Bottled Water Impure Too, Study Finds

Finding Of Contaminants Challenges Popular Impression That Bottled Water Is Better Than Tap

(AP)  Tests on leading brands of bottled water turned up a variety of contaminants often found in tap water, according to a study released Wednesday by an environmental advocacy group.

The findings challenge the popular impression - and marketing pitch - that bottled water is purer than tap water, the researchers say.

However, all the brands met federal health standards for drinking water. Two violated a California state standard, the study said.

An industry group branded the findings "alarmist." Joe Doss, president of the International Bottled Water Association, said the study is based on the faulty premise that a contaminant is a health concern "even if it does not exceed the established regulatory limit or no standard has been set."

The study's lab tests on 10 brands of bottled water detected 38 chemicals including bacteria, caffeine, the pain reliever acetaminophen, fertilizer, solvents, plastic-making chemicals and the radioactive element strontium. Though some probably came from tap water that some companies use for their bottled water, other contaminants probably leached from plastic bottles, the researchers said.

"In some cases, it appears bottled water is no less polluted than tap water and, at 1,900 times the cost, consumers should expect better," said Jane Houlihan, an environmental engineer who co-authored the study.

The two-year study was done by the Washington-based Environmental Working Group, an organization founded by scientists that advocates stricter regulation. It found the contaminants in bottled water purchased in nine states and Washington, D.C.

Researchers tested one batch for each of 10 brands. Eight did not have contaminants high enough to warrant further testing. But two brands did, so more tests were done and those revealed chlorine byproducts above California's standard, the group reported. The researchers identified those two brands as Sam's Choice sold by Wal-Mart and Acadia of Giant Food supermarkets.

In the Wal-Mart and Giant Food bottled water, the highest concentration of chlorine byproducts, known as trihalomethanes, was over 35 parts per billion. California's limit is 10 parts per billion or less, and the industry's International Bottled Water Association makes 10 its voluntary guideline. The federal limit is 80.

Wal-Mart said its own studies did not turn up illegal levels of contaminants. Giant Food officials released a statement asserting that Acadia meets all regulatory standards. Acadia is sold in the mid-Atlantic states, so it isn't held to California's standard. In most places, bottled water must meet roughly the same federal standards as tap water.

The researchers also said the Wal-Mart brand was five times California's limit for one particular chlorine byproduct, bromodichloromethane. The environmental group wants Wal-Mart to label its bottles in California with a warning because the chlorine-based contaminants have been linked with cancer. It has filed a notice of intent to sue.

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Shannon Frederick said the company was "puzzled" by the findings because testing by suppliers and another lab had detected no "reportable amounts" of such contaminants. She said Wal-Mart would investigate further but defended the quality of its bottled water.

The researchers recommend that people worried about water contaminants drink tap water with a carbon filter.

[nofriendtomc]

this is rich! the wal-mart chain is essentially POISONING is customers, and when the watchdog groups report their findings to the public, wall-mart wants to sue... TALK ABOUT SHOOTING THE MESSENGER

[lmartink]

Why anyone would go to Wal-Mart is beyond me.

It wasn''t that long ago that most of the stuff in their stores was made in the USA. Now it''s mostly made in China. It was just a logical step that their food products would become just like those from China --- toxic!

And in this insane world, corporations take no responsibility and very seldom apologize. Profit is more important than integrity, honor, and trust.

Denial is everything.

[notfooled]

Once again an industry makes claims or outright lies to fool consumers into buying their product.

[clew37]

The enviromental group is suing, not WalMart. Has anyone checked to see if these people do not simply fill their bottles with tap water, maybe add a few drops of chlorine?

[nevah75]

Might want to re-read that one. The watch-dog group has filed intent to sue on Walmart...not the other way around.

[carlylaine]

Yea yea yea...Let''s dump on WalMart..Circle K, K-Mart, RiteAid, none is as bad as the devious Walmart. You guys get on a band wagon...and spout cr@p you didn''t even know about. Elitists! Socialists! garbage bags and wind bags.

[juwboy]

When the report says, "the radioactive element strontium", is the author making an incorrect assumption?

