On the AOL portal today, the bottled water phenomenon is once again examined. Almost immediately the question of the quality of the municipal water supplies is pondered. It seems that the confidence in the water supply is not what it once was, because the average quantity of water purchased yearly per capita is 28.3 gallons, whereas in 1976 the same measure yielded 1.6 gallons.

The bottled water era began in the 1800s when a couple of enterprising men started bottling spring water as a panacea for stomach ailments and kidney problems. This was the start of the Sarasota Springs and Poland Spring brand names.

Today, the many brands of bottled water owe their existence to the man who started the Perrier brand of water.  In a campaign worthy of the snake oil salesman of the Old West, the benefits of health, exclusivity, and celebrity were conferred upon those who drank this liquid.

The real problem with this entire industry is that while putting forth the impression of health and vitality, the NRDC found that a full third of the liquid in these expensive bottles does not meet the enforceable standards for purity and allowable microorganisms. This is possible because the water in bottles is not as strictly controlled as what emerges from the tap in the kitchen.

Curiously, brands from popular soft drink manufacturers Coca-Cola, owner of the Dasani brand, and Pepsi, bottler of Aquafina, both bottle municipal tap water. As further stated in an episode of the Penn and Teller Showtime series, the water these companies use for their soft drinks is of greater purity than the ‘naked’ water sold that alludes to its pristine nature.

According to another report, the water in the bottle, bought for about $1.25, can be gotten from the tap at home for $0.0001. Quite a markup by any standard.

Another point in the article is the amount of trash generated by the container. Given that the usual suspects who purchase this stuff are self-congratulating partakers of the ‘better life’, including assertions that the ecology of the planet is a primary concern, the mechanisms with which they run their lives are somewhat suspect.

For those truly interested in high quality water, with purity a chemist could love, the best bet is the double distillation method. This will generate water of so high a purity that. unlike the water most people know that conducts electricity, the distillate will appear as an almost pure insulator. The method of obtaining this uber-quality stuff is not energy efficient, but the user can console himself that the energy saved by using the same container again and again will keep the landfills from closing a bit longer.

[tags] EPA, water standards of quality, double distillation, Coca-Cola, Pepsi Cola, Aquafina, Dasani, Perrier, Poland Springs, Sarasota Springs, water, NRDC [/tags]