Is Baltimore City Going to Be Bottled Water-Free?
If you had told me 20 years ago that the bottled water industry in America would become a multi billion dollar industry I would have laughed at you. I would have said something like “Sell water? Are you crazy? It comes out of the tap for free? Why would I pay a buck for water?” Of course, my voice would have been a bit higher and may have cracked because I would have been 13. But that’s not the point here.
The point here is that cities across the country are rethinking their bottled water contracts and pushing for more dependence on tap water.
The concept of paying for bottled water for city employees with taxpayer money when 99 percent of Americans have access to safe water is another reason mayors are beginning to rethink their water contracts.
Several cities are already on board. Cities like San Francisco (who seems to be leading the charge), San Jose, Miami, Orlando and about 60 other metro areas are kicking the bottle in efforts to save money and reduce the plastic waste that bottled water leaves in its wake (pun!). Even larger cities like NYC, Chicago, Philly and Boston are supporting resolutions to stop buying bottled water for city workers.
It’s about time, I say. I have always had a shaky feeling about buying bottled water. What’s wrong with my tap water? I think it’s fine. But the mass marketing of the bottled water industry has hooked us into believing that bottled water is the answer, and we bought into it. Anyone remember the comic about the PR campaign who successfully sold toxic sludge to America and had them falling in love with it? That’s bottled water.
The point here is that cities across the country are rethinking their bottled water contracts and pushing for more dependence on tap water.
The concept of paying for bottled water for city employees with taxpayer money when 99 percent of Americans have access to safe water is another reason mayors are beginning to rethink their water contracts.
Several cities are already on board. Cities like San Francisco (who seems to be leading the charge), San Jose, Miami, Orlando and about 60 other metro areas are kicking the bottle in efforts to save money and reduce the plastic waste that bottled water leaves in its wake (pun!). Even larger cities like NYC, Chicago, Philly and Boston are supporting resolutions to stop buying bottled water for city workers.
It’s about time, I say. I have always had a shaky feeling about buying bottled water. What’s wrong with my tap water? I think it’s fine. But the mass marketing of the bottled water industry has hooked us into believing that bottled water is the answer, and we bought into it. Anyone remember the comic about the PR campaign who successfully sold toxic sludge to America and had them falling in love with it? That’s bottled water.
It’s water! It comes from the tap! It’s OK. Ya don’t believe me? Really now, why should you). The website Tappening has included a list of a few other good reasons to make the switch:
• Water systems that provide tap water have to test for water pathogens that can cause intestinal problems; bottled water companies don't do this.
• City tap water can have no confirmed E. coli or fecal coliform bacteria. FDA bottled water rules include no such prohibition (a certain amount of any type of coliform bacteria is allowed in bottled water).
• City tap water, from surface water, must be filtered and disinfected. In contrast, there are no federal filtration or disinfection requirements for bottled water.
• In one publicized taste test in New York City, conducted by Showtime television, researchers found that 75 percent of participants actually preferred the taste of tap water to bottled water.
• City tap water must meet standards for certain important toxic or cancer-causing chemicals, such as phthalate (a chemical that can leach from plastic, including plastic bottles); some in the industry persuaded the FDA to exempt bottled water from the regulations regarding these chemicals.
• City water systems must issue annual "right to know" reports, telling consumers what is in their water. Bottlers successfully killed a "right to know" requirement for bottled water.
I can’t wait till I don’t have to feel the need to buy water anymore. I will have felt a tiny sense of freedom from bottled water.
http://www.alternet.org/water/89148/?page=1
2 comments:
I can't believe you just posted this. Don't ask to buy jugs of H2O again at the grocery. What a Pancake.
However, I have more commentary...
1- San Fran has some of the cleanest water of public water systems in the US. That's why they are "leading the charge."
2- The FDA regulates the bottled water industry. They recently imposed some regulations on the industry, but the biggest problem is not that they do not have to test for bacteria, it's that there is no sterility unit in a bottle of water. Tap water has been sterilized to some extent, whether it's Cl2, ozone, or chloramines, and that keeps the bacteria level down as the water travels the pipe system.
3-Your point about public potable water system can have no *confirmed* E. coli or fecal coliforms is mis-leading. According to the EPA (which regulates public water systems under the Safe Drinking Water Act, 40CFR141), you are allowed a percentage of total coliforms positive samples per month. If you test positive for a fecal coliform or E. coli the testing authority is required to take repeat samples w/in a certain timeframe. So in that situation, you may have E.coli going thru the system, but by the time you get back to retest it, the problem has flushed thru. However, these opportunistic pathogens that the EPA uses to test the water system are only indicator organisms. They indicate a bigger problem, like cholera, or dysentery. E.coli is an indicator because it is found in the human gut and indicates that there might be a line contamination with sewage. And E.coli is a lab pet; grows easily, kills readily and only makes a healthy human marginally sick (unless it is the deadly H:0157, but in that case it's the toxin that is so dangerous.... that will be your next science lesson...)
Actually your science lesson is over for now... You've worn me out...
And don't argue with me. I worked in the water industry for 10 years. Besides, it's like I told your mother... "What's the title of my fancy-assed degree?" That's right.... Microbiology.
And there ya have it, folks. I should probably "ask a microbiologist" before lifting info that may be misleading. But not to worry. I will continue to assfact my way through the issues. feel free to add corrections.
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