,880.6
- 2002 $7,901.4
- 2003 $8,526.4
- 2004 $9,169.4
- 2005(P) $9,803.0 (P) Preliminary
Source: Beverage Marketing Corporation http://www.bottledwater.org/public/Stats_2004.doc
Alternatives to bottled water
High quality municipal water (tap water) is often a far cheaper alternative to bottled water. Sophisticated water treatment plants treat water using a wide range of physical, chemical, or biological processes to produce potable water. In many parts of the world, however, good municipal supply is unavailable. The United Nations estimates that in 2005, 1.1 billion people lacked access to safe, affordable drinking water, and two to five million people die every year from preventable water-related diseases. In regions without safe drinking water, bottled water may provide an alternative, though at a price typically far beyond the ability of the poorest to pay (UN World Water Development Report 2006). Other options include boiling, filtering, or otherwise processing contaminated water to remove harmful pathogens or chemicals. Even where advanced water filters are not available, and fuel for boiling is scarce, effective, ad-hoc water filters can be made in a few hours from clay by hand, using available materials even in the most resource-starved locations, and without advanced technology or skills
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s1381331.htm. In some areas, water may be obtained from and in the form of rainwater. This water can be harvested conveniently and frequently, for example from the rooftops of buildings, into rainwater tanks. In rural areas the rain is typically very pure and can be safely consumed without additional treatment. Groundwater can be obtained through pumps or wells but should be monitored for quality to ensure no risk of contaimation. Many people in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India are drinking groundwater that has been discovered to be contaminated with arsenic after wells were drilled to protect the population from contaminated surface water.
Bottled water in the United States
Bottled water is both a successful product and a contentious topic in the United States, where high-quality municipal tap water is available to practically the entire population. While many forms of bottled water are sold, the vast bulk of sales is simply re-processed municipal supplies. Both Aquafina from Pepsi-Cola Company and Dasani from The Coca-Cola Company are reprocessed municipal water systems. Some bottled waters, such as Penta Water claim special health benefits, though these claims are considered pseudoscience and rarely backed up with any verifiable evidence. What's more, as noted earlier, bottled water typically costs a thousand times more than tap water by volume.
Bottled water history in USA
The increased use of bottle water in US recently is the result of several factors, ranging from simple consumer preference and convenience, to fear about the quality of tap water. Violations of tap water standards tend to be highly publicized and widely reported, and indeed, there have been some dramatic instances. In 1993, Cryptosporidium caused 400,000 people to get sick in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (see: Milwaukee Cryptosporidium outbreak). Coupled with these widely reported incidents is a trend where many Americans are getting health conscious, resulting in bottled water securing its place in their daily lives.
Regulations
In the USA, nutritional information on the water bottle must be precise. Bottled water is regulated by the FDA, who demand suppliers use an 'approved source', which the FDA defines as: :
source means a source of water...that has been inspected and the water sampled, analyzed, and found to be of a safe and sanitary quality according to applicable laws and regulations of state and local government agencies having jurisdiction. However, the FDA does not define guidelines for which regulations may be considered applicable, nor set requirements for water sources in the absence of applicable laws. Additionally, bottled water suppliers are not required to document the approval of their sources. Water bottlers are permitted to sell contaminated water if, and only if, their labelling notes the water contains 'excessive bacteria' or 'excessive chemical substances'. Water bottlers are additionally not required to test for the presence of
Escherichia coli , cryptosporidium, giardia, asbestos, or certain organic compounds such as benzenes;
http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/chap4.asp. However, most bottled water is in fact heavily tested. As regards to what constitutes each type of different water, individual states regulate with their own laws precisely what mineral content needs to be in the water for it to be 'mineral water'. In the US, the minimal mineral content is 250 parts per million. With these figures, certain mineral waters in the US would only qualify as spring water in some other countries. The US Environmental Protection Agency sets more stringent quality standards for tap water than does the FDA for the bottled water.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/oneworld/20060204/wl_oneworld/45361268291139089785;_ylt=AnMFGgPzyUbNrDMNks.tbHsDW7oF;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl Very pure water and a potential link to tooth decay
It has been suggested that because bottled distilled or reverse osmosis produced water lacks fluoride ions which are sometimes naturally present in groundwater, or added at a water treatment plant and which has an effect on the inhibition of caries formation; the drinking of distilled water may conceivably increase the risk of tooth decay due to a lack of this element.
http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/DentalHealth/tb/1756 However, most people continue to cook with common tap water and this is thought to potentially provide sufficient fluoride to maintain normal prophylaxis in many instances. Any other minerals in tap water such as calcium and magnesium are present in such miniscule amounts that their absence is compensated for many thousands of times over by other dietary sources.
Expiration dates
Bottled water typically have shelf_life printed on them. Even if the water itself is perfectly pure, the container, especially if plastic, may leach chemicals into the bottled water
http://leas.ca/Firefighters-help-sponsor-CancerSmart-Consumer-Guide.htmhttp://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/(0ogsvta5cv1ez5zurfsnh255)/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,12,13;journal,70,93;linkingpublicationresults,1:102446,1. Storage in cool and dark places help reduce reactions. Industry associations claim 'bottled water can be used indefinitely if stored properly.'
http://www.cbwa-bottledwater.org/en/faq.htm#10. If the original water bottled is not pure, especially if it contained biological contaminants, then the water quality will continue to degrade regardless of the storage container or conditions
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12423918&dopt=Citation.
See also
- Aquafina
- Dasani
- Fiji water
- Propel Fitness Water
- Ty Nant
- Brecon Carreg
References
Gleick, P.H. 2004. 'Bottled Water.' In P.H. Gleick (editor),
The World's Water 2004-2005: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources . Island Press, Washington, D.C. United Nations. 2006. World Water Development Report. from the World Water Assessment Program, Paris, France.
External links
Explain Bottled_water 
Bottled Water Store