In the 1950s, the radioactive isotope, strontium-90, featured prominently in reports of the environmental contamination caused by products of nuclear bomb testing.

However, naturally-occurring strontium is not radioactive and its compounds have been used absolutely safely in the refining of sugar.

So, was a RADIOACTIVE or a STABLE isotope of strontium found in the bottled water?

[jbeckett5]

"this is rich! the wal-mart chain is essentially POISONING is customers, and when the watchdog groups report their findings to the public, wall-mart wants to sue... TALK ABOUT SHOOTING THE MESSENGER"
1. The story did not report any bottled water as violating Federal standards. Nobody is "poisoning" anybody.
2. You got the lawsuit direction wrong.
I don''t know about other people, but my main reason for buying bottled water is to make sure I have it away from taps - like in the car and in my office. I often refill bottles to reduce cost and landfill load.

[jbeckett5]

Finding trace amounts of something doesn''t mean there''s a safety issue. It can mean that testing is becoming more sensitive and nothing more than that.

[samsel3]

A word of warning...From a retired Hazardous Materials Consultant formerly with Arthur D. Little. Inc. Cambridge, MA.

The Government is not going to protect you from the Chemical lobby in Washington.

There has been a move to remove bis-phenol A from plastic food & beverage containers. However a more serious concern lies with the flame retardant system used in plastics.

Antimony oxide & DecaBromo BiPhenyl Ether are a more dangerous concern. This flame retardant system does leach into packaged food from the plastic.

These toxins are not only cumulative, but have deleterious effects on the body.

Kidney & bladder, liver, spleen and lungs can be affected. Also of interest is the effect these chemicals have in decreasing the bodies ability to metabolize fat.

Drink out of glass only. Avoid foods packaged in plastic.

[icebreaker24]

I would be very worried about radioactive Strontium being found in water, also where it came from. Strontium 90 has a very long half life and is an Alpha type emmiter.

[tannerbird]

iF THESE PEOPLE DO NOT MAKE THE STANDARDS SHUT THEM DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[asheleybg]

Well, Pepsi and Coke use tap water from the city that their plants are located. So the bottled water you are drinking is courtesy of Atlanta and Chicago in most cases.

[sweetlilsoul]

I always wondered about how pure bottled water was. It just made sense to me that it was far too easy for any of them to use tap and claim it wasn''t. Nice that the price has gone up to a dollar or more for water you can get for free. Guess the only thing you can do is use your own water filter. God Bless America eh. lol

[jolsonbear]

For about 6 years now, I''ve used a filtered sport water bottle; it is standard size and has a built in replacable charcoal filter. There are many brands of filtered bottles available. I can fill up anywhere and it always taste great. I''ve been amazed at how the bottled water market grew so large; they took THE cheapest resource available and convinced consumers to pay over a dollar for a plastic bottle full of something you can get for less than a penny at home. We Americans will buy anything!!!

[lewiston14]

jolsonbear: Would you share the brand of your filter bottle so I can take a look. Right now I refill water bottles from the tap so I only buy them once in a while but I drink alot of water

[nothappyatall]

Bottled water is a joke, of course it''s just filtered tap water, HOWEVER- distilled water is the purist cleanest you can buy. Distilled water isn''t sold in those handy sports bottles people like, though you can make it yourself at home if you dont mind the upfront cost for the distiller, a decent quality countertop distiller runs $600 or so and is stainless steel. It boils and captures the steam from that- contaminants are left in the boiling chamber and flushed down the drain.

[gop_will_win]

I never bought that bottled water stuff. I just take tap water down to my church and have the pastor bless it making it holy water and then it is free iof all evil impurities and safe for my family to drink.

[berniepeders]

bet the people making carbon filters love stories like this. wish i had thought of that.

[berniepeders]

I never bought that bottled water stuff. I just take tap water down to my church and have the pastor bless it making it holy water and then it is free of all evil impurities and safe for my family to drink.

Posted by gop_will_win

somebody tell me, is this guy serious, or does he like to pull our legs?

[william_lerd]

somebody tell me, is this guy serious, or does he like to pull our legs?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by berniepeders
=========================
Its a she and yes they are serious.

