Hey IBWA – Here are 5 Reasons Not to Drink Bottled Water
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I recently stumbled across an article created by our friends at the highly controversial International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) encouraging consumers to increase consumption of bottled water in 2012. Essentially encouraging consumers to create a New Year’s resolution to drink more bottled water.
I read the article and immediately chuckled.
The article, entitled “5 Reasons to Make Bottled Water Part of Your Healthy Lifestyle in 2012″, makes bold, unsubstantiated claims that are far beyond the truth of what bottled water truly is. The IBWA wants consumers to think bottled water is some magical substance, when in reality we’ve seen time and time again that bottled water is not a healthy, sustainable solution for hydration.

True to our mission here at Ban the Bottle, I thought it fitting to address each of their 5 statements with 5 reasons why we should not be drinking bottled water.
1. IBWA claims bottled water is safe and convenient. Ironically, the bottled water industry is less regulated than plain old tap water.
The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates bottled drinking water, which is classified as a “food”. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates tap water. Amazingly, the EPA guidelines for municipal water are stricter than the FDA restrictions for bottled drinking water! You might buy bottled drinking water that is acceptable to the FDA but is not acceptable for use as ordinary bathroom tap water.
Is bottled water truly safer than tap water? The most recent tests by the National Resources Defense Council tested 103 bottled waters and showed the following:
- Nearly one in five tested waters contained, in at least one sample, more bacteria than allowed under microbiological-purity “guidelines”
- Four waters (4 percent) violated the generally weak federal bottled water standards (two for excessive fluoride and two for excessive coliform bacteria
- In eight cases arsenic was found in at least one test at a level of potential health concern.*
There is no assurance that bottled water is any safer than tap water.
Drinking tap water more convenient than using bottled water. Consumers have a plethora of reusable water bottles they can purchase and tote throughout the day, helping to reduce bottled water waste. Additionally, the ability to stay hydrated in public places is becoming easier with the advent of hydration station units and drinking water fountains.
* http://www.businessinsider.com/facts-bottled-water-industry-2011-10?op=1#ixzz1j5yysSru
2. IBWA claims bottled water tastes better, but blind taste tests prove otherwise.
In taste tests, tap water consistently ranks at or above the (more…)


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