News Coverage
NYT: Quality of Bottled Water Questioned in Congress
Published July 7, 2009
WASHINGTON — In 2008, Americans drank 8.6 billion gallons of bottled water, double the amount of a decade ago, with more than half saying they drink it because it is safer and healthier than tap water.
But at a hearing Wednesday, members of Congress were briefed on two new studies that question whether bottled water is safer than water directly from the faucet. Afterward, the committee sent letters to 13 companies requesting more information about the source of their water and how it is tested.
Two new reports — one from the Government Accountability Office and a second from the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research organization — question whether the regulation of bottled water is sufficient. The environmental group recommends that bottling companies provide detailed information about the source and treatment of their water, just as providers of tap water do.
“In so many cases we just don’t have the information on what the source actually is,” said Jane Houlihan, senior vice president for research of the Environmental Working Group. “Almost one-third of bottled waters have no information on their label.”
To read more click: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/us/politics/09bottle.html?_r=2&ref=us