[cdfoxtrot4]

Based on the photograph, the study only considered US bottled water. What about Evian and Perrier from France, or Peligrino from Italy? Several of the brands in the photo are from Coca-Cola and similar sources, and all they do is put tap water through a filter and put it in a bottle so that stupid Americans buy it. The European brands come from pristine sources high in the mountains.

[hologram5]

I never bought that bottled water stuff. I just take tap water down to my church and have the pastor bless it making it holy water and then it is free of all evil impurities and safe for my family to drink.

Posted by gop_will_win

somebody tell me, is this guy serious, or does he like to pull our legs?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by berniepeders at 10:23 AM : Oct 15, 2008------------------------------------------------
He is a troll that hangs out and posts to get a rise out of people, pay no attention.

[usclimey]

I would be very worried about radioactive Strontium being found in water, also where it came from. Strontium 90 has a very long half life and is an Alpha type emmiter.

Posted by icebreaker24

Strntium 90 is a beta emitter with a half-life of 28.1 years - rather short.

[bm6005]

The European brands come from pristine sources high in the mountains.

Posted by cdfoxtrot4

I''ll bet you voted twice for Bush!

[barbaram99]

Nasty water it is. So just use the tap water. Ever drank water in Boston bus station..awful..Yep. Newster yer right that is what they do. Tap water is all it is. Some taps are better than others. Hate well water drank that years ago.

[yourstore]

Try going to drinkperfectwater.com & check it out. If you''d like to try some go to https://yoursuperstore.mychoices.biz Try it when working out, it''s oxygenated water. To see what it will do, standing erect,put your arms to your side,cup your hands,and have someone try to push down on your hand to tip you over. Then drink a few sips of Perfect Water and repeat the exercise - see the results!

[troutfisher4]

Think about it.

They say just drink tap water, yet at the same time say that this is filtered tap water!!

If the filtered product is bad for you, the original tap water must be REALLY bad for you!

[troutfisher4]

Try going to drinkperfectwater.com & check it out. If you''''d like to try some go to https://yoursuperstore.mychoices.biz Try it when working out, it''''s oxygenated water. To see what it will do, standing erect,put your arms to your side,cup your hands,and have someone try to push down on your hand to tip you over. Then drink a few sips of Perfect Water and repeat the exercise - see the results!

Posted by YourStore



Hey genius, all water is oxygenated. Ya know, H2O?

This is a marketing gimmick and a fraud.

[troutfisher4]

The US has some of the most advanced water treatment systems in the world and yet people still find it necessary to buy bottled water. The fact is that bottled water is nothing more than bottled tap water.

Posted by mrcrosby1



Not accurate. I have toured a bottled water plant, and was very impressed by the high tech reverse osmosis processing equipment and stringent quality control. Bottled water is regulated as a food product by the FDA, and it was apparent in the operation.

By comparison, your tap water comes through miles of iron, copper, and PVC pipe. It is not unusual for the piping to leak and become contaminated from soil or groundwater. It is also not unusual for the water to contain lead from old fittings and pipe.


Drink tap water if you want. I will stick with bottled.

[juwboy]

usclimey:

As I pointed out in an earlier Comment, it`s likely the author of this report is mistaken.

NATURAL strontium is not strontium-90 and is not radioactive, so the phrase, "the radioactive element strontium", is misleading.

As you implied, any residual trace of strontium-90 from nuclear tests has already gone through two half-lives of decay, so the threat is negligible -- if there ever was one. Any adverse effects would have shown up by now.

Is the strontium in the bottled water radioactive? We`ll never know unless a clarification is posted.

[juwboy]

usclimey:

I`ve just checked the original EWG report and, yes, they DID measure strontium-90 levels -- and found them at 1% of the recommended maximum safe exposure level. However, they also found radium-228 at about 10% of the recommended maximun safe level.

As always, in reports of this type, they included the ridiculous statement, "No level of radioactivity is known to be safe".

In that case, living here on Earth is unsafe. Every cell in every living organism contains hundreds of atoms of the radioactive isotope, carbon-14. Exposure is unavoidable -- it`s generated by the action of the Sun`s cosmic rays with nitrogen atoms, which are UBIQUITOUS.

