Bottled Water What do we need to know as consumers? Diane Evans, MPH student Walden University PUBH 6165-2 Environmental Health Instructor: Dr. Rebecca Heick Fall 2009 My name is Diane Evans, and I am an MPH student at Walden University. As a service-based learning project for my Environmental Health class, I have prepared a presentation on bottled water. It is aimed at an adult, general public population to increase awareness of the issues surrounding bottled water - to inform consumers about quality, regulations, sources, safety, environmental impact, waste, and cost.

Bottled Water Consumption Consumption has tripled in the past 10 years USA consumption in the year 2006 was 32 billion liters Average number of liters consumed by person per year in the USA is 90.5; global average 24.2 liters. (Saleh, Abdel-Rahman, Woodard, Clark, Wallace, Aboaba, et al., 2008) In the past 10 years, consumption of bottled water has tripled in the United States. In 2006, US consumption was 32 billion liters, and the average number of liters consumed per person per year is 90.5, while globally the average is 24.2 liters. Since more than one-half of all Americans drink bottled water, and approximately one-third of the public consumes it regularly, this presentation is an opportunity to inform consumers about quality, regulations, sources, safety, environmental impact, waste, and cost.

Why Increased Consumption? Perception of purity, safety, better taste Convenience Increasing public awareness of fitness Beneficial effects of drinking water on health (Saleh,et al., 2008) Consumption has increased due to the perception that bottled water is more pure, safer, and tastes better that tap water. There is also a factor of convenience, an increasing public awareness of fitness, as well as the benefits of increased water consumption for health reasons.

Quality: Bottled vs. Tap Water Increasingly worldwide concern about the quality of bottled water regarding their chemical content has risen. (Saleh,et al., 2008) As a result of this explosion in consumption of bottled water and the inconsistency in regulations, concerns have risen over the quality of bottled water regarding the chemical content.

NRDC Study 1/3 of water had levels of contamination 25% or more is tap water Regulations inadequate to assure purity or safety (NRDC, 1999) NRDC, 2008 In an NRDC study, 1000 bottles of 103 brands of water – in at least one sample about one-third of the water tested contained levels of contamination - including synthetic organic chemicals, bacteria, and arsenic – that exceeded allowable limits under state or bottled water industry standards. An estimated 25 percent or more of bottled water is really just tap water in a bottle. The study concluded that regulations for bottled water are inadequate to assure either purity or safety.

How is Quality Measured? Concentration in organic and inorganic chemicals Microbial quality Potential pathogens, such as enteric bacteria, protozoa, and acid-fast bacteria (Saleh,et al., 2008) Quality of water is measured by looking at several factors. The first is the concentration of organic and inorganic chemicals. These elements are divided into two categories: those that are required in our diet in amounts greater than 50 mg per day are designated as macro elements, and those that are required in amounts less than 50 mg per day, which are called trace elements. Despite the fact that trace elements constitute only a small fraction of the total food uptake, epidemiological studies have shown a strong correlation between several human diseases and the presence of trace elements in drinking water. Another factor considered when measuring water quality is Microbial Quality. Several studies have documented the detection of coliforms and heterotrophic bacteria in bottled water in counts which far exceeded national and international standards set for potable water for human consumption. Potential pathogens, such as enteric bacteria, protozoa, and acid-fast bacteria are also investigated to determine water quality. It has also been established that a number of these bacteria could multiply during storage to reach infective doses for consumers. Pathogens like Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp and Salmonella spp have been demonstrated to survive and multiply in bottled water with a potential to cause outbreaks in consumers.

Quality Summary Bottled water does not guarantee higher quality or more safety compared to tap water. The summary of all these facts, figures, and studies is that bottled water does not guarantee higher quality or more safety compared to tap water.

Regulations Tap water – EPA, state and local government Bottled water Food and Drug Administration (FDA) International Bottled Water Association (Saleh, Abdel-Rahman, Woodard, Clark, Wallace, Aboaba, et al., 2008) (Bogo, 2001) Tap water is regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as state and local governments. Bottled water is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since is it considered a food product. Companies that sell bottled water must comply with FDA’s quality standards, labeling regulations, and Good Manufacturing Practices. However, the regulations by the FDA are less stringent compared to EPA regulations for tap water. If bottles are packaged and sold in the same state (which accounts for 60-70% of bottled water in US), they are subject only to state standards which vary widely. Disinfection to eliminate chemical and microbiological contaminants in not required by the FDA, and only by 5 states.

Regulations Summary: Bottled Water Tap Water Sources assessed for potential contaminants No Yes Filtration and disinfection required? Delegated to states – some have, and some do not Municipal water from surface sources Water must be tested by government-certified labs No requirement Cities require Tested for coliform bacteria Required once per week Municipal tap water required to be tested 100 + times per month This chart provides a summary of regulations of bottled versus tap water. Sources assessed for potential contaminants - Federal rules don’t require assessing sources for potential contaminants such as setbacks from dumps, industrial facilities or underground storage tanks. Filtration and disinfection is delegated to the states, which is inconsistent in requirements. While municipal water from surface sources is required to have filtration and disinfection. Cities require water to be tested by government-certified labs, where the bottled water industry has no such requirement. Also, municipal tap water is required to be tested 100 or more times per month for coliform bacteria. The bottled water industry is required to test only once per week.

