Bottled water

[Scott P]

Found this interesting:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070405/hl_nm/bottled_water_dc

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Bottled water is not necessarily healthier or safer than tap water, Tampa, Florida-based sports nutritionist Cynthia Sass told the American College of Sports Medicine 11th annual Health & Fitness Summit in Dallas.

Twenty-five percent of all bottled water is actually repackaged tap water, according to Sass.

"Bottled water doesn't deserve the nutritional halo that most people give it for being pure," she says. "If you're not an exclusive bottled water drinker, you may find it worthwhile to check into filtering your tap water to save money."

In a recent Gallop survey, most consumers said they drink bottled water because they perceive it to be purer than tap water. Taste and convenience are also factors.

Because bottled water is considered a food, it is regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration. Tap water is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Both types of water are subject to testing for contaminates.

But Sass points out that an estimated 60 to 70 percent of all bottled water in the U.S. is packaged and sold within the same state, which exempts it from FDA regulation. And 1 in 5 states do not regulate that bottled water.

Moreover, tests on 1,000 bottles of 103 different brands of bottled water found man-made chemicals, bacteria and arsenic in 22 percent of the bottles.

Tap water is also not immune to contamination problems. While most cities meet the standards for tap water, some tap water in the 19 U.S. cities tested was found to contain arsenic, lead, and pesticides, Sass told the conference.

While most healthy adults can tolerate exposure to trace amounts of these contaminates, some people, such as cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, individuals who are HIV positive or recovering from a transplant or major surgery, pregnant women, children, and the elderly, are more vulnerable.

For these individuals, Sass favors bottled water treated with reverse osmosis, distilled water or city tap water with a filtering system certified by the National Sanitation Foundation.

As for the fitness water craze, skip it, Sass says, noting that fitness and specialty waters with not give an athlete an advantage or edge. In fact, vitamin-fortified waters may pose a risk for over-supplementation.

[Sombeech]

Another interesting thing about de-ionized water is; When it is de-ionized, the water acts like a "mineral vacuum". When you drink it, the water will actually take minerals out of your body to make up the difference!

[Mtnman1830]

There was a show on tv that talked about this. "Purified" water is just that - Tap water that has been purified, and minerals added back in (calcium, phosphorus, ect) and "Spring Water"comes from a spring.

[greyhair biker]

I believe...and it's just that...a belief, that filtered water is best as long as the microns of the filter(s) are small enough to filter known bacteria. Why avoid the minerals your body needs to replenish itself. We can all research and find out what minerals to avoid in quantities the body cant handle and there are tests for nearly every one of them. Yes I know I am living in a very low populated area and can afford to think simplistically, but from a survivalist point of view out in the 'wild' all you really need to filter is bacterial. A long term study would be needed in a specific location over time to be able to determine just what minerals introduced into the body are having effects...if any. Use your head...dont drink the water from a stream, gutter, well, or anywhere you havent already tested...including the 'reputable' bottled water supplier of your choice...
...I think I just rattled on and on... :ne_nau:

[greyhair biker]

I believe...and it's just that...a belief, that filtered water is best as long as the microns of the filter(s) are small enough to filter known bacteria. Why avoid the minerals your body needs to replenish itself. We can all research and find out what minerals to avoid in quantities the body cant handle and there are tests for nearly every one of them. Yes I know I am living in a very low populated area and can afford to think simplistically, but from a survivalist point of view out in the 'wild' all you really need to filter is bacterial. A long term study would be needed in a specific location over time to be able to determine just what minerals introduced into the body are having effects...if any. Use your head...dont drink the water from a stream, gutter, well, or anywhere you havent already tested...including the 'reputable' bottled water supplier of your choice...
...I think I just rattled on and on... :ne_nau:

...arent you glad my free advice is only worth that much.... :nod:

[hank moon]

Another interesting thing about de-ionized water is; When it is de-ionized, the water acts like a "mineral vacuum". When you drink it, the water will actually take minerals out of your body to make up the difference!

This is false. I researched this years ago when my girlfriend took up drinking distilled water.

[R]

...arent you glad my free advice is only worth that much.... :nod:

By the way, your new avatar is, if I may be so bold, quite rakish.

(Is it cool for me to make a comment like that to another dude?)

[Mtnman1830]

Another interesting thing about de-ionized water is; When it is de-ionized, the water acts like a "mineral vacuum". When you drink it, the water will actually take minerals out of your body to make up the difference!

It would be harmful if you only ingested the DI water. Its called Reverse Osmosis. The water would try to equalize the mineral content of the cells in your body by pulling thim out of the cells to the interstical fluid.

