The FDA does not require bottled water companies to meet the same quality standards as tap water. Tap water in public water systems is regulated by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) regularly tests public tap water to ensure its safety and the EPA requires that the results of these tests be made available to the public. The EPA also requires that information be made public about the possible health effects of contaminants in drinking water, the source of the water, and regulatory compliance. Bottled water is regulated as a food product by the U. FDA and does not require certified laboratories to test water quality or report test results.
The FDA requires that bottled water labels include ingredients and nutritional information. Bottled water comes from a variety of sources, including many of the same sources as tap water, such as springs, wells, and surface water. Sometimes the water that can be bought in a bottle is simply public tap water that has been improved in some way, for example by changing the mineral content. Labels must comply with legal requirements and include information about the source, content, quality and uses of water. It is especially important to use bottled water to mix infant formula or give water to babies under one year old if a person has a health condition that requires lower levels of a substance.
Consult your doctor for advice if bottled water is right for you. Fluoride is an essential component in reducing tooth decay and is important for everyone, from babies who have their first teeth to adults. Adding fluoride to public water is an effective public health measure to prevent tooth decay and improve oral health. In Minnesota, water in municipal public water systems almost always contains fluoride. Conversely, bottled water may not contain fluoride, or if it does, it may not be at an optimal level. If you buy bottled water, it's important to find out how much fluoride, if any, in the water.
Some companies add fluoride to their products and the amount must be included on the label. If fluoride occurs naturally in water, the label does not have to include information about fluoride. Contact the bottling company to find out how much fluoride their product contains. MDH does not recommend reusing single-use plastic bottles as reused baby bottles can be contaminated with bacteria and other disease-causing organisms. Reusing bottles can expose people to these unhealthy microorganisms and empty bottles must be recycled to reduce the amount of garbage in our landfills. The FDA considers bottled water to have an unlimited shelf life if it is produced correctly and not opened.
Bottled water companies may choose to add a date to the bottle because of concerns about taste and smell, not because of safety. Bottled water should be stored in a cool place away from direct sunlight. The IBWA states on its website that “bottled water containers, like all food packaging materials, must be made of substances in contact with food approved by the FDA” and that “the plastic and glass containers used for bottled water products have been examined by the FDA before being available for use on the market”. In areas with drinkable tap water, there's no price reason to drink bottled water simply to hydrate regularly as municipal tap water has a much lower environmental impact than bottled water. Every year there are more brands of premium water and more of them are being served at increasingly higher prices in restaurants.
Other product names suitable for bottled water treated by one of the above processes may include “distilled water” if produced by distillation, “deionization water” if the process used is deionization or “reverse osmosis” if reverse osmosis is used. Reverse osmosis sends water through membrane filtration and other treatments to produce purified drinking water. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for providing safe drinking water in partnership with delegated states. Tap water is still the best option in terms of lowest environmental impact but bottled water is one of the most environmentally friendly packaged beverages and is striving to be more environmentally friendly.
Two situations in which bottled water is always healthier are emergency situations after natural disasters when local tap water has been contaminated and treatment plants are not operational. The tap water that is supplied to a municipality comes from a predetermined surface or groundwater source with no other option or benefit of an alternative if they so choose. When thawing frozen pipes calcium remains in its solid form and may appear as white chunks or flakes floating in the water. The source of Kandiyohi's Premium purified Water is from Willmar municipal well after municipal processing.