Sources of Bottled Water About 25-45% is bottled tap water FDA rules allow bottlers to call their product "spring water" even though it may be brought to the surface using a pumped well, and it may be treated with chemicals Actual source of water is not always made clear (Bogo, 2001) At least 25% and estimates up to 45% of all bottled water is actually from municipal water sources. In 1995, the FDA issued labeling rules to prevent misleading claims, but while the rules do prohibit some of the most deceptive labeling practices, they have not eliminated the problem. For example, FDA rules allow bottles to call their product “spring water” even though it may be brought to the surface using a pumped wall, and it may be treated with chemicals. The actual source of the water is not always made clear by reading the label on the bottle.

Could the plastic in water bottles pose a health risk? Phthalate exposure No legal limits (NRDC, 2008) Studies have shown that chemicals called phthalates, which are known to disrupt testosterone and other hormones, can leach into bottled water over time. Although there are regulatory standards limiting phthalates in tap water, there are no legal limits for phthalates in bottled water.

Environmental Impact Fossil fuel consumption Water consumption Waste (Water Wars: Bottled or Tap, 2008) NRDC, 2008 Another issue in the increased consumption of bottled water is the impact on our environment. We will discuss the fossil fuel consumption, water consumption, and waste associated with bottled water. Then, rather than being recycled, 86 percent of them are thrown away. Breaking down these plastics can take thousands of years, while their components seep into our water supplies.

Fossil Fuel Consumption Approximately 1.5 million gallons of oil used to make plastic water bottles Air pollution from transportation Manufacturing process (Food and Water Watch, 2009) (NRDC, 2008) Fossil fuel consumption. It takes more than 47 million gallons of oil to produce plastic water bottles for Americans every year. Eliminating those bottles would be like taking 100,000 cars off the road and 1 billion pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. In 2006, the equivalent of 2 billion half-liter bottles of water were shipped to U.S. ports, creating thousands of tons of global warming pollution and other air pollution. Burning of the oil and other fossil fuels (which also are also used to generate the energy that powers the manufacturing process) emits global warming pollution into the atmosphere.

Water Consumption Water extraction near bottling plants Millions of gallons used in plastic-making process (Food and Water Watch, 2009) (NRDC, 2008) Water consumption Increased water extraction in areas near bottling plants, in some cases leading to water shortages that affect nearby consumers and farmers. Millions of gallons of water are used in the plastic-making process - each one of those bottles required nearly five times its volume in water to manufacture.

Waste Only 13% of bottles recycled 2 million tons of plastic bottles in landfills. (Food and Water Watch, 2009) Waste Rather than being recycled, 86 percent of plastic bottles are being thrown away. Breaking down these plastics can take thousands of years, while their components seep into our water supplies. In 2005, 2 million tons of plastic water bottles ended up clogging landfills instead of getting recycled.

Cost Bottled water can cost up to 10,000 times more per gallon than tap water. Bottled water can cost $7.50 to $11.00 per gallon in the supermarket but tap water costs most customers only one-tenth of one cent per gallon. Americans spent $10 billion for bottled water in 2005. (Food and Water Watch, 2009) (Bogo, 2001) (Water Wars: Bottled or Tap, 2008) There is also quite a financial cost associated with bottled water. It can cost up to 10,000 times more per gallon than tap water – while bottled water can cost $7.50 to $11.00 per gallon in the supermarket, tap water costs most customers only one-tenth of one cnet per gallon. Americans spent $10 billion for bottled water in 2005.

Summary Drinking bottled water has a cost to the consumer and to the environment No guarantee of safety or quality We have discussed the quality, regulations, sources, safety, environmental impact, waste, and cost associated with bottled water use. Hopefully this will allow you to make the best choices when deciding on whether on not to purchase bottled water.

Presentation References (2001). IS BOTTLED WATER BETTER?. Environment, 43(4), 4. http://search.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org. (2008). Water Wars: Bottled or Tap?. Mother Earth News, (226), 19. http://search.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org. Bogo, J. (2001). Consider the Source. E - The Environmental Magazine, 12(2), 12. http://search.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org. Food and Water Watch.com. (2009) Bottled Water. Retrieved from http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/bottled. National Resources Defense Council. (2008) Bottled Water Pure Drink or Hype? Retrieved from http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/bwinx.asp. Saleh, M., Abdel-Rahman, F., Woodard, B., Clark, S., Wallace, C., Aboaba, A., et al. (2008). Chemical, microbial and physical evaluation of commercial bottled waters in greater Houston area of Texas. Journal of Environmental Science & Health, Part A: Toxic/Hazardous Substances & Environmental Engineering, 43(4), 335-347. http://search.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org, doi:10.1080/10934520701795400. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2009) Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/Product-SpecificInformation/BottledWaterCarbonatedSoftDrinks/ucm077079.htm. The references for this presentation are as follows…

Additional Resources Web MD, Bottled Water: FAQ on Safety and Purity. http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20081107/bottled-water-faq-on-safety-and-purity Earth Policy institute—Bottled Water: Pouring Resources Down the Drain. http://www.earth-policy.org/index.php?/plan_b_updates/2006/update51 headhnesOSa 209-10. htm Reader’s Digest.com, Bottled Water vs. Tap Water. http://www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring-people-and-stories/rethink-what-you-drink/article51807.html Some additional resources that you can use for further information include…