Because minerals are also found in the food we eat, we would have to drink large ammounts of water, which in itself is harmuful and can cause water intoxication, or hyponatremia

[sparker1]

It fascinates me that most Americans complain about $3 per gallon of gas, while freely paying $4 (or more) per gallon of tap water that has been bottled.

[greyhair biker]

...arent you glad my free advice is only worth that much.... :nod:

By the way, your new avatar is, if I may be so bold, quite rakish.

(Is it cool for me to make a comment like that to another dude?)

It's cool man - I am secure in my manhood, and I dont mind being a bit rakish...now, this should spur a helluvalotta GAYDAR :lol8:

[R]

It's cool man - I am secure in my manhood, and I dont mind being a bit rakish...now, this should spur a helluvalotta GAYDAR :lol8:

I'm okay with that, so long as they take a look at my wife first...

http://myweb.cableone.net/abbysm/pix/AbbyFox01.jpg

Wow. I have no idea how an ubergeek like me landed a fox like her. :ne_nau:

[JP]

Propel :2thumbs:

[Sombeech]

I think the water's so expensive because there's so little of it on the earth. Supply and Demand, economics 101.

[Death]

I would be interested to know if Fiji water really comes from Fiji. I think its got a great taste but way to expensive.

[R]

I buy and use bottled water on the trail simply because I know it's safe. I've actually been sickened by some "clean" municipal water. My motto now: don't drink the local.

I prefer 24-ounce Aqua Fina, because the bottle is just the right size and shape that I can carry up to four of them in the back of my vest.

[Rev. Coyote]

I drank a litre of a very expensive bottled water called "Ketel One." It smelld funny, but I figured it was OK. When I woke up, the headache was unimaginable.

[Scott Card]

Why is it that I pay more for 32 oz of water than I do for 32 oz of the magic elixir made by the good doctor, Dr. Pepper. I have never figured that one out. :ne_nau:

[Sombeech]

Why is it that I pay more for 32 oz of water than I do for 32 oz of the magic elixir made by the good doctor, Dr. Pepper. I have never figured that one out. :ne_nau:

Probably because there's less water in Dr Pepper. Water is only 70% of our earth's mass.

One reason to support Global Warming is to melt the ice caps, create more water, and lower the bottled water prices.

[Scott Card]

Why is it that I pay more for 32 oz of water than I do for 32 oz of the magic elixir made by the good doctor, Dr. Pepper. I have never figured that one out. :ne_nau:

Probably because there's less water in Dr Pepper. Water is only 70% of our earth's mass.

One reason to support Global Warming is to melt the ice caps, create more water, and lower the bottled water prices.

Well, I just better get in my truck and drive around the desert :haha:

[soitgos]

I just use the Katadyn to filter my tap water. Makes me feel a little better about spending $700 on a water filter.

[stefan]

Environment: A Good Drink at the Sink
Newsweek

July 2-9, 2007 issue - Nothing irks Salt Lake City Mayor Ross (Rocky) Anderson more than seeing people tote water in plastic bottles. In fact, he argues, his city has some of the best tap water in the country. Several months ago, Anderson instructed department heads to stop buying bottled water for the city's 2,200 workers and provide coolers and fountains instead. "For a long time, I've viewed [bottled water] as a huge marketing scam," he says.

Considering that Americans chug more than 30 billion single-serving bottles of water a year, Anderson's campaign is at most a drop in the you-know-what. But there are signs of a push to bring back the tap, led by mayors who want to cut down on global warming. Anderson is urging the U.S. Conference of Mayors to promote tap water as a way to limit greenhouse-gas emissions. In San Francisco, residents who sign an online pledge not to buy plastic water bottles get a free stainless-steel water container. Some cities, aware that companies filter and sell municipal tap water under exotic names (Coca-Cola's Dasani, PepsiCo's Aquafina), are looking to bottle it themselves and use the profits for recycling programs.

Most water brands are packaged in a plastic derived from crude oil, polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Those containers are then transported on diesel-burning trucks

[DaveOU812]

I buy a case of bottled water every once in a while and not because I like the taste or think it's cleaner. I buy them to re-use the bottles. I fill them back up from the tap, put em in the fridge, and take em to work in the morning.

My opinion is that your paying for the bottle. Arrowhead water is 65 cents while Fiji is 2.00 but look at the quality of the bottle. I'll buy Fiji only because the bottle is gonna last longer and then I don't have to buy more of it.

[Jaxx]

I bought a nalgene bottle about 6 years ago for $6. It is still water tight. Fight the man, down with bottled water! :haha:

[ericchile]

I bought a nalgene bottle about 6 years ago for $6. It is still water tight. Fight the man, down with bottled water! :haha:\

I get 80% of my water from eating watermelon...

[Jaxx]

I get 80% of my water from eating watermelon...

I wish we could get it year round. I live on watermelon when it is in season.