International Bottled Water Association | IMMEDIATE RELEASE | May 3, 20110
National Drinking Water Week: A Great Way to Recognize the Importance of Good Hydration
ALEXANDRIA, VA – The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) celebrates National Drinking Water Week and notes the importance of having all types of drinking water, both bottled water and tap water, contribute to better hydration for all Americans. This annual commemoration of America’s drinking water, May 2 – 8, 2010, comes at a time when obesity, heart disease and diabetes are at very high levels, and it is therefore in the public interest to remind Americans to drink more water to stay healthy.
“Bottled water comes from both groundwater and municipal water sources. As a result, the bottled water industry supports comprehensive groundwater management policies and strong and adequate funding for tap water infrastructure” said Tom Lauria, Vice President of the Communications at IBWA, “Both tap and bottled water have a critically important role to play in consumers’ well-being.” “This is not a tap vs. bottled water issue. Most people drink both, depending upon the circumstances,”
Lauria continued.
Whether a consumer decides to choose one over another largely depends on an individual’s tastes or need for convenience. As with many foods, water –whether tap or bottled — tastes differently to different people. Some people are discerning about the source of their water, while others prefer not to have the odor and taste of chlorine. What is of highest importance is that everyone drink a sufficient amount of water every day.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently released a report titled “Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for Water.” According to the EFSA report, adequate intakes of liquids for adults are 135.2 oz per day (4 L per day) for men and 101.4 oz per day (3.1L per day) for women. The report notes that 80 percent of total water intake comes from water and beverages, while 20 percent comes from food moisture. This means that the adequate intake of water and beverages for men would be 108.2 oz per day (3.2 L per day) and 81.1 oz per day (2.4 L per day) for women.
In 2004, The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) published an assessment of the recommended dietary intake of total water. According to the NAS report, adequate intakes of total water are 125.1 oz per day (3.7 L per day) for men and 91.3 oz per day (2.7 L per day) for women. NAS reported that 81 percent of fluid intake is from water and beverages and 19 percent comes from food moisture. This means that the adequate intake of water and beverages would be 101.4 oz per day (3.0 L per day) for men and 74.4 oz per day (2.2 L per day) for women.
For busy Americans on the go, convenient bottled water is often an ideal solution that allows for flexibility and portability, while avoiding the calories, additives and sweeteners that come with other ready-to-go packaged beverages. Good hydration means drinking plenty of water during the entire day. Because it is a heavily regulated food product, bottled water is a safe and reliable source of refreshment and enjoyment at home, at the office or on the go. It’s an important source of water in many people’s daily diets and it is certainly not in the public interest when bottled water critics demand consumers avoid it entirely.
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CONTACT:
Tom Lauria
(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.