[longtree-2009]

In town, city water comes from wells. It tastes horrible and even brewed coffee cannot hide its taste. So almost everyone in town uses bottled water for coffee, tea, cooking. City water is metered and rates are high. We all know, in town, that bottled water is not perfect but then again, what is perfect? Rates should not be so high for poor quality but it is and we have to pay it. The city admits it does not filter water but it does track and publish the level of contaminants. Reading the published report gives one the shivers. People pour so much yecch down the drain from old prescriptions to harsh household products that end up in the water supply. Ugh.

[impeach__w]

If any Marines ever drank the water from camp Lejune, in Jacksonville, NC between 1957-87 or any surrounding bases, you were likely poisoned Dry cleaning Chemicals by the highest ever recorded readings of TCE from tap water. Chemicals detected included TCE, PCE, benzene, DCE.
Maximum level detected in drinking water was 1,400 ppb in May 1982
The current limit for TCE in drinking water is 5 ppb
Other contaminants detected included DCE (trans-1,2-dichloroethylene) at a maximum of 407 ppb in January 1985, PCE and benzene.

If you or your family was ever stationed there please check into this, Our health is in danger:

https://clnr.hqi.usmc.mil/clsurvey/


http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/SITES/LEJEUNE/faq_water.html

[mandylou4u]

If you open a bottle of water and it hisses, you got more than water. Tap water isn''t much safer, but think of it this way: We need some germs. People are getting sick more and more often from using too much hand sanitizer and things like that. Dirt will not hurt you folks. It''s the harsh chemicals that they feel they have to put in everything.

[troutfisher4]

If you open a bottle of water and it hisses, you got more than water. Tap water isn''''t much safer, but think of it this way: We need some germs. People are getting sick more and more often from using too much hand sanitizer and things like that. Dirt will not hurt you folks. It''''s the harsh chemicals that they feel they have to put in everything.

Posted by mandylou4u


Funny. Bottles hiss for 1 of 2 reasons:

1) Residual ozone from the bottling process.

2) Differential atmospheric pressure between bottling location and "opening" location.

[mandylou4u]

3) Or junk in the water....

[troutfisher4]

3) Or junk in the water....

Posted by mandylou4u


Like what "junk"?

[mandylou4u]

I can''t really be too sure, but I remember watching a special on the bottled water. They were saying tap water was sometimes safer than the bottled water. Something about the water is chilled and then hot on the trucks. I am no expert, I just don''t trust much of that stuff. Why are there so many different brands if it''s all the same?

[troutfisher4]

We need some germs. People are getting sick more and more often from using too much hand sanitizer and things like that. Dirt will not hurt you folks. It''''s the harsh chemicals that they feel they have to put in everything.

Posted by mandylou4u



I hate to burst your "all natural" bubble here. But there are microorganisms naturally present in soil and water that can make you very sick or kill you. For example, google "ecoli" and see what you find. Hand washing is one of the easiest ways to prevent the spread of infectious disease, and hand sanitizer will not "make you sick" unless you drink it :)

Modern water sanitation methods control these risks. Tap water is typically treated with chlorine. Bottled water is sterilized using a combination of reverse osmosis, ozone, micro-filtration, activated granular carbon, and UV.

[troutfisher4]

As I said in an earlier post I have a private well for 32 years. My neighbors of 32 years do not filter their water but I assume they are fed off the same underground water supply as my home. They seem fine and when I see them at night they don''''t glow in the dark. Who knows for sure? Maybe I am evan wasting my money on filters.

Posted by thgdriver1


You should test your well once per year for VOCs, metals, and coliform. These tests will indicate whether or not you have a problem. Sample from a spigot nearest the well, and let it run 5 minutes before sampling. Total cost should be around $300 if you collect the samples. The laboratory will provide sample containers and instructions.

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"
Benjamin Franklin

[mandylou4u]

I have had 3 docs tell me to not use the hand sanitizer because it is getting rid of my good germs. I got staph infection because I was trying to be too clean and ended up getting rid of some germs I needed to combat the bad germs. You can use too much of that stuff. The doc told me to just wash my hands often. I have stopped getting the staph since I quit using the hand sanitizer

[troutfisher4]

Stomach bug going around your home? You might want to reach for hand sanitizer, suggests research being presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).

