Harmful ingredients found in bottled water

We are obsessed with bottled water.  It is suppose to be better for you and your family, right?  Well, think again.  The Environmental Working Group just found that the contents of bottled water brands were "no different than that of tap water." In fact, the same sorts of nastiness that seep into the public water supply -- namely trace elements of fertilizer, prescription medication, and a bevy of chemicals -- can end up in your bottled water as well.   Doesn't exactly scream, fresh mountain spring does it? 

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) investigation of almost 200 popular bottled water brands found less than 2 percent disclose the water’s source, how the water has been purified and what chemical pollutants each bottle of water may contain. Only two of the 188 individual brands EWG analyzed disclosed those three basic facts about their water.

Full report found here: Bottled Water-Scorecard

The EWG's study found as many as 38 pollutants in 10 of the most popular brands of bottled water. In all, the EWG discovered carcinogens in bottled water from five states (California, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia) and Washington, D.C. The worst offenders were the waters put out by big chain retailers such as Walmart and Giant. The carcinogens discovered were at levels that significantly exceeded the bottled water industry's own self-imposed standards.  The interesting thing is, only 1% of our Earth has "drinkable" water.
 

But why do families continue to spend hundreds of dollars each month on bottled water for their families?  The ironic thing, tap water is actually regulated, bottled water is not.  According to Washington Reuters "Americans are willing to pay top dollar for bottled water, which costs up to 1,900 times more than tap water and uses up to 2,000 times more energy to produce and deliver," stated by Michigan Representative Bart Stupak.  We are not exactly saving green in a tight economy.   

One way to safe, toxin-free water is to purchase a reverse osmosis filter and install it at your house.  Be careful as all reverse osmosis systems are not created equal and may not be the best option for your family.  Water filters that are certified by The Public Health and Safety Company are ideal.  They are held to very strict standards and this certificate is a way to have safer products brought into our homes, for our families.  It may seem pricey, but you'll be saving the environment, your savings and your family's health by installing a water filtration system.  Purchase a Klean Kanteen, Sigg or Naglene water bottle that is free of BPA, PVC and other harmful plastic chemicals.  Check out Chicago New Moms Examiner's article for more info on learning plastic codes and the Toxic link with bottled water by Portland Wellness Examiner.

Here are some other interesting facts about water:

1. A Canadian study notes that a one-liter brand-name bottle of flat water costs about $1.50. That's about 3,000 times more expensive than an equal amount of municipal tap water.
2. Seventy percent of the earth's surface is covered with water and about 3/10th of one percent of all the world's water is usable by humans.  Seventeen percent of the world's population lack access to clean drinking water.   This was improved by 22% in 1990. Approximately 1 billion people lack access to safe and clean drinking water.
3. The UN Children's Fund reports that over 1.2 billion people who were without access to safe water in 1990 now have it.  Thirty-seven percent of the world's population lack access to water for basic hygiene. Households without plumbing spend on average 90 minutes a day hauling water for family needs. Women, usually responsible for hauling water when plumbing is absent, on average carry 45 pounds of water at a time.
4. 4,700 died on average every day in 2005 - mostly children under 5 - due to lack of clean potable water. Every 8 seconds a child dies from a water-borne disease.
5. Global sales of bottled water reached $100 billion in 2005. The cost to provide clean drinking water to half of the 1.1 billion who need is between $10 and $30 billion a year.
6. Massive water bottling is a form of defacto privatization. Water shortages near water bottling plants have been reported all over, including Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Florida and Texas. Countries that have made decisions to not permit the privatization of water include Uruguay, Malaysia and India.
7. Many labeled "natural" or "pure" had been run through basic filters that removed bad taste and odors but not other contaminants.

   If you are part of the "green" movement and drink bottled water, here are some more good facts to know:

• 1.5 million barrels of crude oil are used annually to produce the plastic used to bottle water.
• Bottled water is hauled long distances for distribution, burning massive quantities of fuel. 
• Ninety percent of the cost of a bottle of water is for label, cap and bottle. Bottled water is also riddled with PVC’s and volatile compounds. 

If you are interested in purchasing a water filter system, whether it is a reverse osmosis or water filtration system, check out the following guides to see which are best for your budget and family. The water filter comparison guide and the Aquasana water filtration system 

For more info on products you can purchase for a healthier home, visit the  Healthy Home website