The Labels On Bottled Water

Do you ever think bottled water is safer than tap water? You would be wrong. According to "Bottled Water: The Wrong Choice paragraph 4", it states that the city tap water companies must follow safe strict rules to make sure nothing in the water harms us. The bottles water

It would be assumed that it would be the least that bottled water companies could do is make sure that all pollutants are out of the water. “Alas, some bottled waters contain the same chemicals anyway- and they are, in any case, unavoidable”. (Standage, 663). It is said that contaminants are more likely to build up when it is transported in very hot conditions. (Diduch, Polkowska, and Namiesnik). “The presence of organic contaminants in water is becoming a more common problem, mainly because of the impact that human activities are having on the natural environment”. (Diduch, Polkowska, and Namiesnik). It is clear that it takes a lot of work to remove all contaminants from water. One slight error is all it takes for someone to be contaminated by harsh chemicals or bacteria. “The plastic components or additives in water can modify the organoleptic properties and, if present at high concentrations, may trigger health problems because of the potential toxic properties of some chemicals”. (Diduch, Polkowska, and Namiesnik).

Bottled water manufacturers’ marketing campaigns capitalize on isolated instances of contaminated public drinking water supplies by encouraging the perception that their products are purer and safer than tap water. But the reality is that tap water is held to

The main issue with bottled water is the effect it has on the environment. Plastic bottles are drastically increasing the size of landfills and can take up to five hundred years to decompose. At the rate plastic

In a qualitative study performed in the United Kingdom, “the majority of participants associated bottled water with having fewer impurities than tap water, and were more likely to trust the quality of bottled water than tap water” (Ward). Individuals with well water should also be attentive to the purity of their water supply, as it is not even held to regulation standard. Looking at the facts though, bottled water is regulated by Food and Drug Administration in equivalence to the Environmental Protection Agency who holds the public officials accountable for the standards of tap water (Hogan & Larsen). This is not to say, though, that there is not human error on both sides that can cause room for contamination of a drinking supply and jeopardize the safety of the

In the United States not only does every state have tap water running through its veins but also varying brands of bottled water in every supermarket, corner store, and gas station.

The use of bottled water dates as far back as the year sixteen-hundred and twenty two in a town called Malvern in England. They would bottle and sell water from a site called the Holy Well because it was believed to having healing properties.() Nearly four hundred years later we still bottle water, but our reasons have changed from the superstitions of the seventeenth century. Yet despite the reason why being different, the idea is still rooted in superstition. In the modern day, instead of believing that bottled water has healing potential it has become the idea that only bottled water is safe to drink and that water from the tap is unclean and dangerous. These ideas were bred by companies looking to make money off a fear. The reality is that

of bottled water cite that it is in fact, less stringently regulated and tested for impurities

While multiple examples are given to back up this claim, including the point that bottled water can be helpful in times of disaster when the water is undrinkable. The other side is that bottled water is not safer than tap water. Per the Natural Resources Defense Council, bottled water is more likely to be polluted than tap water (“Bottled Water”). It is also stated that bottled water hurts the environment because of all the waste that is produced each year from it. This can make one wonder if bottled water is actually safer than tap water and Fuller’s article can help influence this said audience. She writes about a hearing in which Congress was told of two studies that question that exact problem of bottled water’s safety. It is noted that municipal water systems are required to provide annual reports disclosing the name of their water source and any contaminants found in testing, bottled water companies, however, are not required (Fuller). Another statement made is that bottled water companies are not required to test the water with certified laboratories, but it is a requirement for tap water suppliers. Therefore, since bottled water is not considered any safer than tap water due to the lack of government regulation within bottled water companies. According to Fuller, bottled water companies are not held to the same regulations that municipal water systems are, such as giving the

Many people believe that their source of water does not matter and has little or no consequences. Most of those people argue that all water is the same but for those worried about our environment, bottled water is highly wasteful because they believe it’s more appealing because it might be contaminated. The reason this should be important to our society is that good clean water is fundamental to a good health. Our current generations purchase their water because they have been convinced that the specific liquid is the purest drink around. But they can’t really say that until they truly know where their water is coming from. Labels can be extremely misleading and deceptive like in one case where a company claimed their water came from pure

“Eighty-six percent of water bottles end up in landfills or in the ocean” (Sexton & Morley). The National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) tested over 1,000 bottles of water to find out what kind of water was really in the bottle (Jemmott). They found out that an estimated 25% or more of bottled water is really just tap water in a bottle (Olson). It is sometimes treated more, sometimes not. Also the NRDC tested water for contaminants. Most didn’t have any but 22% of the brands contained chemical contaminants (Olson). Most of these chemicals were strict above the state health limits. If the water inside the bottle becomes contaminated the producers don’t have to let the consumers know. Although many people believe plastic bottles are convenient, nevertheless they can extremely harm you because of the chemicals in the plastic and is also causing harm to the earth.

Cleanliness is, and always will be, a main priority, seeing as no person desires to drink unsanitary water. According to the Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., at the Mayo Clinic, “The FDA has good manufacturing practices specifically for bottled water. They require bottled

The Coca-Cola Bottling Company holds true to their values and strategy, thus creating more value within their brand. Business level strategy implements new products that embodies a fun and sociable atmosphere amongst family members and friends. This ambitious quality in a company is what pushes them past the threshold of complacency to move their product. One way they were able manage their brand globally was by using intense advertisements. Adding to their already famous and highly desired beverage, a business level strategy was instituted to add flavors to their cola product. By adding Cherry Coke and Vanilla Coke to their products, they satisfied the taste buds of millions upon millions of consumers here and abroad. Having the corporate level strategy makes the corporation thrive in the global market. It is also viewed as staying relevant or competitive, by developing more products that would best serve everyone who enjoys their product.

Mayo Clinic states on their website www.mayoclinic.org, bottled water or tap water, it is a personal preference. Both are tested regularly to ensure it meets safety guidelines. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulate the standards for bottled water. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), regulates tap water. The site also states due to health issues, some may be advised to boil water before drinking or switching to bottled water. In 1995, Federal Drug Administration gave guidelines to make marketing

Not only is the government responsible for regulating Americas tap water, its also responsible for regulating packaged water. More specifically “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency oversees the quality of water that comes out of your tap, while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is responsible for ensuring the safety and truthful labeling of bottled water sold nationally. States are responsible for regulating water that is both packaged and sold within its borders” (Postman). But it should surprise many for them to find many states are very lax when it comes to regulating bottled water. Most surprisingly tap water is often times required to be cleaner than bottled water. Tap water is tested more often for quality insurance although the contaminates allowed don’t reflect as such. “For example, bottled-water plants must test for coliform bacteria just once a week; city tap needs to be tested 100 or more times a month.” (Postman). Most test find bottled water to be clean and pure, but some do underperform in cleanliness “About 22 percent of the brands tested contained chemicals at levels above state health limits” (Postman). Although this it is legal for these companies to have high levels of chemicals because its not city regulated, some companies are still required to report the purity of their water to the state they reside in. Another surprising fact is that some bottled water is just plainly tap water, “…if it says ‘from a municipal source" or "from a community