DRINKING WATER

MEGAN MEDFORD

TYPES OF DRINKING WATER

TAP WATER
ALSO CALLED MUNICIPAL WATER, PUBLIC WATER, RUNNING WATER, OR CITY
WATER

BOTTLED WATER
SUBTYPES INCLUDE: ARTESIAN WATER, ARTESIAN WELL WATER, GROUND WATER,
MINERAL WATER, PURIFIED WATER, SPARKLING WATER, AND SPRING WATER

TAP WATER REGULATION

CONGRESS ENACTED THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT (SDWA) IN 1974
UNDER SDWA THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA):
SETS NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR DRINKING WATER
REVIEWS STANDARDS EVERY SIX YEARS
MAINTAIN A NATIONAL DRINKING WATER CONTAMINANT OCCURRENCE DATABASE

IT IS LEFT TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT TO ENFORCE THESE REGULATIONS

DRINKING WATER STANDARDS

NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS (NPDWR OR PRIMARY
STANDARD):
LEGALLY-ENFORCEABLE STANDARDS THAT APPLY TO PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS
LIMIT THE LEVELS OF SPECIFIC CONTAMINANTS THAT CAN ADVERSELY AFFECT
PUBLIC HEALTH AND OCCUR IN WATER FROM PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS

NATIONAL SECONDARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS (NSDWR OR

SECONDARY STANDARD):
NON-ENFORCEABLE GUIDELINES FOR CONTAMINANTS THAT MAY CAUSE:
COSMETIC EFFECTS (SUCH AS SKIN OR TOOTH DISCOLORATION)
AESTHETIC EFFECTS (SUCH AS TASTE, ODOR, OR COLOR) IN DRINKING WATER

TOCCOA WATER

https://
www.youtube.com/watch
?v=KMP9-49I1U4

HOME FILTRATION
TYPICALLY USE CARBON, ALSO CALLED ACTIVATED CHARCOAL
WILL REMOVE SOME TOXIC CHEMICALS AND CHLORINE
WILL NOT FILTER OUT FLUORIDE, MOST TOXIC METALS, OR CERTAIN SMALL
ORGANIC AND OTHER CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS

A DIRTY OR CLOGGED CARBON FILTER IS WORSE THAN NO FILTER AT ALL

BECAUSE CARBON CAN SUPPORT BACTERIAL AND FUNGAL GROWTH THAT IS
POTENTIALLY TOXIC, TASTELESS, AND ODORLESS
THERE ARE NO FEDERAL REGULATIONS REGARDING THE DESIGN OR
EFFECTIVENESS OF WATER FILTERS

BOTTLED WATER
BOTTLED WATER IS LEGALLY CONSIDERED A FOOD
FDA REGULATES BOTTLED WATER BY ESTABLISHING:

ALLOWABLE LEVELS FOR CONTAMINANTS

REGULATION FOR THE PROCESSING AND BOTTLING OF BOTTLED DRINKING WATER
LABELING REGULATIONS
DEFINITIONS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF BOTTLED WATER

STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN CHARGE OF ENFORCING FDA REGULATIONS

BOTTLED WATER REGULATION HAVE TO BE EQUAL TO OR BETTER THAN THOSE
APPLICABLE TO WATER FROM PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS

TYPES OF BOTTLED WATER

TYPE

FDA DEFINITION

Artesian
Water

Water from a confined natural underground reservoir

Mineral
Water

Water containing not less than 250 ppm total dissolved solids that
originates from a geologically and physically protected underground
water source. Mineral water is characterized by constant levels and
relative proportions of minerals and trace elements at the source. No
minerals may be added to mineral water.

Purified
Water

Water that is produced by distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis or

other suitable processes and that meets the definition of "purified water"
in the U.S. Pharmacopeia, 23d Revision, Jan. 1, 1995. As appropriate, also
may be called "demineralized water," "deionized water," "distilled
water," and "reverse osmosis water."

Sparkling
Bottled
Water

Water that, after treatment and possible replacement of carbon dioxide,

contains the same amount of carbon dioxide that it had at emergence
from the source.

Spring Water

Water derived from an underground formation from which water flows

naturally to the surface of the earth at an identified location. Spring
water may be collected at the spring or through a bore hole tapping the

TAP VS BOTTLED
Tap water

Bottled water

EPA has regulations for 96 contaminants

FDA has regulations for 91 contaminants

regulations for municipal drinking water and bottled water are the same for
approximately 80% of the contaminants regulated by the FDA and EPA
Typically test more frequently, but because
of high production rates it is less testing
per gallon

Typically test less often, but lower

production rates mean more testing per
gallon

Looks at the average of all test results

Looks at individual test results

Required to notify the public in the event of

contamination

Can enact product recalls in the event of

contamination, but is not required to as
long as it is labeled

Approximately $2 perevery thousand

gallons

$7.57 per gallon for individual 16oz bottles

Water comes from renewable sources

Water often comes from nonrenewable

sources

Bottled water takes anywhere from 1,100 to 2,000 times as muchenergy to produce
astap water.

TASTE TEST

Artisan
water

Tap water

Purified water
with added
minerals

TASTE TEST

Artisan
water

Tap water

Purified water
with added
minerals

BIBLIOGRAPHY
"BACKGROUND ON DRINKING WATER STANDARDS IN THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT (SDWA)." EPA.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, 23 DEC. 2015. WEB. 08 FEB. 2016.
"BOTTLED WATER VS TAP WATER." IBWA. INTERNATIONAL BOTTLED WATER ASSOCIATION, N.D. WEB. 08 FEB.
2016.
HIRST, ROBERT R., JOSEPH A. LEVITT, AND JOSEPH COTRUVO. BOTTLED WATER AND TAP WATER JUST THE FACTS.
REP. DRINKING WATER RESEARCH FOUNDATION, OCT. 2011. WEB. 8 FEB. 2016.
"HOW EPA REGULATES DRINKING WATER CONTAMINANTS." EPA. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, 2 OCT.
2015. WEB. 08 FEB. 2016.
LIVINGSTON, AMY. "BOTTLED WATER VS. TAP WATER FACTS & 4 REASONS TO DRINK TAP." MONEY CRASHERS.
N.P., N.D. WEB. 08 FEB. 2016.
SCOTT, HARRY. "CITY OF TOCCOA DRINKING WATER QUALITY REPORT." CITY OF TOCCOA. CITY OF TOCCOA
UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, JULY 2015. WEB. 8 FEB. 2016.
SHARFSTEIN, JOSHUA M., M.D. "REGULATION OF BOTTLED WATER." FDA. U.S. FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION, 8 JULY 2009. WEB. 8 FEB. 2016.