Where Does Bottled Water Come From?
The bottled water industry has come a long way since its inception. It is now a multi-billion dollar business, with an average of $11 billion spent annually on bottled water. In North America alone, consumers spend more than 8 billion gallons of bottled water every year.
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Bottled water can come from a variety of sources. These include natural springs, man-made wells, and purifying stations. For many bottled water brands, the source may not be advertised. However, most companies treat the water using multiple methods before bottling it.
Mineral water is a special type of bottled water that contains trace minerals. This is considered to be the best kind of bottled water. A company must have a certified source for the water and must adhere to strict federal and state laws.
Despite these requirements, only 75% of bottled water produced in the United States is derived from an approved, natural source. The other 25% comes from municipal supplies. If the water comes from a man-made source, it must be labeled as “municipal” and must undergo treatment to meet health standards.
Some of the most popular bottled water brands include Dasani, Pepsi, Coke, and Aquafina. Each of these brands has a certification number. You can find out more about the certification number by looking at the label on the bottle.
The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) is a nonprofit group that represents the bottled water industry in the U.S. and Canada. IBWA members are inspected annually by a third party to ensure compliance with federal regulations. Companies that are members of the IBWA are required to adhere to a more rigorous regulatory system known as the Model Code.
While the bottled water industry is not perfect, it does have some redeeming features. One is its low energy and water footprint. Approximately two thirds of bottled water is bottled in plastic containers. Most of the bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalates (PET). PET has proven to emit significant air pollutants.
The NRDC recently published a four-year study of bottled water. It found that the bottled water industry had some pretty impressive feats of engineering. Among other things, the industry had the smallest energy footprint and smallest water footprint. Other feats of engineering included the fact that bottled water can last longer than a human lifetime.
Although the bottled water industry has been accused of taking a big bite out of water resources, it is hard to argue that the bottled water industry isn’t doing its part to conserve the environment. Bottled water has long been seen as a convenient way to enjoy the benefits of hydration. As a result, it has become a popular and popularly consumed beverage.
As a result, the bottled water industry has been subjected to numerous criticisms. In fact, one study showed that some bottled water brands actually had contaminants that were more hazardous than the purest tap water.
Luckily, the bottled water industry has its own regulatory agency to help make sure that the rules are followed. The FDA is the federal agency responsible for regulating the industry, and it has the authority to inspect the final product if any component crosses a state line.