By April Reese


University of Georgia

Americans continue to turn away from the tap and toward the
bottle when it comes to drinking water. And concerns over safety
isn’t the main reason, say University of Georgia experts.

In 2001, over five billion gallons of bottled drinking water
were
sold in the United States. Health, convenience and taste rank
high on the list of reasons people are choosing bottled water
over tap, said Judy Harrison, an extension foods specialist with
the University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer
Sciences.

The value of bottled water, she says, is actually in the eye
of
the consumer.

A healthy alternative

“Bottled water is a healthy alternative to high-sugar
carbonated
drinks,” she said. “I think that’s one reason why people are
turning more and more to bottled water.”

The human body needs 64 ounces of water every day to help
flush
away impurities. By substituting water for soda, the body can
get more of what it needs, she said.

“Depending on where you live water will be different because
of
the different minerals that are found in that region,” Harrison
said. “We’ve all traveled to places, tried to drink the tap
water, and found that it just tasted terrible to us. This is one
of the times that bottled water becomes a good choice.”

But even though the water may taste different, it doesn’t mean
that its quality level is any different, she said.

Purity levels

Just like food items, bottled water products are regulated by
the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. That means it is up to the
manufacturer to make sure the product is safe and wholesome and
that the label on the product tells the truth about what is in
that product and where it came from, said Harrison.

“There are levels set on how much of a particular contaminant
can
be in the water,” she said. “That is also true for municipal
drinking water. So in most cases, as far as what’s in the water,
it is really not a lot different from the municipal drinking
water.“

Certain treatments are allowed for bottled water just as they
are
for municipal water supplies.

“Bottled water manufacturers can add antimicrobial agents
such as
chlorine for safety and fluoride for strong, healthy teeth,”
Harrison said. “If added, these will be listed on the product
label.”

The FDA also sets standards for bottled water that divides the
water into categories based on the origin of the
water. Bottled
water typically comes from one of the following four
sources:

Spring water comes from an underground
formation from which the
water flows naturally to the surface.

Artesian well water comes from a well that
taps an aquifer, the
layer of underground porous rock, sand and earth where water
collects. When tapped, the “artesian pressure” in the aquifer
pushes the water up and can push it to the surface.

Mineral water is water from an underground
source that contains
at least 250 parts per million total dissolved solids.

Well water is water from a hole bored or
drilled into the ground,
which taps an aquifer.

While the types of water may vary, she said, there are no
guarantees that any one type is better than the other.

Convenient

A big reason bottled water is so popular is because it’s
convenient.

“It is convenient to pick up a bottle of water when going to
the
gym, when your child has a sports game or before hiking,” she
said.

Flavor consistency is another reason for the increased
popularity.

“Bottled water has a good taste or flavor that is consistent
from
one type or brand of water to the next so you can always count on
having bottled water that has good flavor to drink,” Harrison
said.

Good flavor or convenience doesn’t come cheap. Bottled water
costs $1.50 on average for a 12-ounce serving.