Frequently Asked Questions and Answer

What is bottled water?

Water is classified as "bottled water" or "drinking water" if it meets all applicable country standards, is sealed in a sanitary container and is sold for human consumption. Bottled water cannot contain sweeteners or chemical additives (other than flavors, extracts and essences) and must be calorie-free and sugar-free. Flavors, Extracts and essences -derived from spice or fruit- can be added to bottled water, but these additions must comprise less than one-percent-by-weight of the final product. Beverages containing more than the one-percent-by-weight flavor limit are classified as soft drinks, not bottled water. In addition, bottled water may be sodium-free or contain "very low" amounts of sodium. Some bottled waters contain natural or added carbonation.

What are the different types of bottled water?

There are several different varieties of bottled water. The product may be labelled as bottled water. drinking water or any of the following terms. The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) product definitions for bottled water are :

• Artesian Water/ Artesian Well Water : Bottled water from a well that taps a confined aquifer (a water-bearing underground layer of rock and sand) in which the water level stands at some height above the top of the aquifer.
• Drinking Water : Drinking water is another name for bottled water. Accordingly, drinking water is water that is sold for human consumption in sanitary containers and contain no added sweeteners or chemical additives (other than flavors, extracts and essences) and must be calorie-free and sugar-free. Flavors, extracts and essences -derived from spice or fruit- can be added to bottled water, but these additions must comprise less than one-percent-by-weight of the final product. Beverages containing more than the one-percent-by-weight flavor limit are classified as soft drinks, not bottled water. In addition, bottled water may be sodium-free or contain "very low" amounts of sodium.
• Mineral Water :Bottled water containing not less than 250 parts per million total dissolved solids may be labeled as mineral water. Mineral water is distinguished from other types of bottled water by its constant level and relative proportions of mineral and trace elements a the point of emergence from the source. No minerals can be added to this product.
• Purified Water : Water that has been produced by distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis or other suitable processes and that meet the definition of purified water in the United States Pharmacopia may be labeled as purified bottled water. Other suitable product names for bottled water treated by one of the above processes may include "distilled water" if it is produced by distillation, "deionized water" if the water is produced by deionization, or "reverse osmosis water" if the process used is reverse osmosis. Alternatively "___________ drinking water" can be used with the blank being filled in with one of the terms defined in this paragraph (e.g. "purified drinking water" or "distilled drinking water").
• Sparkling Water : Water that after treatment, and possible replacement with carbon dioxide, contains the same amount of carbon dioxide that it had at emergence from the source. (An important note : soda water, seltzer water and tonic water are not considered bottled water. They are regulated differently, may contain sugar and calories and are classified as soft drink.)
• Spring Water : Bottled water derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface of the earth. Spring water must be collected only at the spring or through a borehole tapping the underground formation finding the spring. Spring water collected with the use of an external force must be from the same underground stratum as the spring and must have all the physical properties, before treatment, and be of the same composition and quality as the water that flows naturally to the surfaces of the earth.
• Well Water : Bottled water from a hole bored, drilled or otherwise constructed in the ground, which taps the water of an aquifer.

How do I know my bottled water is safe?

Consumers can trust that bottled water is safe for many reasons. The first is that bottled water is strictly regulated by WHO/Codex Alimentarius, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of each country. In addition, members of the ABWA, must see strict industry standards established by the association. These standards, contained in the ABWA's "Model Code", exceed the two regulations above currently in place of bottled water. To ensure that all their bottled water is as safe as possible and of the highest quality, all ABWA members use one or more of the following practices : source protection and monitoring, reverse osmosis, distillation, filtration, ozonation and disinfection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), bottled water has never been responsible for an outbreak of waterborne illness.

How is bottled water different from tap water?

Consistent quality and taste are two of the principle differences between bottled water and tap water.

Quality is in every container of bottled water. It's consistent. It's inspected and monitored by governmental and private laboratories. Unfortunately, tap water can be inconsistent sometimes it's fine and other times it's not. while bottled water originates from protected sources (75% from underground aquifers and springs), tap water comes mostly from rivers and lakes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reported that hundreds of tap water sources have failed to meet minimum standards. Another factor to consider is the distance tap water must travel and what it goes through before it reaches the tap.

