Where Bottled Water Comes From

EWG recently conducted an investigation into acertaining the sources of various bottled water brands. The results were shocking.

Nearly a third of the bottled water labels they examined, including leading bottled water brands such as Dasani Purified Water and Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water, offered no information about the water’s source, generic or specific. Until recently, the major brand Aquafina also fell into this category. However, after extensive pressure from Corporate Accountability International and other consumer groups, Aquafina agreed to modify its labels to say that the water is sourced from unnamed public water supplies.

A third of the labels they inspected included partial or vague source locations, providing the consumer with little or no useful information. Aquamantra Natural Spring Water, as the name implies, sourced from a spring identified on the label as in zip code 92707. The labels of Voss Artesian Water and Meijer Natural Spring Water identify their water sources as "Vatnestrom, Norway" and "deep within Michigan’s countryside," respectively.

On the other end of the spectrum, public water utilities can provide remarkably specific and informative source data in just one to three sentences.

Community water systems are also required to notify consumers of any existing source water assessments and how to obtain them. These assessments pinpoint current and potential sources of pollution in the water source. In certain cases, systems are also required to provide a brief summary of the assessment in the Consumer Confidence Report.

So, there are stark differences in the way public water utilities and bottled water companies share necessary information with consumers.

Read the full Report here

http://www.ewg.org/health/report/bottledwater-scorecard/Where-Bottled-Water-Comes-From