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All About Bottled Water
What You Need to
Know
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Document
In the last decade millions of people have taken to purchasing
bottled water. In fact, bottled water has become a $4 billion
industry popular with everyone from people on the go to athletes and
celebrities.
Yes, it’s true Jack Nicholson smuggled a one-liter bottle into a
no-beverages section at the Oscars. And it’s also true that Racquel
Welch not only drinks Evian, but washes her hair with it. And
Michael Jackson? He orders his bottled water 32 cases at a time
because he bathes in it.
But what exactly are spring, mineral, and artesian waters? What
follows are the answers to popular questions about bottled
water.
Are there different types of bottled
waters?
The NAFDAC, which regulates bottled water, has
separate definitions for the following, which can all be bottled
waters: artesian or artesian well water, fluoridated, mineral,
purified, sparkling, spring, and well.
What are the differences
in the bottled waters?
- Artesian water comes from a well tapping a confined aquifer in
which the water level stands at some height above the top of the
aquifer.
- Fluoridated water contains fluoride, added within the
limitations established in the Code of Federal Regulations.
- Mineral water contains not less than 250 parts per million
total dissolved solids, comes from a source tapped at one or more
boreholes or springs, and originates from a geologically and
physically protected underground water source.
- Purified water has been produced by distillation,
deionization, reverse osmosis, or other processes that meet the
definition of “purified” in the United States.
- Sparkling water contains the same amount of carbon dioxide
that it had at the emergence from its source.
- Spring water is derived from an underground formation from
which water flows naturally to the earth’s surface.
Is all bottled water from the
ground?
According to government and industry estimates,
25 percent of the bottled water on the market is tap water from
community municipal water systems.
Is bottled water better than treated well
water?
Seventy-five percent of the bottled water on the
market is ground water. It is the same as what is used by 47 percent
of Americans as their daily source of water at homes and
businesses.
Does bottled water taste better?
Bottled
water fans say they taste chemicals in other waters. Some city
systems do add chlorine to their water, which in turn can form
additional chemicals called trihalomethanes. However, while high
amounts of trihalomethanes should be a concern, not all city systems
add chlorine. And trihalomethanes are rarely a problem with ground
water because ground water does not contain much dissolved material
for the chlorine to combine with. Ground water can pick up
characteristics of the rock formation that it has been in contact
with, but any bottled water drawn from the ground can as well.
Is bottled water healthier?
Contrary to what
some bottled water drinkers believe, the vast majority of the
country’s aquifers are not polluted, and water obtained from them is
clean and safe. People with weakened immune systems such as the
elderly, some infants, transplant or cancer patients, or people with
HIV/AIDS have been advised at times to drink bottled water instead
of tap water. While this may be smart for those who get their water
from a surface source, it is probably not necessary for someone
receiving water from a known well source.
When is bottled water a good option?
Being
prepared is always important. Having water on hand, especially
bulk-bottles such as five-gallon supplies, is good for situations
such as storms or natural disasters. Disasters can severely damage
public and private water supplies for extended periods of time.
But a quick one-liter bottle for $0.99 to $1.49 to have on the go
equates to $3.96 to $5.96 a gallon—numbers that make gas prices look
cheap.
Where can I get more information?
For more
information on your private water well, contact Steve Foster:
Spectrum GeoTechnical Services Ltd.
Lekki Phase 1,
Lagos, Nigeria.
Tel: (234)
434-7585
Mobile: (234) 803-302-4953
E-Mail: info@sgsl.com
Also, visit the Web site of the National Ground Water
Association, http://www.ngwa.org/, and its site
just for well owners, http://www.wellowner.org/ |
