With concerns about contaminants in the public water supply running high, many people are turning to bottled water to alleviate fears. Purified bottled water is one choice that some people are discovering offers some distinct advantages. This type of bottled water is a little different than others.
Why Public Water Is A Concern
The public water supply has long been a source of worry for governmental agencies and consumers alike. Water systems can sometimes fail and when they do the consequences can be dire. Beyond impurities, public water systems are also subject to backflow contamination and other points of breach.
While the public water supply is subject to tight regulations, problems still exist. Examples of system failures abound. Perhaps the most notable study in recent years involves the Associated Press five-month investigation into the public drinking water supply and potential medicinal contamination. The study's results are rather eye opening.
According to the AP, some 41 million Americans are impacted by drinking water that shows some form of pharmaceutical contamination. In some water systems, more than 50 different medications were found in trace amounts in the supply.
While public health officials say the levels of medicine found in the AP's study are well below concern levels, not all experts are convinced. Scientists and physicians are unclear of what the long-term effects of drinking pharmaceutical laden water will prove to be.
Beyond the AP's study, the potential for contamination in the public drinking water supply has long been known. To protect against it, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires suppliers to test for more than 90 different substances. These substances range from highly dangerous e. coli and heavy metals to nitrates and beyond. While the EPA demands strict testing procedures, the fact is some water systems fail and the problems are not detected until the water has been released for general consumption.
Bottled Water Offers An Advantage
Bottled water in and of itself is often seen as a superior choice for drinking over tap water. Bottled water suppliers are subject to many regulations that meet or exceed those set by the EPA although they are enforced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration instead.
The distinct advantages of bottled water versus tap are found in the extra layer of processing that many bottled water products are subjected to. Thanks to FDA guidelines, bottled water suppliers that do not treat their source water are required to state so clearly on their labels.
While it's true that many bottled water companies do get their water from the tap, they take the cleansing and treating processes farther. This means that consumers are generally receiving products that are cleaner and safer than the public supply can afford. Plus, backflow issues do not come into play. Backflow occurs when water pumped out of the public water supply is suddenly sucked back in. Cross-contamination with tanker trucks, swimming pools and other similar depositories can and does happen thanks to this phenomenon.
In addition to the more obvious advantages bottled water provides, there are other benefits that can come along with making this choice. Many bottled water providers, for example, are voluntary members of an organization call the International Bottled Water Association. Members of this group subject themselves to stricter standards than the federal government demands in regard to purity and safety. To retain membership, suppliers must agree to surprise annual inspection of their plants and they must agree to further testing than the law calls for.
In general, bottled water is the superior choice. The purified variety, however, can give consumers a greater peace of mind.
Why Purified Is Different
Purified bottled water undergoes a slightly different treatment process than most other types of bottled water and especially tap water. To earn the title "purified," water must be treated through reverse osmosis, distillation or another similar, advanced means of purification. Purified bottled water might start out from the tap or come directly from a spring or other natural source, but it is processed in such a manner that makes it distinctly different than other choices.
Purified oxygenated bottled water is further treated by the infusion of oxygen molecules after the distillation process removes contaminants. The end result of the purified oxygenated water creation process is a product that is cleaner, safer and quite often better tasting than other waters.
Many experts consider purification through a steam distillation/oxygenation process to be the most effective.
The Advantages Of Purified
Purified bottled water can deliver some advantages that other forms of bottled water and especially tap water cannot. They include:
A greater degree of contamination removal - The extra steps taken to create purified bottled water deliver peace of mind along with this type of product.
Better taste - Many find the chemical free, oxygen infused taste of purified oxygenated bottled water is simply better than tap and other bottled waters.
Less guesswork - The fact is public water can often be a crapshoot. Thanks to the complexity of the delivery systems and the potential of backflow contamination, tap water drinkers are almost never sure what they are getting. While contaminations are few and far between, they can and do happen.
Purified bottled water delivers advantages that other sources of drinking water cannot deliver. When a clean taste, purity and safety are desired, this type of water fits the bill.
Jon M. Stout is Chairman of the Board of Element H2O an Ultra Pure bottled water company located in Chantilly, Virginia. For more information about bottled water, private label bottled water [http://www.elementh2o.com/Store/] and bottled water delivery [http://www.elementh2o.com/local/] go to the Element H2O website.
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