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Bottled Water
The Division of Food Safety is required by state
law to sample bottled water produced in Wisconsin each year and to issue
a report. For specific results and data from recent reports, go the bottom
of this page.
Background
There is no such thing as naturally pure water. In nature, all water contains
some impurities. As water flows in streams, accumulates in lakes, and
filters through layers of soil and rock in the ground, it dissolves or
absorbs the substances that it touches. Some of these substances are harmless.
In fact, some people prefer mineral water precisely because minerals give
it an appealing taste. However, at certain levels, just like man-made
chemicals, minerals may be considered contaminants that can make water
unpalatable or even unsafe.
Man-made Contaminants
Man-made contaminants may also affect water that is bottled. These contaminants
may be substances discharged from factories, applied to farmlands, or
used by consumers in their homes and yards. Microbiological and chemical
contaminants can enter water supplies. These materials can be the result
of human activity or can be found in nature. For instance, chemicals can
migrate from disposal sites and contaminate sources of drinking water.
Coliform bacteria from human and animal wastes may be found in drinking
water if the water is not properly treated or disinfected. These bacteria
are used as indicators that other harmful organisms may be in the water.
If coliform bacteria are found in a water sample, further testing is conducted
to see if there are any fecal or pathogenic bacteria present.
Water naturally contains less than 1 milligram of nitrate-nitrogen per
liter. When higher levels are present, it indicates that the water has
been contaminated. Common sources of nitrate contamination include fertilizers,
animal wastes, septic tanks, municipal sewage treatment systems, and decaying
plant debris. State and federal laws set the maximum allowable level of
nitrate-nitrogen in public drinking water at 10 milligrams per liter.
Natural Contaminants
Naturally occurring contaminants can also be found in drinking water.
Some contaminants come from erosion of natural rock formations. Groundwater,
which moves slowly through the pores or cracks in underground layers of
rock, dissolves minerals as it travels. Dissolved solids are minerals
or salts that have been dissolved in the water while in the aquifer. Dissolved
solids
can be calcium, magnesium, salt, iron or other minerals.
Fluoride can be added to water supplies to promote healthy teeth. It
can also be present in water from the erosion of natural deposits or discharge
from fertilizer and aluminum factories.
Water can also pick up naturally occurring radium or man-made radionuclides
as it flows to the water source. The radioactive gas radon-222 occurs
in certain types of rock and can leach into ground water. All rock contains
some radium, usually in small amounts. Testing for radionuclides is a
relatively recent change in DATCP requirements. The testing process for
water samples begins with a screening for "gross alpha particle activity"
which measures the total amount of one type of radioactivity given off
by the water. If high levels of gross alpha activity are found, further
testing for radium is conducted. Radioactivity levels are measured in
"picocuries" per liter of water (abbreviated "pCi/L").
In Wisconsin, most of the community water supplies which exceed the radium
standard draw water from a deep sandstone aquifer and are located in a
narrow band which stretches from Green Bay to the Illinois state line.
In addition, a few high radium levels have been found in groundwater from
sandstone formations in west central Wisconsin and in granite formations
in north central Wisconsin. In all cases, the radium was present in the
rock and water long before the first well was drilled.
For more information about Wisconsin
Groundwater Standards, see the Department of Natural Resources' summary.
For the complete text of pertinent state law, see the Legislature's
website.
Regulation
On May 13, 1996 new bottled water regulations from the federal Food &
Drug Administration took effect. The new regulations were aimed at alleviating
consumer confusion about the many different types of bottled water on
the market by providing standard definitions for the terms "artesian
water," "ground water," "mineral water," "purified
water," "sparkling bottled water," "spring water,"
"sterile water," "well water," and others.
Bottled water, like all other foods regulated by FDA, must be processed,
packaged, shipped and stored in a safe and sanitary manner and be truthfully
and accurately labeled. Bottled water products must also meet specific
FDA quality standards for contaminants. Since 1996, mineral water must
also meet the bottled water standards. Mineral water had previously been
exempt from standards that applied to other bottled water.
The FDA has established the following definitions:
Bottled Water
Water that is intended for human consumption and that is sealed in bottles
or other containers with no added ingredients except that it may contain
safe and suitable antimicrobial agents.
Artesian Water or
Artesian Well Water Water from a well tapping a confined aquifer
in which the water level stands at some height above the top of the aquifer.
Ground Water
Water from a subsurface saturated zone that is under a pressure equal
to or greater than atmospheric pressure.
Mineral Water
Water containing not less than 250 parts per million total dissolved solids,
originating from an underground water source. No minerals may be added
to this water.
Purified Water
Water that has been produced by distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis,
or other processes and that meets the definition in the United States
Pharmacopoeia, 23d Revision, January 1, 1995.
Sparkling Bottled
Water Water that, after treatment and possible replacement of carbon
dioxide, contains the same amount of carbon dioxide that it had at emergence
from the source.
Spring Water
Water derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally
to the surface of the earth.
Well Water
Water from a hole bored, drilled, or otherwise constructed in the ground,
which taps the water of an aquifer.
In addition to defining these terms, the regulation addresses various
other labeling concerns. For example, water bottled from municipal water
supplies must be clearly labeled as "from a community water system"
or, alternatively, "from a municipal source", unless it is processed
sufficiently to be labeled as "distilled" or "purified"
water.
The regulation also requires accurate labeling of bottled water marketed
for infants. If a product is labeled "sterile" it must be processed
to meet FDA's requirements for commercial sterility. Otherwise, the labeling
must indicate that it is not sterile and should be used in preparation
of infant formula only as directed by a physician or according to infant
formula preparation instructions.
Bottled Drinking Water Reports
The annual "Bottled Drinking Water" report is produced annually
and is required by state law. Each report includes a summary, background
information and tables containing data about the bottlers surveyed and
water samples taken. The samples are analyzed by state laboratories and
checked that they meet state and federal drinking water standards. You
will need a PDF
reader to view the reports.
Resources
Links to additional information on bottled water.
Drinking Water
Inspectorate
Answers to basic questions from the drinking water regulator in England
and Wales.
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
Groundwater and drinking water information including training information
and a children's page.
Water Quality Help Guide
A detailed site with summaries about many potential drinking water contaminants
from Wilkes University.
Interpreting
Drinking Water Analysis
An academic paper that contains a list of technical definitions and a
summary of the Safe Drinking Water Act from Rutgers University.
Bottled,
Filtered or Tap: Which Water is Healthiest?
A June 2000 article from the LA Daily News covering a range of drinking
water choices.
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