Regulations

  __**//Regulations//**__

Members:
 * Sarah B.
 * Alison B.
 * Ryan F.
 * Kelly O.

 __ **Companies/Organizations/Agencies that regulate bottled water**: __ >  
 * 1)   Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates bottled water as a utility
 * 2) <span style="COLOR: rgb(5,0,255)">  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates bottled water as a packaged food product
 * 3) <span style="COLOR: rgb(5,0,255)">  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">State and local governments are responsible for inspecting, sampling, analyzing, and approving water sources
 * 4) <span style="COLOR: rgb(5,0,255)">  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) self-regulates
 * 5) <span style="COLOR: rgb(5,0,255)">  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) checks up on members of the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) to make sure they are following the regulations

__**<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 120%; COLOR: rgb(119,0,255)"> Regulations: **__ <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">
 * 1) <span style="COLOR: rgb(112,7,242)">  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs or primary standards) are legal standards for public water systems that limit the levels of contaminents.
 * 2) <span style="COLOR: rgb(112,7,242)">  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations (NSDWRs or secondary standards) don't have to be enforced because they regulate contaminents that only cause cosmetic effects (skin or tooth discoloration) or aesthetic effects (taste or smell).
 * 3) <span style="COLOR: rgb(112,7,242)">  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">FDA Standard of Identity requires that companies use the same descriptions consistently on their product labels (purified and spring) and that a company can't call their water "spring water" if the source isn't a spring.
 * 4) <span style="COLOR: rgb(112,7,242)">  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) moniter equipment design and production, process controls specific to bottled water, keep careful records, and check for safe and sanitary transportation and storage of bottled water.
 * 5) <span style="COLOR: rgb(112,7,242)">  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">Standards of Quality (SOQ) require companies to test for pesticides, minerals, and physical properties in their bottled water.
 * 6) <span style="COLOR: rgb(112,7,242)">  <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="COLOR: rgb(112,7,242)"> The FDA inspects and keeps an eye on proccessing plants and their products. The key parts of the inspection are verifying that the plant obtains product water and operational water from an approved source, looking at its washing and sanitizing procedures, examining the filling, capping, and sealing operations and determining whether the plant checks its source water and product water for chemical and microbiological contaminants.

<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">Here is a picture of bottled water that is labeled as natural sprin water. According to the FDA Standard of Identity, the water must actually be from a spring and all of the bottled water from that company must be labeled as the same type of water.

<span style="COLOR: rgb(230,5,5)"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 110%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">** __Timeline of Regulations:__ ** <span style="FONT-SIZE: 110%; COLOR: rgb(228,17,17)">  <span style="FONT-SIZE: 110%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="COLOR: rgb(230,5,5)">The regulations for bottled water have been increasing since 1976. According to the EPA’s Contaminants Regulated Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, only 22 contaminants were being regulated in 1976. However, looking forward through the years, that number of contaminants increased greatly. For example, between 1989 and 1991, 30 more contaminants were added to the list, such as barium, nitrate, and selenium. By 2001, there were 91 regulated contaminants for drinking water.

<span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 120%; COLOR: rgb(5,148,144); BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(250,250,250)">** __ Why do we regulate bottled and tap water? __ ** <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,238,20)"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 120%; COLOR: rgb(5,148,144); BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(250,250,250)">Certain elements of water can be very detrimental to one’s health, and are therefore not allowed in tap/bottled water. <span style="COLOR: rgb(5,189,114)"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 120%; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(250,250,250)"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 110%; COLOR: rgb(5,148,144); BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(250,250,250)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255)"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> As you can see, it is quite necessary that the water we drink every day is carefully regulated, for the consequences can be life threatening.
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 110%; COLOR: rgb(5,148,144); BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(250,250,250)">Lead, for example, can delay mental and physical developments in children, and can cause kidney problems and high blood pressure in adults. Therefore, no amount of lead is allowed in water of any kind.
 * <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 110%; COLOR: rgb(5,148,144); BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(250,250,250)">Other contaminants can have even more serious consequences if ingested through water drinking. One example could be nitrate, which, if consumed by infants, can cause serious illness and even death, if the infant is not treated.
 * <span style="FONT-SIZE: 110%; COLOR: rgb(5,148,144); BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(250,250,250)"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> The list continues- even more studies of certain contaminants show risk of cancer, nervous system damage, liver damage, and cardiovascular issues, to name a few.



= = = //__<span style="COLOR: rgb(0,128,0)"> U.S. Regulations compared to European Regulations __// = ·  The U.S. believes more strongly than Europe that water treatment should be carried out far enough to insure the public will not suffer from contamination.

