Bottled Vs. Tap which is better ?

This project talks about: What is ground water Tap Vs. Bottled water Purity of water Where the contaminates come from EPA and the FDA Burlington water supply labeling Health risks Water options

Water Water is an Important component of our everyday lives 60 % of our body is made up of water Every body system requires water to function Everyone's water needs are a little different and depend on : Exercise Environment Illness or health condition Pregnancy or breast feeding How do we get our water? Tap water Well water Bottled water

Where Does Drinking Water Come From? In rural areas the majority of water comes from wells Wells get water from aquifers, which are natural reservoirs under the earth's surface There are three different types of wells Dug ft deep. –Run the highest risk of being contaminated Driven- 30 to 50 ft deep. –usually located in areas with thick sand and gravel deposits where the ground water table is within 15 feet of the ground’s surface Drilled ft –Must intersect bedrock fractures that contain ground water In the urban areas water comes from surface water sources such as: Rivers Lakes Reservoirs

Tap Water Regulated by EPA Often disinfected with chlorine Strict and precise guidelines Just as safe or safer than bottled water leakage or bacterial corrosion of piping can occur Water tested very often Very low cost

Bottled Water considered a food product, is regulated by US FDA quality standards Appears to taste fresh and refreshing Disinfected with ozone treatment (high strength oxygen that is also an oxidant like chlorine but does not add taste.) Can have less pollution when water source is far from communities Less testing and standards

How pure is my water? NO water is completely pure Water is filtered through rock and soil Sits stagnant in lakes Flows through rivers All of these have potential for minerals and contaminates to be dissolved into drinking water.

Where do the Contaminates come from? Locally somewhere in your neighborhood miles away from your home Contaminated areas include: Waste from factories Substances used on farmland crops Waste from households and yards natural erosion of land and rock formations

Most common Types of contaminates Microbes From both human and animal waste –E. coli –Cryptosporidium – Giardia –Salmonella Chemical contaminates such as: Pesticides heavy metals –arsenic – can cause thickness/discoloration of the skin, nausea, vomiting, numbness in extremities –Lead- can damage kidney’s, blood, and nervous system. Very high levels can cause retardation and even death –Radon- can lead to an increase in lung diseases –Nitrates- can lead to decreased blood profusion in the body causing poor oxygenation. Even chemicals used to remove certain contaminants can themselves create chemical by-products that pose a threat to human health

Natural Resources Defense Council Four year scientific study 1,000 + bottles of water tested, 103 brands about one-third of the waters tested contained levels of contamination -- including synthetic organic chemicals, bacteria, and arsenic – “A key NRDC finding is that bottled water regulations are inadequate to assure consumers of either purity or safety”

The government has only some specifications and standards on bottled water. Unlike tap water which is strictly controlled and frequently tested by government officials There is no law saying how many bacteria a bottled water may contain. And there are no federal filtration or disinfection requirements. Graph from (NRDC, 2003)

Some Key Differences Between EPA Tap Water and FDA Bottled Water Rules Water TypeDisinfection required? Confirmed E. Coli & Fecal Coliform Banned? Testing Frequency for Bacteria Must Filter to Remove Pathogens, or Have Strictly Protected Source? Must Test for Cryptospo ridium, Giardia, Viruses? Testing Frequency for Most Synthetic Organic Chemicals Bottled Water No 1/week No 1/year Carbonated or Seltzer Water No None No None Big City Tap Water (using surface water) Yes Hundreds/ month Yes 1/quarter (limited waivers available if clean source)

2004 Annual Consumer Report on the Quality of Tap Water The City of Burlington Chittenden County, Vermont

Met all state and federal drinking water requirements All substances were under the maximum contaminant level (MCL) The amount detected value is the result of a four-quarter running average. Turbidity is a measure of the cloudiness of the water. It is monitored because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of the filtration system. During the reporting year, 100% of all samples taken to measure turbidity met water quality standards.

Deceptive Labeling "Spring Water" (with a picture of a lake surrounded by mountains on the label) -- Was actually from an industrial parking lot next to a hazardous waste site. Alasika™ -- "Alaska Premium Glacier Drinking Water: Pure Glacier Water From the Last Unpolluted Frontier, Bacteria Free" -- Apparently came from a public water supply. This label has since been changed after FDA intervention.

¼ bottled water is bottled tap water, (some estimates go as high as 40 percent) FDA allows bottlers to call water “spring water” even though it may have been brought to the surface using a pump well and may be treated with chemicals. Some bottled water marketing is misleading 1995 FDA rules to prevent misleading claims, still has not eliminated the problem..

Health Effects it has been estimated that up to 900,000 people fall ill due to infectious water up to 900 die annually from waterborne infectious disease Exposure to microbial pathogens in drinking water can lead to temporary health problems while long terms exposure can be cause long term health concerns.

Health effects cont. Acute symptoms include: gastrointestinal illness fever diarrhea dehydration Long term exposure can cause: cancers neurological effects reproductive and developmental problems heart disease diabetes immune problems.

Who’s at risk Anyone who come in contact with contaminated water is at risk for developing adverse health problems various factors influence what specific effects that a person might experience. These include: the specific contaminant(s) exposed to the amount whether the exposure was chronic or acute demographic characteristics any preexisting health conditions effects from smoking and dietary habits the interaction of multiple chemicals

Who’s at risk cont. Those most susceptible to the contaminates are: pregnant women infants and children the elderly Those with compromised immune systems such as those who suffer from HIV, cancer, or those who are transplant candidates

Water options Water filters unplumbed - Carafe (Brita) or faucet mounted (pur) filters plumbed- Go under sink and require professional instillation Bottled water Store bought Home delivery Well water- requires yearly testing just like tap water

Water Option Costs TYPEYearly costCost per gallon Unplumbed filters $ cents Plumed filters $ cents Store bought$21489 cents Home delivery$540$2.20

Bottled Water and the Environment The process in making bottled water requires a lot of energy, in addition to the production process, the delivering of bottled water from far away places also contribute to pollution. Also, bottled water produces a huge amount of plastic waste. Lastly the distribution of bottled water requires more resources than the delivery of tap water. (Bottled Water vs. Tap, 2003) A study by the world wildlife fund also finds that every year 1.5 million tons of plastic are used to bottle water.