Taste is the other major reason people prefer bottled water versus tap water. Chlorine is most often used to disinfect tap water which can leave an aftertaste. Some bottlers use ozone, a form of supercharged oxygen, and/ or ultraviolet light as the final disinfecting agent, neither of which leave an aftertaste.

I've read about the parasite Cryptosporidium being found in tap water. What is it?

Cryptosporidium is a waterborne parasite that lives in animals and can be passed into the water through their waste. Criptosporidium oocysts from animal wastes have been found in rivers, streams, lakes, reservoirs, and many types of surface water.

How do I know that Cryptosporidium is not in my bottled water?

For starters, bottled water companies are required to use approved sources.

There are two types of sources from which bottled water can be drawn : the first of these types is natural sources (i.e., springs and wells). By law, these sources must be protected from surface intrusion and other environmental influences. This requirement ensures that surface water contaminants such a Cryptosporidium and Giardia are not present.

The second source water type is approved potable municipal water supplies. Bottled water companies that use these sources reprocess this water using methods such as distillation, reverse osmosis, ozonation, deionization and filtration. This ensures that the finished product is very different -in composition and taste- from the original source water.

All ABWA member companies that use municipal water supplies are encouraged to employ at least one of the three processing methods recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for effective removal of microbial (surface water) contaminants, including Cryptosporidium. These processing methods are reverse osmosis, one micron absolute filtration and distillation. Ozonation may also prove to be an effective treatment for Cryptosporidium removal.

Is bottled water regulated?

The bottled water industry is regulated on three levels : Codex, country and trade association.

Codex, Food and Drug Administration (FDA)  Regulations, coupled with state and industry standards, offer consumers assurance that the bottled water they purchase is stringently regulated, tested and of the highest quality.

Country Regulations :

Bottled water is regulated as a food product by each country's FDA. Bottled water companies must adhere to these Codex Alimentarius, Country's FDA Quality standards, standards of identity (Labeling Regulations) and Good Manufacturing Practices.

• Good Manufacturing Practices : Bottled water is subject to both general food Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and GMPs specific to bottled water processing and bottling. General food GMPs govern such areas as plant and ground maintenance, sanitary maintenance of buildings and fixtures, and sanitary facilities, including water supply, plumbing and sewage disposal. Bottled water GMPs provide detailed regulations governing plant construction and design, sanitary facilities and operations, equipment design and construction, production and process controls specific to the production and processing of bottled drinking water and extensive record keeping.
• Inspections : A significant responsibility of the state is inspecting, sampling, analyzing and approving sources of water. Under the federal GMPs, only approved sources of water can be used to supply a bottling plant.
• Laboratory Certification : Another area in which some states have important responsibilities that complement federal regulation is the certification of testing laboratories. As with any food establishment, the states perform unannounced plant inspections, and some states perform annual inspections.

ABWA Standards :

In addition to the state and federal standards for bottled water, ABWA bottler members are subject to another additional set of watchdogs :

• Third-party Inspections : As a condition of membership, bottlers must submit to an annual, unannounced plant inspection administered by an independent, internationally recognized third party inspection organization. This inspection audits quality and testing records, reviews all areas of plant operation from source through finished product ; and check compliance with ABWA 143 points Unified Checklist, Good Manufacturing Practices and Country regulations.
• ABWA Model Code : ABWA has established a quality assurance program, a strict set of standards called the Model Code. The Model Code establishes tougher requirements than federal and state authorities.

Do imported waters have to meet the same country and industry regulations as bottled water?

Yes. Any imported bottled water sold in the territory must meet all regulations stipulated for imported bottled water and at least meet domestically produced bottled water regulations.

Is bottled water regulated differently from tap water?

Yes, Bottled water is regulated as a food product and must meet all applicable food packaging regulations. Tap water is regulated as a utility.

How long can I store bottled water?

Normally, the regulations state maximum 2 years.

What is the proper way to store bottled water?

Bottled water should be store in a cool (i.e., room temperature), dry environment away from chemicals such as household cleaning products and away from solvents such as gasoline, paint thinners and other toxic materials.

How can I find out if the bottled water that i drink is a member of ABWA?

The easiest way to find out if your favorite bottled water brand is a member of ABWA is to check the ABWA logo as a Quality Certification Mark. See membership page

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