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How do we feel about our drinking water? It should be pure, clean, safe, and healthy. This is the general consensus among everyone who considers water as a necessity of life. It is common knowledge that we could survive weeks during a famine, but only days without water. The majority of our body content is water. Our cells need water for health and rejuvenation. Water helps with proper maintenance of our digestive system. Our existence depends on it. So, it only stands to reason that there would develop a great concern over the issues of our drinking water.
Exactly what is water? H2O we hear in chemistry class; we know it has minerals, and sometimes fluorides have been added, which helps our teeth. Does the government regulate it efficiently enough? The government requires that regular, normal drinking tap water be frequently tested for contaminants and certain types of harmful bacteria. All of our water systems throughout the United States govern such practice to maintain the public health and safety of our drinking water.
What about bottled water, is this industry under the same strict guidelines as tap water? Since it has grown into a multi-million dollar industry, what are their guidelines for testing? None. The bottled water industry is not under any regulation to test bottled water. If there are any bacteria in the water, these tiny microbes can literally grow as it sits on the grocer's shelf. The general public has no knowledge as to what they are drinking, what chemicals or treatments have been added, or if the bottled water even meets federal and EPA standards.
What is really surprising is the fact that the bottled water industry may be selling just tap water. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council PepsiCo's Aquafina does not mention the fact that the water is derived from municipal tap water. Still, Aquafina is a hot item so we many have been taken in by the beautiful mountains they place on the labels.
The Environmental Health and Safety says that even when bottled water is covered by FDA's rules, the testing is not as rigorous for purity standards as those that apply to city tap water.
Bottled water rules for some contamination of E. coli or fecal coliform contrary to tap water rules that prohibit any confirmed contamination of these bacteria. Similarly, there are no requirements for bottled water to be disinfected or tested for parasites such as cryptosporidium or giardia, unlike the big city water systems.
Basically, it is pretty clear. If your water meets federal, state, and local requirements there is no need to buy bottled water for safety reasons.
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