- Americans spend billions of dollars every year on bottled water.

- People choose bottled water for a variety of reasons including aesthetics (for example, taste), health concerns, or as a substitute to other beverages (CDC, 2009).

CDC.gov

cont

- In 2002, almost six billion gallons of bottled water were sold in the U.S.,

- Americans paid $7.7 billion for bottled water in 2002,

- The United States is the world’s largest consumer of bottled water, purchasing 37 billion bottles in 2005(CDC, 2010).

- Are the third of bottled water consumers who claim they are motivated by promises of purity (according to a 2000 survey) getting what they pay for?

CDC.govHoward,(2003)

Standards ;

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the quality of public water supplies,the agency has no authority over bottled water.

Stand. cont

- source contamination by industrial chemicals (Olson, 2003).

- Is the amount of fluoride in bottled water listed on the label?

Howard, (2003)

Different varieties

Lavelle,(2002)Good housekeeping.(98)

Environmental and health impacts: Most Americans have safe tap water and drink tap water fresh from the kitchen faucet. Others choose to buy more expensive bottled water and the impacts include but not limited to the following;

Food and water watch (2010)

--- cost , use of energy and resources

--- oil consumption and emissions in the production process.

Littering and garbage

----- Fluoride and Bottled Water;

----- Bottle water Safety in immunocompromised people

CDC.GOV

Olson, 2003

Contaminants;

- Chemical release as a result of production

e.g nickel, ethylene oxide, benzene and arsenic

Olson, 2003.

Contaminants

Microorganisms e.g Bacteria

Olson, 2003.

Storage and transport of bottled water

Food and water watch (2010)

Notes

----- The public drinking water systems regulated by EPA, and

delegated states and tribes, provide drinking water to 90 percent of Americans.

---- Through the Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) program, EPA implements and enforces drinking water standards to protect public health. ---- Numerous studies have shown that bottled water is generally no safer or healthier than tap water, despite costing up to 10,000 times more.

Epa.gov

“Despite the Hype, Bottled Water is neither CLEANER nor GREENER than Tap Water”

Is the extra expenses worth it?

For additional information

The Natural Resources Defense Council. Bottled Water Pure Drink or Pure Hype? http://www.nrdc.org/Water/Drinking/bw/exesum.aspEarth policy institute (2010) Bottled Water: Pouring Resources Down the Drain http://www.earth-policy.org/index.php?/plan_b_updates/2006/update51

References:Centers for disease Control and Prevention(2010). Community Water Fluoridation. Accessed on January 20, 2010 from http://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/benefits.htm

Food and water watch; Bottled water, bad for People and the environment. http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/bottled/facts/bottled-water-bad-for-people-and-the-environment.

Howard, B. (2003). Message in a bottle. The Environmental Magazine, 14(5); 11-26. Retrieved on December 28, 2009 from Walden library academic search premier database.

Lavelle, M (2002). If there's trouble at the tap. U.S. News & World Report, 133(6). Retrieved on December 28, 2009 from Walden library academic search premier database.

The truth about bottled water. Good Housekeeping, 227(5). Retrieved on December 28, 2009 from Walden library academic search premier database. 

Thanks