Infographic highlights bottled water’s small water use and big health benefits

International Bottled Water Association | MEDIA RELEASE | October 7, 2014

Infographic highlights bottled water’s small water use and big health benefits

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Bottled water is a small and efficient water user that spares people of billions of calories when they choose to drink water over other packaged drinks, according to a new infographic released by the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA). This helpful infographic is also available in Spanish.

Titled “Very Small Water Use With Very Big Health Benefits”, the infographic compares the water use footprint of bottled water to other industries and beverages. Citing data from the U.S. Geological Survey, the graphic illustrates that bottled water uses less than 0.004 percent of all the water in the U.S., while irrigation uses 31 percent and thermoelectric power uses 49 Percent When compared to other packaged beverages, bottled water is the most efficient water user, using the least amount of water to produce one liter of product.

“This infographic visually tells a story about how small a water footprint the bottled water industry has,” says Chris Hogan, Vice-President of Communications for IBWA. “Sometimes, our critics try to claim that the bottled water industry is a water waster. But when you put the facts side-by-side, you easily see that not only is bottled water a small water user, it’s an efficient one too.”

The infographic also shows how bottled water has been claiming a larger share of the packaged beverage market, illustrating an ongoing shift in consumption from soda to bottled water that began in 2000.

“The graphic shows sales volumes for soft drinks steadily declining, while bottled water grows,” Hogan said. “Overall beverage consumption is relatively flat, so it’s clear to see that people are choosing bottled water rather than soft drinks, and not necessarily instead of tap water.”

“Bottled water helps people make the choice to drink more water; especially as it’s convenient for people on the go. In fact, 40 percent of all water servings come in the form of bottled water, according to Kantor Panel Worldwide,” he said.

One of the most impactful points made by this infographic states that, “by switching from soft drinks to bottled water, Americans have saved 300 billion calories each year, and saved 6.4 billion gallons of water each year.”

To learn more about bottled water, please visit www.BottledWater.org.

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Media Contact:
Jill Culora
jculora@bottledwater.org
703.647.4609

The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) is the authoritative source of information about all types of bottled waters, including spring, mineral, purified, artesian, and sparkling. Founded in 1958, IBWA’s membership includes U.S. and international bottlers, distributors and suppliers. IBWA is committed to working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates bottled water as a packaged food product, to set comprehensive and stringent standards for safe, high-quality bottled water products.  

In addition to FDA regulations, IBWA member bottlers must adhere to the IBWA Bottled Water Code of Practice, which mandates additional standards and practices that in some cases are more stringent than federal and state regulations. A key feature of the IBWA Bottled Water Code of Practice is a mandatory annual plant inspection by an independent, third-party organization.  

IBWA is proud to be a partner with Keep America Beautiful and a supporter of Drink Up, an initiative of former First Lady Michelle Obama and the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), which encourages Americans to drink more water more often – whether from the tap, a filter, or in a bottle. Choosing water is always the healthy choice.