* Families that used hand sanitizer had a 59 percent reduction in the spread of gastrointestinal illnesses in the home compared with those who did not use hand sanitizer.

* Hand sanitizer likely reduces the spread of colds and respiratory illnesses as well, investigators say.

* The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends health care workers use hand sanitizer.

* Soap and water are necessary to remove dirt from skin.

Families that used alcohol-based hand sanitizer gel had a 59 percent reduction in the spread of gastrointestinal illnesses compared with families that didn''t use sanitizer, according to a Harvard Medical School study.

[troutfisher4]

from CDC: How can I prevent staph or MRSA skin infections?

Practice good hygiene:

1. Keep your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

2. Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed.

3. Avoid contact with other people%u2019s wounds or bandages.

4. Avoid sharing personal items such as towels or razors.

[impeach__w]

If any Marines ever drank the water from camp Lejune, in Jacksonville, NC between 1957-87 or any surrounding bases, you were likely poisoned Dry cleaning Chemicals by the highest ever recorded readings of TCE from tap water. Chemicals detected included TCE, PCE, benzene, DCE.
Maximum level detected in drinking water was 1,400 ppb in May 1982
The current limit for TCE in drinking water is 5 ppb
Other contaminants detected included DCE (trans-1,2-dichloroethylene) at a maximum of 407 ppb in January 1985, PCE and benzene.

If you or your family was ever stationed there please check into this, Our health is in danger:

https://clnr.hqi.usmc.mil/clsurvey/

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/SITES/LEJE
UNE/faq_water.html

[mandylou4u]

Every person is different I guess. The hand sanitizer was doing me pretty bad and I asked the doc how I got staph and he basically told me you don''t have to do anything wrong, it is just dorment in most people until something triggers it. I am a clean freak so I know I didn''t get it from my house. He told me since I work with the public and have diabetes, I probably got it from work.

[srz25]

I GOT ALL YOUR HEALTH INFO. RIGHT HERE BRO.:

WHO CARES? THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION WAS A HIDEOUS ATROCITY AND THE REPUBLICANS HAVE TO LEAVE NOW:

WITNESS THIS: do you believe a judge should go to prison for attempting to rule that attempted murder by forcible suffocation not only isn''t a crime at all in florida, it isn''t a tort at all in florida, in fact it''s a medical procedure, for which priviledge i''m forced to give the state my whole life savings?

doesn''t that sound bad?

this is a real lawsuit, orange co. case # 2003 ca 5314. i am totally unrepresented, haven''t been able to find a lawyer in 7 years. the judge is cynthia mackinnon, and if i could fire her i would have fired her four years ago. after all this time i still have no clue whether she is republican or democrat.

WHY DON''T YOU "JOURNALISTS" DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT?

[samsel3]

A word of warning...From a retired Hazardous Materials Consultant formerly with Arthur D. Little. Inc. Cambridge, MA.

The Government is not going to protect you from the Chemical lobby in Washington.

There has been a move to remove bis-phenol A from plastic food & beverage containers. However a more serious concern lies with the flame retardant system used in plastics.

Antimony oxide & DecaBromo BiPhenyl Ether are a more dangerous concern. This flame retardant system does leach into packaged food from the plastic.

These toxins are not only cumulative, but have deleterious effects on the body.

Kidney & bladder, liver, spleen and lungs can be affected. Also of interest is the effect these chemicals have in decreasing the bodies ability to metabolize fat.

Drink out of glass only. Avoid foods packaged in plastic.

[skinnyminny2]

Ha ha ha! I''m laughing so hard right now. People in this society run around with their bottles of water as if they''re somehow healthier. "Look at me, I have a bottle of water". And they PAY for this stuff that could just as well come from their own faucet. Stupid. Buy a Nalgene bottle and fill it from the tap. It''s a heck of a lot more convenient than buying a ''product'' that not only is equal to tap water but comes in a container that creates even more waste!