__ EUROPE __
·  The WHO is the governing body that oversees European water. ·  The Protocol of Water and Health is Europe’s main program for cleaning drinking water. __ U.S.A.  __ ·  The EPA regulates U.S. drinking water and wastewater. ·  The SDWA sets maximum contaminant levels and treatment techniques that drinking water must meet to be considered safe for consumption. o This includes all microorganisms, disinfectants, organic compounds and radionuclides. <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(247,221,43)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(247,240,38)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(242,233,24)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(0,185,255)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,238,20)">

<span style="COLOR: rgb(53,215,20)"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 120%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 120%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 140%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">__State Regulations:__

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 120%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> In addition to the FDA regulations, bottled water is also subject to state regulatory requirements. Inspections: • In order for a water source to be approved by the state, the source must first be inspected, and then the water has to e sampled and analyzed to ensure it is safe enough to drink. Under a rule of the FDA, only approved water sources can be used to supply a bottling plant. Laboratory Certification: • It is necessary that testing laboratories are up to par with the state. States are therefore licensed to perform unannounced inspections of these testing laboratories. Several states do such inspections annually.

<span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,135)">**<span style="FONT-SIZE: 150%; COLOR: rgb(249,26,144); FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">How is bottled water different in quality/safety from tap water? **

<span style="COLOR: rgb(19,126,236)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(252,29,112)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,135)">• <span style="FONT-SIZE: 120%; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"><span style="COLOR: rgb(252,29,112)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,135)">  <span style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"> <span style="COLOR: rgb(252,29,112)"><span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,135)">The FDA regards bottled water as a food product, while tap water is regarded as a utility (by the EPA). To make certain that bottled water is regulated similarly to tap water, the FDA has to review the new regulations of tap water to see if they are applicable to bottled water. If applicable, the FDA has to propose similar regulations for bottled water within a deadline.



<span style="COLOR: rgb(1,122,162)">

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 120%; COLOR: rgb(2,118,157)">** What is the water tested for? ** <span style="COLOR: rgb(1,122,162)">
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(1,122,162)">    Inorganic contaminants (including pH, nitrate, chloride, fluoride, total dissolved solids)
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(1,122,162)">    Trace metals
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(1,122,162)">    Minerals (including nickel, mercury and silver)
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(1,122,162)"> Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(1,122,162)"> Pesticides and PCBs
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(1,122,162)"> Herbicides
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(1,122,162)"> Synthetic organic compounds (SOCs)
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(1,122,162)"> Gross alpha and beta/radium (radiological analysis)

<span style="FONT-SIZE: 170%; COLOR: rgb(248,155,18)">Where is the water coming from? <span style="FONT-SIZE: 130%; COLOR: rgb(248,155,18)"> >
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(234,167,77)"> In the United States, about 25% of bottled water comes from municipal water supplies, such as a public water source. If the bottled is labeled as "purified" or "drinking water," it most likely came from a public water source.
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(234,167,77)"> Bottles that show mountains, springs or snow fool consumers into thinking the water is from one of the places but it is the same as tap water.
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(234,167,77)"> Unless the water is "natural," which is from springs or wells where the minerals and trace elements are not altered, the water is most likely from a municipal water supply.
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(234,167,77)"> In Massachusetts, most of the water is from the Quabbin or Wachusett reservoirs.
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(234,167,77)"> In 2007, PepsiCo featured its Aquafina brand labeled with mountains, suggesting that the water was from a mountain spring. However, the company came under fire when it was released that the water was processed tap water.
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(234,167,77)"> Many companies have been fooling consumers as to where the water is coming from. This is the the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) has started performing "Source Tests", under the Clean Water Act, to determine the source of the water before it is purified.
 * <span style="COLOR: rgb(234,167,77)"> Although about 25% of bottled water is coming from municipal water supplies instead of natural and mountain springs, the companies are not required to list the source of the water on the label. <span style="COLOR: rgb(234,167,77)">



**Bibliography:** <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(10,240,56)"> <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(68,253,75)">http://www.fda.gov/FDAC/features/2002/402_h2o.html <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(10,240,56)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(68,253,75)">http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/nbw.asp <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(109,208,253)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(10,240,56)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(68,253,75)">[|http://www.finewaters.com/FAQ/Federal,_State_Industry_Regulations.asp] <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(109,208,253)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(10,240,56)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(68,253,75)">http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/botwatr.html <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(10,240,56)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(68,253,75)">http://www.bottledwater.org/public/BWFactsRegHome.htm <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(10,240,56)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(68,253,75)">http://www.epa.gov/safewater/standard/setting.html <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(216,82,24)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(10,240,56)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(68,253,75)">http://www.pollutionissues.com/Ve-Z/Water-Treatment.html <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(10,240,56)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(68,253,75)">http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/pdfs/contam_timeline.pdf <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(10,240,56)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(68,253,75)">http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/index.html#1 <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(10,240,56)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(68,253,75)">http://www.fda.gov/FDAC/graphics/2002graphics/water_diag.jpg <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(10,240,56)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(68,253,75)">http://www.ehponline.org/docs/1995/103-4/forum.html <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(118,251,60)"> <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(68,253,75)">http://www.euro.who.int/watsan <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(109,208,253)"><span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(68,253,75)">http://www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring-people-and-stories/rethink-what-you-drink/article51807.html <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(64,225,5)">http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5467759/ <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(31,199,72)"> http://www.mwra.com/04water/html/wsupdate.htm http://www.theledger.com/article/20080322/NEWS/803220380/1004 http://www.oregon-rain.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=2<span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(109,208,253)">