Bottled Water Safe? : Part 2

by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

(Page 2 of 2)

Revising the Regulations

Under the proposed regulations, "artesian" water would be considered bottled water that is drawn from a well that taps a confined aquifer (a water-bearing rock, rock formation, or group of rocks) in which the water level stands above the natural water table.

"Distilled" water would be bottled water that has been produced by a process of distillation — vaporizing water, then condensing it in a way that leaves it free of dissolved minerals.

"Purified" water would be water that is produced by distillation, deionization (passing water through resins that remove most of the dissolved minerals), reverse osmosis (the use of membrane filters to remove dissolved solids), or other suitable processes, and that meets the U.S. Pharmacopeia's most recent definition of "purified" water. The U.S. Pharmacopeia establishes the standard for "purified" water because it is commonly used in laboratories and for medical purposes.

"Spring" water would be bottled water obtained from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface, or would if it were not collected underground through a bore hole where a spring emerges.

Bottled water that comes from a hole bored, drilled, or otherwise constructed in the ground to tap an aquifer would be called "well" water.

"Mineral" water, which was previously exempt from bottled water quality standards, would be water that comes from a source tapped at one or more bore holes or springs originating from a geologically and physically protected underground water source. "'Mineral' water was exempt until now because it was only consumed in very small amounts," Troxell said. "It was considered a different product."

In addition to including "mineral" water in the proposed regulations, the water ingredient in certain types of flavored bottled waters have to comply with the same maximum allowable contaminant levels required of other bottled waters.

The proposed regulations, however, would continue to exclude products labeled as "carbonated" water, "seltzer" water, "soda" water, and "tonic" water, because they are considered soft drinks.

"We think the proposed regulations are well done and we're completely supportive," said Ronald Davis, president of IBWA and chairman of the Greenwich, Conn.-based Perrier Group of America. "They provide the basis to have bottled water regulated in an intelligent yet thorough way."

And what about bottled water that actually comes from municipal water systems? All products fitting this description, under the proposed regulations, would have to be clearly labeled as such. The requirement would be dropped, however, if the water has been taken from municipal water supplies and then processed and treated in a way that would enable it to be labeled "distilled" or "purified."

Approximately 75 percent of bottled water comes from protected springs and wells. The other 25 percent is derived from municipal water systems that meet federal and state requirements established by the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act.

Under the stricter restrictions in the proposed regulations, the bottled water label would have to state if the water comes from a municipal source.

The proposed regulations also require specific labeling on bottled waters marketed for infants. Labels on this type of water would have to indicate if the water is not sterile and that it should only be used as directed by a physician or according to infant formula preparation instructions.

Besides addressing labeling issues, the proposed regulations would set maximum limits for many contaminants found in bottled water.

Reducing Contaminants

Under a final rule published in the Jan. 3, 1993, Federal Register, the allowable levels for seven synthetic volatile organic chemicals were amended to comply with maximum contaminant levels set by EPA. The seven chemicals are: benzene, carbon tetrachloride, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,1- dichloroethylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride.

Proposed regulations would also revise or affirm maximum levels for inorganic substances such as lead, copper, mercury, barium, and cadmium.

The proposed regulations would also establish or modify permitted levels for 28 synthetic organic chemicals, including 10 synthetic volatile organic chemicals, 17 pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls.

In all, the proposed regulations would establish 27 new chemical levels and amend the existing allowable levels of many others.

"The new regulations mean a lot to us for two reasons," IBWA's Davis said. "They'll help ensure that bottled water is as good as tap water, and they'll make labeling consistent from state to state. But we're pleased with the new regulations and look forward to implementing them."

Victor Lambert, now with Howard University, Washington, D.C., wrote this article while on the staff of FDA Consumer. Judith Levine Willis also contributed to this article.

About the Author

www.fda.gov
FDA is A United States government body that oversees medical devices, including contact lenses, intraocular lenses, excimer lasers and eyedrops. In the US, these products must be approved by the FDA before they can be marketed.