Bottled Water – Know it, before you buy it!

I found it really shocking that the regulations for tap water are much stringent than that of bottled water. Even in the countries like the USA, where safety for health is prior to all other social responsibilities, the USFDA (The United Sates Food & Drug Administration) has only some degree of power in validating and regulating the quality of the bottled water.

The situation is much worst in the developing countries like India; in these countries, the regulations regarding the bottled water are applied at their least. Besides, there are no local jurisdictions or authorities that are working effectively in the field of prohibiting the presence of bacteria within the bottled water, unlike the tap water. Thus, the situation is getting grey with every passing minute. After a four-year case study by the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), having tested 1,000 bottles from 103 brands, it was found that a great deal of them contained bacteria and various other contaminants.

A frequently overlooked element of the so called "pure water" is its effect on the atmosphere. Tens of millions of plastic bottles accrue in the landfills daily, only 10% of which are actually recycled. Additionally, each required as much as 2,000 times more energy to provide the same water as that from the faucet. Some associations and governmental bodies have already executed anti-bottled drinking water measures.

The bottled water industry stands in Rupees 20 billion in India alone annually and is perhaps the most profitable beverage on the market. Besides, this industry in India is growing at the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25%, which is the highest in the world. In reality, the bottled water can cost anywhere from 1500-2000 times more than tap water, for at best the same quality. To put it more directly, we are paying for the plastic, shipping, and marketing for water no more pure than that out of tap.

So in a nutshell, all evidences are opposing the facts that water contained in a plastic bottle is safer or purer than that of water coming from the faucet. Thus, these mediums should be banned. However, the next question that arises is “how to get safe and pure water?” Today, many people are considering the home water purification systems. This might be a fruitful decision in the direction of getting pure and safe drinking water, as nowadays, many of the purifiers are using RO & UV based technologies in them. As the result, the people can get the purified water on demand and that too without paying any extra cost for the plastic bottle and without causing damage to the immediate environment.

Ban Plastic Water Bottles - Your World, Your Life!

"If there is any magic on this planet, it is contained in the water." -Loran Eisley, The Immense Journey (1957)

However, if that water is contained in plastic, there is no magic one can have of it.

Most of us are aware of the hazards of unsafe drinking water and therefore, we make it a point to consume only home-purified water or bottled water while travelling. But we do not realize that both off-the-counter bottled water and home-purified water are usually stored in plastic bottles when, water contained in plastic is detrimental to human health.

The current statistics in India suggest that the current bottled water market is the size of more than Rs. 1250 Crore ($312 Million USD) and it is growing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25%, the highest in the world. This demand for bottled water is driven by the poor quality of tap water and shortage of water in most regions. It is important to recognize that all brands of bottled water are stored in different types of plastics which are not safe for storage of water.

PETE (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles are very commonly used for making plastic water bottles however if reused, they can release harmful chemicals into the contained water. Another common type of plastic water bottles, made from PVC, has bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical which mimics the hormone estrogens, can leach from polycarbonate bottles. Apparently, BPA can do nasty things to the reproductive process of rats ranging from low sperm counts to changes in tissue that resembles early-stage breast cancer. There is a concern that similar things can happen in humans especially, if these plastic bottles are stored in hot and humid climate such as, India. According to Grist Magazine, dioxins are released into the environment during manufacture, use and disposal of plastics bottles. The dioxins, which settle into our fatty tissues, are not only carcinogen but also disrupt hormonal systems that might affect reproductive and immune systems of our bodies.

Another consideration that is often overlooked is that plastic bottles are bio hazards even if they are recyclable. According to Pacific Institute, USA, bottling process uses two litres of water for every one litre bottle. In fact making anything from plastic is environmentally damaging. Plastic come from fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas; the environmental damage done in the exploration, extraction and export of fossil fuels is beyond belief.

In this age where we all live a speedy life, the probabilities of considering our every day choices becomes less; whether it is about the things we buy or more profoundly about the air we inhale or water we drink. Almost 1600 Indians die every day because of water-borne diseases. Therefore, it is crucial to drink pure and healthy water - but, NOT stored in plastic containers. It is recommended that we install home - water purification system and encourage the use of paper coated or glass bottles to store that water at home and also carry it along while travelling. This practice will not only be good for our health but also be in favour of our environment's health.

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