Support for Public Water Systems

Support for Public Water Systems

The bottled water industry is a strong supporter of public water systems.

Contrary to what you might hear, the bottled water industry supports strong public water systems which are important for providing citizens with clean and safe drinking water. In fact, many bottled water companies use public water sources for their products. Once the water enters the bottled water plant several processes are employed to ensure that it meets the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) purified water standard. These treatments can include utilizing a multi-barrier approach. Measures in a multi-barrier approach may include one or more of the following: reverse osmosis, distillation, micro-filtration, carbon filtration, ozonation, and ultraviolet (UV) light. The finished water product is then placed in a sealed bottle under sanitary conditions and sold to the consumer.

Moreover, the water from public water systems is often compromised after emergency situations or natural disasters (e.g., hurricanes, floods, tornados, fires, or boil alerts). During these times, bottled water is a necessary and reliable alternative to deliver clean, safe drinking water. However, tap water does provide in most cases a safe source of drinking water, even if occasional system failures make it necessary for consumers to search for alternatives during these times.

Get the facts

Want some fact-based information about how public water systems and bottled water are regulated? The Drinking Water Research Foundation (DWRF) report “Bottled Water and Tap Water: Just the Facts” provides a detailed side-by-side comparison of quality and monitoring regulations for tap water and bottled water.