Is Bottled Water Really Necessary 01

Did you know Americans consumed more than 7.5 billion gallons of bottled water in 2005? That's more than 26 gallons per person.Why have so many thirsty people turned off the tap and chosen to drink bottled water Some prefer the taste, but others give up the convenience of tap water because they are convinced bottle water is safer (healthier) to drink. Is this true?For healthy people, both bottled water and tap water are considered safe to drink if they meet the standards of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The FDA sets food safety, labeling, and inspection standards for bottled water, and the EPA sets standards and conducts frequent testing for municipal drinking water. However, the sources and treatments of drinking water can vary considerably.Is There Evidence for the Health Claim The taste and quality of drinking water depend on where it comes from and how it is chemically treated. Most tap water comes from surface sources, such as rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Most bottled water comes from ground sources, such as underground aquifers.The day-to-day variation of the taste and quality is usually less for ground water than with surface water sources. Water from deep underground is less vulnerable to contamination than surface water. Despite this, ground water can contain high levels of contaminants or be contaminated during the bottling and/or treatment processes.Do you know where your water comes from

If your tap water's source is a public water system, you can check your annual water quality report or contact your water supplier to find its source. You can read the label of the bottled water to find out where it comes from.Artesian water, ground water, spring water, and well water come from underground aquifers.Distilled water is steam from boiled water that is re-condensed and then bottled.Mineral water is ground water that naturally contains dissolved solvents such as minerals, salts, and gases. Or, it is prepared synthetically.Purified or sterilized water may originate from any source, but is supposed to be treated according to the US Pharmacopeia (USP) standards for purification and sterilization, respectively.