know your water

(FDA) -Americans are drinking bottled water in record numbers – a whopping 6.8 billion gallons in 2004, a per capita consumption level of 23.8 gallons, according to the International Bottled Water Association. That’s about the same amount of water that travels over Niagara Falls in three hours.

With these kinds of numbers, it pays to know exactly what’s inside that bottle in your purse, briefcase, or backpack. Here are some FDA classifications for bottled water:

Artesian well water. According to the EPA, water from artesian aquifers, layers of porous rock, sand, and earth that contain water, is often more pure because confining layers of rock and clay impede the movement of contamination. However, despite the claims of some bottlers, there is no guarantee that artesian waters are any cleaner than ground water from an unconfined aquifer, the EPA says.

Mineral water. Water from an underground source that contains at least 250 parts per million total dissolved solids. Minerals and trace elements must come from the source and cannot be added later.

Spring water. Derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the earth’s surface. Spring water must be collected only at the spring or through a borehole tapping the underground formation feeding the spring.

Well water. Water from a hole bored or drilled into the ground, which taps into an aquifer.

Some bottled water also comes from municipal sources – in other words, the tap. Municipal water is usually treated before it is bottled. Examples of water treatments include:

Distillation. Water is turned into a vapor. Since minerals are too heavy to vaporize, they are left behind, and the vapors are condensed into water again.

Reverse osmosis. Water is forced through membranes to remove minerals in the water.

Absolute 1 micron filtration. Water flows through filters that remove particles larger than one micron in size, such as Cryptosporidium, a parasitic protozoan.

Ozonation. Bottlers of all types of waters typically use ozone gas, an antimicrobial agent, to disinfect the water instead of chlorine, since chlorine can leave residual taste and odor to the water.

Bottled water that has been treated by distillation, reverse osmosis, or other suitable process and that meets the definition of purified water in the U.S. Pharmacopeia can be labeled as “purified water.”

Is Bottled Better?

Is it worth paying the extra expense for any of the types of bottled water that are available? Andrew Holden, Manager of Culligan Water in Rochester, says that U.S. municipal water systems are good when compared to other countries. But he notes that most issues with water are cumulative. “There is a phenomenon known as the ’jumbler effect,’” he says. “This is when small EPA - approved amounts of carcinogens found in water come together to form new undetectable water quality issues.”

Unfortunately, RHL was unable to get a response concerning the quality of our local water supply from the Monroe County Water Authority. However, numerous other public officials have commented about public water supplies. One, Stew Thornley, a water quality health educator with the Minnesota Department of Health, says consumers should rest easy about the quality of their tap water. He states “tap water may sometimes look or taste differently, but that doesn’t mean it’s unsafe. In fact, the most dangerous contaminants are those that consumers cannot see, smell, or taste. Water is constantly and thoroughly tested for harmful substances,” he says. “If there is a problem, consumers will be warned through the media or other outlets.”

Education is probably the best answer. Consumers need to arm themselves with knowledge about what they’re buying before they grab the next bottle of Dasani, Evian, or Culligan water off the shelf. “It really pays to do your homework,” says Thornley.