burden is yours to determine if your water is
safe to drink. If your well or spring is contami-
nated, bottled water is a good alternative.
The preference for bottled water over local
tapwater is based most commonly on aesthetic
considerations of taste and odor. Depending on
the geographical and physical location of your
source of drinking water, and on the specific
treatment methods used by your local water
supplier, tapwater can have a taste and odor
that is disagreeable—even though it may be
perfectly safe to drink. As a consumer, the
choice is yours.
Helpful Hints
• If you receive your drinking water from a
public water system, check on the supply's
quality with State or local health officials or
the local water utility itself. Water suppliers
will send you a list that shows what they
have monitored in the drinking water
supply and either the supplier, the State or
local officials, or the Safe Drinking Water
Hotline (see below) will help you under-
stand the various numbers and levels
indicated on the printout.
• If you are concerned about your private
well or spring, have the water tested by a
laboratory that is certified for drinking
water testing. Try to identify which con-
taminants you want to test for, because
unnecessary testing may be quite expen-
sive. In most cases, the local health depart-
ment will test for bacteria and they may
also advise you on which other contami-
nants to test for. Information about certified
labs and advice about what to look for in
your situation can be obtained from your
State drinking water program (which is
usually part of the State health department
or environmental agency), or by calling the
Safe Drinking Water Hotline.
If you are interested in the quality of a
specific brand of bottled water, you should
contact the bottler directly. Bottlers can
provide information on the required chemi-
cal analysis.
For More Information
For more information about bottled water
regulations contact
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Federal Office Building #9 Room 5807
200 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 485-0023
For more information about bottled water
regulations and/or the bottled water industry
contact:
International Bottled Water Association
113 North Henry Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 683-5213
To get a copy or more information on the federal
drinking water standards, write:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Drinking Water (WH-550A)
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
Or call: The Safe Drinking Water Hotline
(800) 4264791 or (202) 382-5533
The Hotline operates from 8:30 AM to 4:30
United States EPA 570/9-90-GGG
Environmental Protection September 1990
Agency
Office of Water (WH-550A)
6 EPA Bottled Water:
Helpful Facts
and
Information
Printed on Recycled Paper
* U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1990—725-772
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What is Bottled Water?
Bottled Water
Many of us are worried about the environment.
Global warming, acid rain, groundwater con-
tamination, overcrowded landfills, and other
issues have focused new light on the quality of
life we enjoy in this country.
Due in part to these growing environmental
concerns and, perhaps, in part to an emerging
trend, an increasing number of American
consumers have turned to bottled water as their
primary source of drinking water.
Is this necessary? Is our drinking water so unsafe
or unpalatable that we need to resort to an
alternative, namely, bottled water? And is
bottled water any safer?
The purpose of this pamphlet is three-fold: first,
to provide basic information about bottled water;
second, to help you become a better informed
consumer of drinking water of any kind; and
third, to provide helpful references for obtaining
more information.
Please Note: The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) does not directly regulate the
manufacture, distribution, or use of bottled
water. (EPA develops and oversees the imple-
mentation and enforcement of regulations for
drinking water provided by public water
systems). However, EPA has received numerous
inauiries about bottled water and feels it is
appropriate to respond to the public's requests
for information with this brochure.
Bottled water is defined as water that is sealed in
food grade bottles and intended for human
consumption. There are several types of bottled
water, depending on the source of the water.
These types are split into two, distinct groups—
mineral water and drinking water.
Mineral waters are most often sparkling (carbon-
ated) and are generally used as an alternative to
soft drinks or cocktails. Bottled drinking water is
consumed as an alternative to tapwater, and is
also used for cooking, making coffee or tea, etc.
Where Does the Water Come From?
Bottled water is obtained from a variety of
sources, including springs, artesian wells, drilled
wells, and public water supplies.
How Is Bottled Water Regulated?
Bottled water is regulated as a "food" by the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA
requires that bottled water products be clean and
safe for human consumption, that they are
processed and distributed under sanitary
conditions, and that they are produced in
compliance with FDA Good Manufacturing
Practices.
In contrast, drinking water from a public water
system (household tapwater, water fountains,
etc.) is regulated by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). In concert with the
respective state regulatory agencies, EPA
develops and enforces drinking water quality
standards that are designed to assure the safety
of public drinking water. Further, in keeping
with a 1978 agreement between FDA and EPA,
the FDA adopts EPA public drinking water
standards as part of the quality standards for
bottled water.
To assure the safety of bottled water, FDA has
developed standards that set a minimal accept-
able level of quality. The quality standards
address substances in the water that may be
harmful to health, as well as substances that affect
the smell, color, and taste of water. The quality
standards also require public notification when-
ever the microbiological, physical, chemical, or
radiological quality of bottled water falls below
standard.
Domestic bottled water producers that sell their
products in other states (interstate commerce) are
subject to periodic, unannounced inspections by
FDA. Upon inspection, the producers must be in
compliance with all aspects of the Quality Stan-
dards and Good Manufacturing Practices for
bottled water, the Fair Packaging and Labeling
Act, and all other applicable regulations that are
incorporated in the FDA quality standards.
Domestic bottled water producers are subject to
inspection by state health officials and must
comply with all applicable state laws and regula-
tions. Some states (e.g. California, Pennsylvania,
and Florida) have adopted regulations that are
stricter than federal requirements.
The bottled water industry has a comprehen-
sive program of self-regulation. For example,
bottled water producers who are members of
the International Bottled Water Association
(IBWA) are inspected annually by an indepen-
dent laboratory, the National Sanitation
Foundation (NSF). Through the unannounced
NSF inspection, IBWA members are evaluated
on their compliance with both the association's
performance requirements and the FDA
regulations.
Is Bottled Water Safer Than
Tapwater?
If both the public water system and the bottled
water producer are in full compliance with
their respective regulations, then either source
of water will be suitable for drinking.
Bottled water is appropriate for protection of
public health in two cases: (1) when contami-
nants in the local water supply exceed the
health based drinking water standards; or (2)
when a unique problem such as corrosion of
household plumbing causes lead and/or
copper to enter the drinking water. If your
drinking water violates federal standards, your
local water supplier is required to notify you
and inform you whether you need to obtain an
alternative source of drinking water. If you
suspect that you may have a problem with lead
or copper, have your water tested by a labora-
tory certified for drinking water testing.
In some instances, if a local water supply has
been contaminated and another source is not
readily available, the local water supplier may
distribute bottled water to its customers until
the problem has been remedied.
If you obtain your drinking water from a
private, household well, you are not regulated
by the same federal drinking water standards
as a public water system. As a result, the
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