New EWG report takes on bottled water

EWG recommends that bottled water be subject to the same kind of public information as is published in consumer confidence reports for public water supplies.

The conclusion of an environmental organization’s report on bottled water quality is that bottled water offers no guarantee of better quality than tap water.

A report released October 15 by the Environmental Working Group faults bottled water companies for not making water quality data on their products available to consumers and for advertising campaigns that imply the “purity” of their products. The report, titled Bottled Water Quality Investigation: 10 Major Brands, 38 Pollutants, instead recommends that bottled water meet the same consumer information requirements as for public water supplies, with full disclosure of

all water quality test results,
treatment techniques used, and
source water.

EWG also noted water quality problems with tap water, including occurrence of disinfection by-products and elevated fluoride levels. EWG recommended that consumers use a carbon filter for their tap water but made no mention of the importance of regular replacement of point-of-use filters.

Not surprisingly, EWG came under fire from the International Bottled Water Association, which asserted EWG test results were reported out of context and took the organization to task for listing fluoride as a contaminant without recognizing its role in the prevention of tooth decay.

Strong criticism also came from Stephen Edberg of the Yale University School of Medicine. In a press release published by The Earth Times, he lambasted the study’s use of heterotrophic plate count (HPC) as a measure of bacterial contamination, noting that HPC has been found by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization to have no association with human health.

In one final recommendation, the EWG report recommended stronger source water protection measures at federal, state, and local levels.

AWWA Resources

AWWA consumer Web site: www.drinktap.org
Consumer's Guide to Drinking Water: Where It Comes From, How It's Made Safe, and What To Do If Something Goes Wrong