Bottled water doesn’t deserve the faith that the public seems to place in it. Just because the marketing campaigns are so professional and the images and feelings these confer makes the viewer feel good, means little when it comes down to the bottled water hygiene factors. Bottled water is not controlled as strictly as municipal drinking water is. In fact, regulations in many countries are simply voluntary.

Each step in the bottled water filtration procedure has it’s own problems and possible side effects. Extensive tests need to be done initially to determine the contamination levels from whatever the desired water source is to be.Yet these contamination levels can and do change depending on many factors including the weather. Common practice is to test for a list of the more common contaminants, yet every year hundreds of new chemicals come onto the market. So you have to wonder just how safe you are at any one time ?

Common water filtration steps would be pre-treatment with chlorine, carbon filtration to remove this, UV light sterilisation, water conditioning such as softeners and ozonation to remove whatever was left in the system. Then the water is stored and re-filtered prior to bottling, we hope, and if it is done correctly. But in reality who can say with absolute clarity that the bottled water we drink is safe ?

The world health organisation has a list of the more common contaminants and a list of MCL’s or in layman’s term’s Maximum Contamination Levels. In first world countries when these levels are passed then the authorities will take action but not so in third world countries. Complaints are numerous in the USA and UK about infringements of these levels which result in actions to correct the levels.

An often ignored side effect of the bottled water industry is the disposal of millions of cubic meters of plastic material which in itself is becoming a global problem.

So yes, bottled water is a viable substitute particularly in times of national disasters. Rather be absolutely sure and look at a home or small commercial water filtration unit for your home or office. Technology is improving regularly which allows filter manufacturers to supply domestic water filters that cover the most common water borne hazards in a cost effective way. This level is not always cost effective on a large scale.

Water is Precious – Please Don’t Waste it

more on bottled water